A New System of Domestic Cookery facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
A New System of Domestic Cookery: Formed Upon Principles of Economy; and Adapted to the Use of Private Families

Title page of 1813 edition
Author	Mrs Rundell
Country	England
Subject	English cooking
Genre	Cookery
Publisher	John Murray
Publication date	1806

Frontispiece of a T. J. Allman edition

A New System of Domestic Cookery was a super popular English cookbook from the early 1800s. It was first published in 1806 by Maria Rundell (1745 – 1828). People often just called it "Mrs Rundell's book." Its full name is A New System of Domestic Cookery: Formed Upon Principles of Economy; and Adapted to the Use of Private Families.

Mrs Rundell has been called "the original domestic goddess." Her book was a huge hit, selling many copies. It was known as "the most famous cookery book of its time." Over 67 different versions of the book were printed. The 1865 edition grew to 644 pages and made a lot of money.

About the Book

The first edition of A New System of Domestic Cookery came out in 1806. It was a small collection of Mrs Rundell's recipes. It was published by John Murray. The book became very popular and had many editions. These were printed in Britain and the United States. The first American edition came out in 1807.

The book often said it was written "By a Lady." New versions kept being printed for about 40 years after Mrs Rundell passed away. A writer named Emma Roberts helped edit the 64th edition. She even added some of her own recipes.

Sales of A New System of Domestic Cookery helped the John Murray publishing company grow. Over 245,000 copies were sold in Britain. Worldwide, more than 500,000 copies were sold. The book was printed until the 1880s. Mrs Rundell and John Murray later had a disagreement. She tried to work with another publisher, Longman's. This led to a legal argument between them.

What's Inside

The 1865 edition of the book was very long, with 644 pages. It had 35 chapters. The book started with a short introduction. It also had tables for weights, measures, and even wages. A full index at the end helped readers find recipes easily.

The book covered many topics. It gave advice to the lady of the house. It taught how to carve meat and choose cooking tools. It also explained foreign cooking terms.

Here are some of the main topics covered:

• Tips for managing household money

How the Book Teaches

Older English cookbooks from the 1700s were often a bit messy. Books like Eliza Smith's The Compleat Housewife (1727) or Elizabeth Raffald's The Experienced English Housekeeper (1769) were mostly just recipes. Mrs Rundell's book was different. It was very organized and easy to follow.

She started by teaching important skills. For example, she explained how to save money. She also taught how to carve meat. She gave tips on stewing and seasoning food. She even told readers to "Look clean, be careful and nice in work." This meant being neat in the kitchen. She also explained how to use special cooking pots. She defined foreign cooking words like pot-au-feu. This word means a basic French stew. She even showed all the different cuts of meat. Recipes didn't start until page 65!

Recipe "Gravy to make Mutton eat like Venison"

The recipes in the book are like direct instructions. They tell you exactly what to do. If amounts are needed, they are part of the instructions. For example, a recipe called "Gravy to make Mutton eat like Venison" says:

Pick a very stale woodcock, or snipe, cut it to pieces (but first take out the bag from the entrails), and simmer with as much unseasoned meat gravy as you will want. Strain it, and serve in the dish.

Basic cooking skills, like making pastry, are explained in their own sections. Then, the recipes just mention "the paste" without repeating how to make it. For "Pastry," Mrs Rundell gives directions for "Rich Puff Paste" and "A less rich Paste." She also includes "Crust for Venison Pasty." A recipe for "Shrimp Pie, excellent" then just says:

Pick a quart of shrimps; if they are very salt, season them with only mace and a clove or two. Mince two or three anchovies; mix these with the spice, and then season the shrimps. Put some butter at the bottom of the dish, and over the shrimps, with a glass of sharp white wine. The paste must be light and thin. They do not take long baking.

The book also gives advice on how to pick the best food at the market. For instance, for buying chickens, it says:

Fowls.—If a cock is young, his spurs will be short; but take care to see they have not been cut or pared, which is a trick often practised. If fresh, the vent will be close and dark.

Different Versions

A New System of Domestic Cookery was printed over 67 times. Because it was so successful, it was often updated and made longer. The first edition had 344 pages. The 1865 edition grew to 644 pages, including the index. Here are some important versions of the book:

• "By a Lady." 1st edition. London: John Murray, 1806.
• First American edition. Boston: W. Andrews, 1807.
• Another American edition. Philadelphia: Benjamin C. Buzby, 1807.
• A "Second edition" in Boston: Andrews & Cummings, and L. Blake, 1807.
• A new edition in 1808, costing "Seven Shillings and Sixpence."
• New-York: R. McDermut & D. B. Arden, 1814.
• The 1816 edition, reprinted by Persephone Books in 2008.
• A new edition in 1824.
• London: Thomas Allman, 1840.
• The 66th edition, John Murray, 1842.
• From the Sixty-Seventh London Edition. Philadelphia: Carey and Hart, 1844.
• A new edition, "245th thousand", John Murray, 1865.

See also

In Spanish: Un nuevo sistema de cocina doméstica para niños