Weekend Cooking – First American Cook Book

On 28th April, 1796 Amelia Simmons’ cookbook, American Cookery was published.

It was the first cookbook by an American author.

You can read and download a PDF version of the book.

The book can be viewed as a success as it was printed, reprinted and even pirated. Have a look at Lucy Emerson’s New England Cookery Book 1808, which is essentially Simmons’ book with a different cover!

Feeding America title image

While have a look on the website that hosts this PDF version I came across The Historic American Cookbook Project which sounds really interesting.  On reading further it is a collection of heritage cookbooks and contains images of heritage cooking utensils and objects held by The Michigan State University Museum. There is a detailed essay of how the project started HERE and it also contains full details of the books within the archive and links to them.

This is a fabulous site and I am so pleased I stumbled across it.

Taking part in Weekend Cooking, hosted by BethFishReads
Unknown's avatar

About Julie Goucher

Genealogist, Author, Presenter, native Guildfordian, avid note taker and journal writer. Lover of Books, Stationery & History; Surnames, Butcher & Orlando One-Name Studies. Pharos Tutor for all One-Name Studies/surname courses as well as Researching Ancestors from Continental Europe.
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3 Responses to Weekend Cooking – First American Cook Book

  1. wow, this is really cool! i will have to check out these links!

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  2. Unknown's avatar Peggy says:

    Julie this is great thanks for sharing! I so love old cookbooks, can't get much older than this one!

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  3. Unknown's avatar Beth F says:

    Wow what a cool resource. Who knew that America had a cookbook just 20 years after becoming a country. I'm definitely going to check this out.

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