The Cooks and Confectioners Dictionary facts for kids
Frontispiece and title page of 2nd edition
|
|
| Author | John Nott |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Subject | Cookery |
| Publisher | Charles Rivington |
|
Publication date
|
1723 |
| Pages | 646 |
The Cooks and Confectioners Dictionary was a famous cookbook written by John Nott. It was first published in London, England, in 1723. The full title was The Cooks and Confectioners Dictionary: or, the Accomplish'd Housewives Companion. This book was very important for understanding how people cooked in the 1700s.
Contents
About the Author: John Nott
John Nott, the author of this cookbook, was a very skilled chef. He worked as the main cook for several important noble families in England. These included the Dukes of Somerset, Ormond, and Bolton, and the Lords Lansdown and Ashburnham. His experience working for these wealthy families helped him create a detailed and helpful cookbook.
Exploring the Cookbook's Contents
What's Inside the Dictionary?
This cookbook is like a dictionary for food. It explains how to make many different kinds of dishes. You can find recipes for savory foods like "Bisks" (thick soups), "Ragoos" (stews), and various sauces.
The book also covers pastries such as biscuits, cakes, custards, and pies. If you like sweets, there are sections on making confectionery. This includes candying fruits and flowers, making jellies, and even decorative "sugar-works."
Besides food, the book teaches how to make drinks. Recipes include beer, cider, mead, and English wines. It also has recipes for cordials, which are sweet drinks.
A Look at the Introduction
The book starts with a four-page introduction called "To All Good Housewives." In this part, John Nott explains why he wrote the book. He mentions that it was common for books to have an introduction, just like it was common for people to dress a certain way. He signs off as "The Compiler," which means the person who put the book together.
After the introduction, there's a fun section called "Some Divertisements in Cookery." These were special recipes used for holidays and celebrations, like Twelfth-Day.
How Recipes Are Organized
The main part of the book is set up like a dictionary. Recipes are listed from "Al" (for Ale) all the way to "Zest." This means you can easily look up a dish by its name.
One interesting recipe is for a "Battalia Pye of Fish." This was a very large pie shaped like a castle with towers. Each tower held different kinds of fish, such as salmon, cockles, prawns, oysters, and periwinkles.
The book also includes helpful sections like "Bills of Fare" (suggested menus for each month). It also has "Terms of Art for Carving" and "Instructions for Carving" to help you serve food properly. There's even a guide on how to set out a dessert of fruits and sweets.
Recipe Style and Details
Because the book is an alphabetical list, there are no big sections for different types of dishes. Each recipe stands on its own. The book doesn't give general advice on kitchen tools or cooking methods.
Recipes are named either as a dish, like "Asparagus with Butter," or as a goal, like "To make an Amlet of Asparagus." The ingredients are not listed separately. Instead, they are mentioned within the instructions.
Quantities are often vague, like "an Egg or two." This means the cook had to use their own judgment. Cooking instructions are also brief, such as "over a gentle Fire."
For example, here is a recipe from the book:
- To make an Amlet of Asparagus
- Blanch your Asparagus, cut them in short Pieces, fry them in fresh Butter, with a little Parsley and Chibols ; then pur in some Cream, season them well, and let them boil over a gentle Fire: In the mean time make an Amlet with new laid Eggs, Cream, and Salt ; when it is enough, dress it on a Dish ; thicken the Asparagus with the Yolk of an Egg or two, turn the Asparagus on the Amlet, and serve it up hot.
Different Editions of the Book
The Cooks and Confectioners Dictionary was very popular and was printed many times. Here are some of its editions:
- First edition: 1723, published by C. Rivington in London.
- This edition was reprinted in 1980 by Lawrence Rivington. It included an introduction and glossary by Elizabeth David.
- It was also reprinted in 2012 by Rare Books Club.
- Second edition: 1724, published by C. Rivington in London. This version had new additions.
- Third edition: 1726, published by C. Rivington in London. This also included more additions.
- This edition was reprinted in 2005 by Thomson Gale.
- Fourth edition: 1733, published by C. Rivington in London.
