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(London: Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans 1845). First UK Edition. xxxii, 683, [1] pages plus 4 page and 32 page catalogues at rear, the latter dated January 1845. Publisher's original cloth (name to head of title page, sporadic foxing throughout) now professionally re-cased by a skilled bookbinder retaining the original boards. An attractive VG copy with a bookseller's ticket to the front paste-down. "Modern Cookery, in All its Branches" is considered the first practical cookbook specifically geared toward the everyday cook. The schoolteacher, poet, and cookery writer Eliza Acton (1799-1859) published a number of poems as a young woman, and [i]n 1837 [.] [h]er publishers, Longmans, suggested she should write something more practical than poetry so, for the next few years, she applied herself to meticulous research for the work by which she is best known: Modern Cookery for Private Families, first published in 1845. The book was well received on its first appearance; critics thought it the best cookery book they had seen, combining as it did clarity of instructions with excellent organisation. The book was a lasting success running into several editions, and was the standard work on the subject until the end of the century, establishing Eliza Acton as the first of the modern cookery writers. She wrote with great charm and clarity, but what marked the book as innovative was her original plan of listing, very exactly, the ingredients, the time taken, and pitfalls for the inexperienced cook. This was a completely new format, all other books on the subject being far less exact in their instructions. This became the standard way of writing cookery books, except that Eliza Acton's summary of ingredients followed the recipe, whereas it is now more usually at the beginning. [.] The descriptions and asides in the writing show clearly that she knew her subject well, and she wrote that the recipes "were all proved under our own roof, and under our own personal supervision" (ODNB). On the strength of the book Delia Smith called Acton "the best writer of recipes in the English language", while Elizabeth David wondered why "this peerless writer" had been eclipsed by such inferior and inexperienced imitators". This first edition from 1845 was the first to use the name "Christmas Pudding"; the dish had earlier been known as plum pudding. Sue Dyson and Roger McShane reviewing the book on FoodTourist conclude that "this is an inspirational book with an Aladdin's Cave of recipes and wonderful timeless writing" and "an absolutely essential p[art of any serious cookbook collection". At the time of listing there are no first editions listed for sale on the web. Uncommon. Photographs/scans available upon request. Seller Inventory # 355490723576
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