It is not the aim of this little book to famish an elab- orate treatise on cookery, or to supplant any other author- ity on the subject. But persons who desire to excel in this sphere do not like to be tied down to any one par- ticular method, or at least take an interest, and find their advantage, in counselling with their neighbors concern- ing the economy of household management. In the sim- plest and most unpretending manner, two Virginian la- dies would herein lay before their sisters a collection of recipes, such as have been constantly used in the fami- lies of their State for many years back, and tested by the experience of several generations. It was thought doubly expedient to make such a collection of recipes at this time, when, old domestic institutions having been done away with, there is danger that the composition of many an excellent dish may become forgotten lore. Enough will it be for the Virginia Cookery-book to take its place on the house-keeper's pantry shelf along-side of the simi- lar works of Miss Leslie, Marion Harland, Mrs. Hender- son, and Mrs. Hale, to be referred to, if not on every occa- sion, at least frequently. All that its compilers promise is to be found trustworthy in the limited field which they have undertaken to occupy. INTR0DUC5TI0N. Iir pmaaiice of the oompilorV ^A that the ^ Virginia Cookery-Book** should serve its a memento of the pa*t, an well as a help in the present, she ventures to reproduce the introduction to Mrs. Randolph's "Virginia House- wife,** since it was written for that lady by the ot>nipil- er's grandfather, Professor George Tucker, and contains ^ tribute to the potable character of Virginia inatroiu^ of the olden. time that she wovtld like to go down to poster- ity. • This is done^.tbe rather because, there is no author.- iaed edit ion of Mr& Randolph's excellent work now ^ex*. tant Although its da4ie of publication Was IB.")!) most of Mr. Tiicker'd remarks are as applicable now as wheh they were written. ' Two changes in the manners of the' times are to be incidentally noticed. At that day, in a' family living in good style, the dining-room servant wIeis invari- ably a man; the castors, too, made the central figure oh the • dinner -tabl^. Yet, be it obseryed, particular atten- tipn to the latter may ^ee4 to be isjDJoined only t;he more, earnestly, because in the more . retired, aituatioa which they now hold ion the sideboard, neglect as to their con-* dition might not be so promptly brought to li^ht, and yet bi6 only the more mortifying if hen it did appear. Tl INTBODUCTIOK With filial reverenoey then, the grandchild would lay before her contemporaries advice that she feels carries far more weight with it than anything which she could hope to say herself on the important subject of ordering the affairs of the household. (( Professor Tucker* s Introduction, ** Management is an art that may be acquired by every woman of good-sense and tolerable memory. If , unf ort- unately, she has been bred in a family where domestic business is the work of chance, she will have many diffi- culties to encounter; but a determined resolution to obtain this valuable knowledge will enable her to surmount all obstacles. She must begin the day with an early break- fast, requiring each person to be in readiness to take their seats when the muffins, buckwheat cakes, etc., are placed on the table. This looks social and comfortable. When the family breakfast by detachments, the table remains a tedious time, the servants are kept from their morning's meal, and a complete derangement takes place in the whole business of the day. No work can be done until break- fast is finished.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

It is not the aim of this little book to famish an elaborate treatise on cookery, or to supplant any other authority on the subject. But persons who desire to excel in this sphere do not like to be tied down to any one particular method, or at least take an interest, and find their advantage, in counselling with their neighbors concerning the economy of household management. In the simplest and most unpretending manner, two Virginian ladies would herein lay before their sisters a collection of recipes, such as have been constant.ly used in the families of their State for many years back, and tested by the experience of several generations. It was thought doubly expedient to make such a collection of recipes at this time, when, old domestic institutions having been done away with, there is danger that the composition of many an excellent dish may become forgotten lore. Enough will it be for the Virginia Cookery-book to take its place on the house-keeper's pantry shelf along-side of the similar works of Miss Leslie, Marion Harland, Mrs. Henderson, and Mrs. Hale, to be referred to, if not on every occasion, at least frequently. All that its compilers promise is to be found trustworthy in the limited field which they have undertaken to occupy. INTRODUCTION. In pursuance of the compiler's wish that the "Virginia Cookery-Book" should serve as a memento of the past, an well as a help in the present, she ventures to reproduce the introduction to Mrs. Randolph's "Virginia Housewife,** since it was written for that lady by the compiler's grandfather, Professor George Tucker, and contains ^ tribute to the potable character of Virginia instructors of the olden. time that she would like to go down to posterity. • This is done the rather because, there is no author.- iaed edit ion of Mr& Randolph's excellent work now exist. tant Although its da4ie of publication Was 1851. most of Mr. Tiicker'd remarks are as applicable now as wheh they were written. ' Two changes in the manners of the' times are to be incidentally noticed. At that day, in a' family living in good style, the dining-room servant was invariably a man; the castors, too, made the central figure oh the • dinner -table. Yet, be it obseryed, particular attention to the latter may seem to be enjoined only t;he more, earnestly, because in the more . retired, aituatioa which they now hold ion the sideboard, neglect as to their con-* dition might not be so promptly brought to light, and yet be only the more mortifying if hen it did appear. INTRODUCTION. With filial reverence, then, the grandchild would lay before her contemporaries advice that she feels carries far more weight with it than anything which she could hope to say herself on the important subject of ordering the affairs of the household. (( Professor Tucker* s Introduction, ** Management is an art that may be acquired by every woman of good-sense and tolerable memory. If , unf ortunately, she has been bred in a family where domestic business is the work of chance, she will have many difficulties to encounter; but a determined resolution to obtain this valuable knowledge will enable her to surmount all obstacles. She must begin the day with an early breakfast, requiring each person to be in readiness to take their seats when the muffins, buckwheat cakes, etc., are placed on the table. This looks social and comfortable. When the family breakfast by detachments, the table remains a tedious time, the servants are kept from their morning's meal, and a complete derangement takes place in the whole business of the day. No work can be done until breakfast is finished.