Mrs Beeton's All About Cookery Book.
All About Cookery by Mrs Isabella Beaton.
A collection of practical recipes arranged in alphabetical order.
Published in London by Ward, Lock & Co., Limited 1905.
Isabella Beeton (1836-1865) was one of the most recognised names in the British history of cookery book writers. Universally known as Mrs Beeton, she authored the most famous English book, ‘Mrs Beeton’s Book on Household Management’. Just as the name says, the book serves as a guide in providing tips and advice on all the aspects of household management in the Victorian Era. Right after its launch, the book met with instant success and became an immediate bestseller, selling more than two million copies within a couple of years. The book was intended as a guide of reliable information for the aspirant and ever-expanding Victorian middle classes. It dealt with a huge plethora of topics right from advice on household management to tips on childcare, etiquette, entertainment, employment of servants, laundry works and so on. What’s more, it had an extensive section on cookery that provided easy-to-make recipes, their ingredients, cooking time, cooking procedure and so on. Most of the recipes were illustrated with coloured engravings. It was the first cookbook to pen recipes in the format that is still practiced today. Interestingly, much of her expertise in the subject came from her experience in babysitting and household management when she was young, with a huge family comprising of 20 siblings.