Published in 1747, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse became the most popular and influential English-language cookbook of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Written in a direct, conversational style for household servants and middle-class cooks rather than professional chefs, it rejected the elaborate and costly fashions of contemporary French cookery in favor of practical, accessible recipes. The work remained a bestseller for more than a century and appeared in more than forty editions.
Widely used in Britain and the American colonies, the book was owned by figures including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, and was reprinted in the United States beginning in 1805. Among its culinary landmarks are the first known printed recipe for Yorkshire pudding, early English recipes for curry, piccalilli, Hamburgh sausages, and trifle made with jelly. The book also included the elaborate almond-and-cream "hedgehog" dessert, molded into the shape of the animal and decorated with sweet edible spines.
More than a cookbook, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy helped democratize cookery writing, replacing the formal tone of aristocratic recipe collections with clear instructions intended for everyday kitchens. Its influence extended across the English-speaking world and continued long after its initial publication. - AsNotedIn
| Y/M/D | Association | Description | Place | Locale | Food | Event | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1747/00/00 | "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy" by Hannah Glasse is printed in London, England. | ||||||
| 1784/00/00 | A revised edition of "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy" includes a recipe for saveloy, reflecting the growing popularity of the anglicized sausage in late 18C Britain. | Saveloy |
| Particulars for The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Type | Book | a written or printed work consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers. | |
| Art Type | Cookbook | book containing recipes and other information about the preparation of food | |
| Area of Significance | Culinary | ||
| Narrative Arts | Prose | ordinary written language | |
| Writing Type | Reference Book | a book intended to be consulted for information on specific matters rather than read from beginning to end | |
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