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HANDBOOK OF PRACTICAL
COOKERY.
HANDBOOK OF
PRACTICAL COOKERY
THOMAS NELSON & SONS
LONDON, EDINBURGH <*• NEW- YORK.
HANDBOOK OF
PRACTICAL COOKERY
•fflew and Enlarged Edition
In which special prominence is given to the preparing of New Cakes,
Jellies, etc. ; to very simple recipes for Cottage Cookery ;
also to various modes of preparing food
for the Sick-room.
By
MATILDA LEES DODS,
DIPLOMEE OF THE SOUTH KENSINGTON SCHOOL OF COOKERY.
h an Introduction
ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF COOKERY.
Bonbon:
T. KELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW.
EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.
iSSo.
431
PREFACE.
THE question will naturally be asked, in connection with
this volume, Why is such a work required at all? Is there
not already an abundance of books devoted to and exhaust-
ing the various branches of the subject, from the mono-
graph which discusses all the points and possibilities of cold
mutton, to the "Complete Housewife," whose "common-
sense" suggestions and elaborate instructions range over
all possible topics, from the currying of a lobster to the
management of a husband ?
To such a criticism we should reply, that cookery is now
accepted as both a science and an art. As a science it is, of
course, subject to all the laws of natural development ; while
as an art it can also lay claim to the privileges of continued
inspiration ; and the disciples of to-day need not admit that
all wisdom has died with the prophets who have taught in
the past. In sober earnest, there has been, during the past
few years, a much more general recognition of the fact that
the work of cooking — upon which depends so much of the
comfort and, in fact, the happiness of existence — cannot be
successfully carried on in a hap-hazard or in a " hit-or-miss"
fashion. The interests imperilled are too serious and the
1.117C27
results of failures too grave. It requires and demands care-
ful, persistent study, arid should utilize also all possible in-
genuity and creative power that can be pressed into service.
Originality of conception, thoroughness of knowledge, and
precision of method may be said to be as important for the
practice of cookery as for the practice of medicine ; and it is
very evident that the more fully these are called into play for
the former, the greater the prospect of getting rid altogether
of the latter.
The due recognition, during the past decade, of the proper
position of this branch of human knowledge has led to the
establishment of institutions planned to give instruction in
the principles of cooking, and to further its higher develop-
ment as a fine art; and during the next few years we hope
to see the number of such institutions largely increased.
Having obtained a first class diploma from the Kensington
School of Cookery, with this in my possession, and a defi-
nite purpose before me of doing what was in my power to
further the knowledge of my fellow-women and the comfort
of my fellow-men, I could no longer feel that my life was
aimless, even though my work should have no higher
"range" than that of the kitchen. In course of my work
with classes I have found that there was quite a general
demand for a book that should embody, with somewhat
more comprehensiveness and completeness of detail than was
possible in any single course of lectures, the whole range of
instruction, and
Page 0
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
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^•'T'TOscre
Wii?mmM&mM&
HANDBOOK OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.
HANDBOOK OF
PRACTICAL COOKERY
THOMAS NELSON & SONS LONDON, EDINBURGH <*• NEW- YORK.
HANDBOOK OF
PRACTICAL COOKERY
•fflew and Enlarged Edition
In which special prominence is given to the preparing of New Cakes,
Jellies, etc. ; to very simple recipes for Cottage Cookery ;
also to various modes of preparing food
for the Sick-room.
By
MATILDA LEES DODS,
DIPLOMEE OF THE SOUTH KENSINGTON SCHOOL OF COOKERY.
h an Introduction
ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF COOKERY.
Bonbon:
T. KELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW. EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.
1880.
PREFACE.
THE question will naturally be asked, in connection with this volume, Why is such a work required at all? Is there not already an abundance of books devoted to and exhausting the various branches of the subject, from the monograph which discusses all the points and possibilities of cold mutton, to the "Complete Housewife," whose "commonsense" suggestions and elaborate instructions range over all possible topics, from the currying of a lobster to the management of a husband ?
To such a criticism we should reply, that cookery is now accepted as both a science and an art. As a science it is, of course, subject to all the laws of natural development ; while as an art it can also lay claim to the privileges of continued inspiration ; and the disciples of to-day need not admit that all wisdom has died with the prophets who have taught in the past. In sober earnest, there has been, during the past few years, a much more general recognition of the fact that the work of cooking — upon which depends so much of the comfort and, in fact, the happiness of existence — cannot be successfully carried on in a hap-hazard or in a " hit-or-miss" fashion. The interests imperilled are too serious and the
1.117C27
result of failures too grave. It requires and demands careful, persistent study, and should utilize also all possible ingenuity and creative power that can be pressed into service.. Originality of conception, thoroughness of knowledge, and precision of method may be said to be as important for the practice of cookery as for the practice of medicine ; and it is very evident that the more fully these are called into play for the former, the greater the prospect of getting rid altogether of the latter.
The due recognition, during the past decade, of the proper position of this branch of human knowledge has led to the establishment of institutions planned to give instruction in the principles of cooking, and to further its higher development as a fine art; and during the next few years we hope to see the number of such institutions largely increased. Having obtained a first class diploma from the Kensington School of Cookery, with this in my possession, and a definite purpose before me of doing what was in my power to further the knowledge of my fellow-women and the comfort of my fellow-men, I could no longer feel that my life was aimless, even though my work should have no higher "range" than that of the kitchen. In course of my work with classes I have found that there was quite a general demand for a book that should embody, with somewhat more comprehensiveness and completeness of detail than was possible in any single course of lectures, the whole range of instruction, and