It is important in all sorts of ways: it was written by an independent woman; it was composed with an uninstructed servant-class in mind; it exemplifies the battle between English and French influences in the kitchen; it contains some important recipes (not least, the first in English for curry). This facsimile is provided with a biographical introduction, an extensive glossary of cookery terms, and two essays on the sources of Hannah Glasse's recipes. Glasse was reprinted countless times through the 18th century and her book was quickly republished in America. The life story of the author...

Revised and republished many times since its 1747 debut, this cookbook was a bestseller in England and the United States for more than 100 years. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned copies, and Benjamin Franklin even translated some of its recipes into French in hopes of attaining a taste of home while abroad.
Author Hannah Glasse dismisses French cookery, the leading cuisine of her day, as inefficient for servants and middle- to lower-class cooks, citing its fussiness, expense, and waste. Instead, Mrs. Glasse focuses on standard Anglo-American fare, from soups and gravies to...