Martha Bradley facts for kids
Martha Bradley was a British writer who created cookbooks. She lived in the 1700s, but we don't know much about her life. We do know she worked as a cook for over 30 years in Bath, Somerset. Bath was a popular town known for its relaxing spa waters.
Bradley's most famous work is The British Housewife. It was first released in small parts, like a magazine series, from January to October 1756. Later, in 1758, it was published as a large two-volume book. This book was over a thousand pages long! It's thought that Martha Bradley might have passed away before her book was even finished being published. Her book was special because it used the French cooking style called nouvelle cuisine. This was different from other female cookbook writers at the time, who usually focused on British cooking. Her book was very well organized. She also improved recipes from other authors, which shows she was a skilled and experienced cook.
Because The British Housewife was so long, it wasn't printed again until 1996. This means that for a long time, not many modern writers knew about Martha Bradley or her amazing work.
Life of Martha Bradley
We don't know much about Martha Bradley's life. Most of what we know comes from her only book, The British Housewife. In the 1740s, she worked as a professional cook in the popular town of Bath, Somerset. She had more than 30 years of experience in cooking. The company that published The British Housewife said they had all of Bradley's papers. A food historian named Gilly Lehmann thinks this means Bradley had died by the time her book came out in the late 1750s. Among her papers was a collection of handwritten family recipes.
Martha Bradley had read many cookbooks from her time. She used ideas from authors like Mary Eales, Patrick Lamb, Vincent La Chapelle, and Hannah Glasse. But she didn't just copy them! She changed and improved their recipes. This shows she was very knowledgeable and talented in her cooking career.
The British Housewife was first released in 42 weekly parts. This might have been the first cookbook ever published this way. The first part came out on January 10, 1756. Each weekly part was four large pages and cost 3 pence. All the weekly parts together would have cost 10 shillings and 6 pence. These weekly parts were advertised all over Britain. Bradley even advertised the next parts within the text. She told readers that her book gave cooks "ample instruction" for roasting meats. Some experts believe Bradley's plan for teaching cooks and housewives was more complete than any before it.
The full book version of The British Housewife was published in 1758. It had two volumes and over 1,200 pages. Some older records show different publication dates. For example, one history book from 1981 listed the date as 1760. Another book from 1913 said it was around 1770 and had 752 pages.
The British Housewife (1758) Book Details
The title page of The British Housewife tells us what the book covers. It includes recipes for cooking, pastries, puddings, jams, pickles, stews, soups, sauces, jellies, cakes, creams, and candies. It also has recipes for making wines, cordials, and strong drinks. The book even had a chapter on how to cure common sicknesses. One recipe suggested using powdered earthworm to help with fevers! The book was organized into sections for each month of the year. This showed a very "sophisticated organization."
Martha Bradley explained her goal for the book. She wanted to show that "an English Girl, properly instructed at first, can equal the best French Gentleman in everything but Expence." This means she believed English cooks could be just as good as French chefs without spending as much money. She was one of the few female cookbook writers in the 1700s who supported the French style of cooking called nouvelle cuisine. However, she wasn't afraid to criticize the French approach for some dishes.
For example, after a recipe for roasted capon (a type of chicken) with herbs, she gave advice:
The French, who never know when to stop, serve up a Capon done in this Manner with a rich Raggoo about it, but this is Confusion, and the Taste of one Thing destroys that of another. They who would be at the Top of the French Taste may serve it in this Manner, but with Gravy it is a very delicate and fine Dish, and no Way extravagant in the Expence.
She meant that adding a rich sauce (raggoo) might be fashionable, but it could hide the natural taste of the dish. She thought it was better and cheaper with just gravy.
The French weren't the only ones she criticized. In a recipe for roast pork, she mentioned how some Germans prepared their meat. She strongly disapproved of any cruel practices, saying there was no need for such harshness to make a good dish.
The British Housewife has many pictures. These include illustrations on how to prepare different meats for roasting. It also shows examples of menus for meals throughout the year. The picture at the very beginning of the book shows three women working in a kitchen. Below them is a saying: "Behold you fair, united in this book. The frugal housewife and the experienced cook." This shows that the book was all about being smart with money and practical in the kitchen.
Because the book was so huge (over 1,000 pages), it wasn't printed again until 1996. This meant it was largely forgotten by the public. Not many modern writers have studied Martha Bradley or her work. However, some food experts think The British Housewife is one of the most interesting cookbooks from the 1700s. They feel that when reading her work, you can really sense her personality. One expert believes Bradley is one of the most important cookbook writers of her century. This is because her book is so complete. It also discusses the good points and challenges of different dishes. Plus, it shares information about both European and English cooking.
