Virginia Housewife

by Randolph, Mary

• ISBN13: 9781429090063
• ISBN10: 1429090065
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-09-01
• Publisher: Applewood Books

Summary

Originally published in 1838 and widely regarded as the first American Southern cookbook, The Virginia Housewife is more than just a regional cookbook. While gathering the best of Southern cooking, it also gives a picture of dishes that were popular around the country at the time. Reputed to be the best cook and hostess in Richmond, Mary Randolph's work reflects the influence of cuisines from other cultures and preserves the multi-ethnic flavors of American cuisine of the 1830s. Full of practical household advice and hints that still resonate today, the recipes will be a delight to modern cooks-especially the 22 flavors of ice cream!

Excerpts

PREFACE. THE difficulties I encountered when I first entered on the duties of a housekeeping life, from the want of books sufficiently clear and concise to impart knowledge to a Tyro, compelled me to study the subject, and by actual experiment to reduce every thing in the culinary line, to proper weights and measures. This method I found not only to diminish the necessary attention and labour, but to be also economical: for, when the ingredients employed' were given in just proportions,' the article made was always equally good. The government of a family, bears a Lilliputian resemblance to the government of a nation. The contents' of the Treasury must be known, and great care taken to keep the expenditures from being equal to the receipts. A regular system must be introduced into each department, which may be modified until matured, and should then pass into an inviolable law. The grand arcanum of management lies in three simple rules: "Let every thing be done at a proper time, keep every thing in its proper place, and put every thing to its proper use." If the mistress of a family, will every morning examine minutely the different departments of her household, she must detect errors in their infant state, when they can be corrected with ease; but a few days' growth gives them gigantic strength: and disorder, with all her attendant evils, are introduced. Early rising is also essential to the good government of a family. A late breakfast deranges the whole business of the day, and throws a portion of it on the next, which opens the door for confusion to enter. The greater part of the following receipts have been written from memory, where they were impressed by long continued practice. Should they prove serviceable to the young inexperienced housekeeper, it will add greatly to that gratification which an extensive circulation of the work will be likely to confer. M. RANDOLPH. Washington, January, 1831.