The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy; Excelling Any Thing of the Kind Ever Yet Published

Mrs Glasse; [Hannah Glasse]

Published by Orlando Hodgson, London, 1836

About this Item

A very scarce edition of Orlando Hodgson's publication of Hannah Glasse's important cookery book, 'The Art of Cookery'. Vanishingly scarce in the original wraps. A very scarce copy of this work, with only one on Copac, held at the British Library. Many editions were copied without explicit author's consent, and it is possible that, as this edition is scarce, this was an unauthorised edition. The signatures for this work run as A6 [B6-F6] G6. Bound without the folding frontispiece that is called for from the copy on Copac held at the British Library. Collated, bound without the folding frontispiece, however all pages are present. 'The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy' is a prominent cookery book that became a bestseller for a century after its publication in 1747. It dominated the English speaking market, and gave the author, Hannah Glasse, much fame. The popularity of the work was international, with the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin even owning copies, with its popularity surviving the American War of Independence. In this work, Glasse explains that she used simpler language so that the servants who used the book would be able to understand it. The work includes one of the first recipe in English for an Indian style curry, and was also the first book to mention a recipe for trifle using jelly as an ingredient, as well as being the first to use the term 'Yorkshire pudding' in print. Glasse also makes use of many imported ingredients, such as cocoa, cinamon, pistachios, and nutmeg. Glasse's approach is sometimes confusing, not giving a list of ingredients preceding the recipe, and also often not giving ingredient quantities, or any indicant of cooking time of oven temperature. She also has an anti-French approach, disapproving of the French influence on British food, though she still gave ingredients with French names and influence. About one third of the recipes in this work were copied from other cookery books. Hannah Glasse was best known for this wok, which was originally published anonymously under the tag 'by a lady'. She also published 'The Servants' Directory', and 'The Compleat Confectioner', though neither works were as successful as 'The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy'. She wrote the work to raise money for her family. Her and her husband, who was fourteen years her senior, and Irishman subaltern who was on half-pay and with whom she eloped, were greatly struggling financially. After the success of this work, she became a dressmaker in Covent Garden. Though her clients included the Princess Augusta, Glasse ran up debts, and was imprisoned for bankruptcy. Printed by Plummer and Brewis on Love Lane, Little Eastcheap, London, Plummer and Brewis were active from 1809 to 1836. Undated, dated from the dates the publisher and printer operated. In the original paper wraps, though lacking the front wrap. Externally, sound. Spine is lifting with loss of paper. Slight edgewear. Age-toning to the rear wrap. Internally, firmly bound. Page are age-toned with some spots and handling marks, heavier to the title page. Good Only.

Seller Inventory # 655P17

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy; Excelling Any Thing of the Kind Ever Yet Published
• Publisher: Orlando Hodgson, London
• Publication Date: 1836
• Binding: Brochure/Pamphlet
• Illustrator: None
• Condition: Good Only
• Book Type: book