A. Cook's Perspective

A fascinating insight into 18th-century cook Ann Cook's vitriolic lambasting of a bestselling cookbook “The Art of Cookery” by Hannah Glasse.

Ann Cook was an 18th-century cook and cookbook author. Her cookbook was printed in three editions and contained more than just receipts. For some reason, she had a real problem with Hannah Glasse’s cookbook, The Art of Cookery: Made Plain and Easy, which had been republished many times during the 18th century and would have been the first port of call for a puzzled cook or housekeeper. Cook’s book included vitriolic comments about a number of Glasse’s recipes.

Historic cooks Clarissa F. Dillon and Deborah J. Peterson use their skills to investigate whether Cook’s remarks were valid. They prepared a number of recipes, both from Glasse and from Cook, and commented on the results. Although a number of people have written about these two women, their emphasis was on the comments, not on the validity of the criticisms. This approach makes this book unique.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
Ann Cook’s First Edition of Professed Cookery
Glossary

Clarissa F. Dillon received a doctorate in History from Bryn Mawr College in 1986. She has been active in living history since 1973 and has produced a number of self-published books as well as a cookbook, So Serve It Up, hat provided 18th-century receipts for a meal a month for Pennsylvania residents of various economic and social levels.

Deborah J. Peterson began her living history activities with military re-enactments in 1982. She toiled as a camp-follower on many Revolutionary war sites. From 1999 to 2013, her Heirloom Pantry provided hard-to-find and well-researched ingredients and equipment.