The Experienced English Housekeeper

Raffald, Elizabeth. The Experienced English Housekeeper. T Wilson & R Spence: York, 1808. 8vo (205x125mm) half bnd burgundy cloth 397,[1]pp.

RAFFALD, Elizabeth [Whitaker, (1733 - 1781)]

The Experienced English Housekeeper: for the use and ease of ladies, housekeepers, cooks etc. written purely from practice. Dedicated to the Hon Lady Elizabeth Warburton whom the author lately served as housekeeper.  Consisting of several hundred original receipts, most of which never appeared in print.  Part I. Lemon Pickle, Browning for all Sorts of Made Dishes, Soups, Fish, plain Meat, Game, Made-Dishes, both hot and cold, Pies, Puddings &c. Part II.  All kinds of confectionary, particularly  the Gold and Silver Web for covering of Sweet-meats, and a Dessert of Spun Sugar; with Directions to set out a Table in the most elegant Manner, and in the Modern Taste, Floating Islands, Fish Ponds, Transparent Puddings, Trifles, Whips &c. Part III. Pickling, Potting and Collaring; Wines, Vinegars, Catchups, Distilling; with tow most valuable Receipts, one for refining Malt Liquors, the other for curing Acid Wines; and a correct list of every Thing in Season for every Month in the Year.  A New Edition.  In which are inserted some celebrated receipts by other modern authors.

London: the booksellers & by T. Wilson & R. Spence, Printers, High-Ousegate, York 1806. Printed at the office of T. Wilson & R. Spence, High-Ousegate, York.

8vo (210x130mm) half burgundy leather over claret morocco 'L' grain cloth boards, five compartments, paper spine label  [2], [facsimile frontispiece], vii,[1], [three plates],397,[1], [2] pp; [A]⁴, B⁸-Cc⁸. Facsimile engraved frontispiece of an older Mrs Raffald attributed to Hampton, Prince & Cattles, York (silversmiths of York) and three, original, folding plates, one of a stove and two of  table settings.

 Recently professionally rebound and recased, new end-papers, new ribbon marker. Text lightly soiled throughout; top edges trifle dusty.  owner name in ink to p.vii "John Couzy Dundrum". Folding plates repaired; several instances of marginal notes in ink; handwritten tally of accounts in ink to final page (repaired)

 Raffald was an extraordinary woman for her time, in addition to writing this phenomenally successful book, she established Manchester's newspaper, first post office, first street directories, as well as two inns, a servant's placement agency, a cookery school, a pastry cooks' shop, and a pleasure garden, and allegedly had some 15 or 16 children in as many years (she died when 48).  First published in 1769, this was an extremely popular, and much pirated work. Its popularity can be attributed to its simplicity and clarity, a style akin to the next generation's Eliza Acton.  Many preserving and still-room recipes are included.

 This edition is not recorded in the usual bibliographies.  Oxford p.98 notes a 13th ed published 1806 as does Simon 1249 and Vicaire p727, but not this version.  Cagle at 944-953 (953 particularly) and Aylett & Ordish's First Catch Your Hare at p130, imply that this is a reprint (pirated?) of the first edition but the title suggests otherwise.  Maclean, pp121-124, Bitting p387, Hazlitt p176 and Pennell p161, all list earlier editions.

A solid clean reference copy.