Turn of the Century Cookbook Compiling Contributions of Female Chefs "The New American Cook Book", First Edition 1899

Women's Labor

First Edition

The New American Cook Book: Amply Illustrated. Springfield, OH: The Crowell & Kirkpatrick Co., 1899. First edition. 383 pages. Illustrated with black-and-white engravings, including decorative section headers and utensil diagrams. Illustrated wrappers with vignette of a woman flanked by an eagle, crossed swords, and laurel wreaths. This turn-of-the-century cookbook was assembled from the contributions of over two hundred housekeepers, chefs, and “prominent women,” including such culinary figures as Paul Resal (White House chef), Gustave Beraud (Calumet Club, Chicago), and Mrs. S.T. Rorer (Philadelphia Cooking School). The result is both a functional household reference and a cultural document of late Victorian foodways in America, highlighting gendered labor, regional cuisines, and class-specific eating habits at the dawn of the 20th century.

The volume is divided into 21 chapters ranging from foundational kitchen science—stocks, sauces, and garnishes—to poultry, game, preserves, candies, invalid cookery, and household hints. The breadth of recipes, from economic stock preparations to elaborate molded desserts, reflects both the aspirational domesticity and practical constraints of middle-class American homes. The inclusion of instructors and educators such as Miss Cornelia Campbell Bedford (New York Cooking School) and Miss Gesine Lemcke (German-American Cooking College) reveals the influence of progressive-era culinary reformers seeking to professionalize domestic labor. Published during a period of expanding literacy and shifting domestic roles, this volume illustrates how cookbooks served not just as guides but as cultural affirmations of women's domestic authority and social aspiration.

Front wrapper and spine chipped with loss to top and bottom; textblock separated from spine but holding internally. Binding fragile with front endpaper detached. Overall fair to good condition. A richly illustrated and encyclopedic example of 1890s American cookbook publishing, reflecting both the aesthetics and practicalities of its era; increasingly scarce in any condition.

Item #22133

Price: $225.00