Call Number:

Ms. Codex 2174

Repository:

University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Extent:

1 volume

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

Bessie Leonard cookbook, 1910-1911, Ms. Codex 2174, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania

Date:

1910-1911 (inclusive)

Creator:

Leonard, Bessie, active 1910-1911

Form:

Cookbooks

Abstract:

This volume contains 160 culinary recipes in addition to notes on the science of cooking and various cooking experiments. It was compiled by Bessie Leonard between 1910 and 1911 in the United States.

Little is known about Bessie Leonard, who created this volume.

Due to the presence of notes and experiments, and the nature of recipes in this volume, it was possibly created during the course of a cooking or home economics class.

Increased literacy and access to printed material in the 19th century led to an abundance of literature on homemaking and the 1862 Morrill Act established land-grants for colleges and mandated that those colleges offered instruction in "practical areas of endeavor." As many of these colleges were open to women, this mandate led to the creation of formal courses in domestic science and the principles of domesticity in the late 19th century.

The term "home economics" became standard at the 1899 Lake Placid Conferences and, by 1908, conference participants formed the American Home Economics Association which successfully lobbied for funding for the research and teaching of home economics.

Sources:

"About Home Economics ." HEARTH, Cornell University Library Digital Collections, digital.library.cornell.edu/collections/hearth/about. Accessed 11 Mar. 2024.

"History of Home Economics." Home Economics and Household Management, Middlebury College, sites.middlebury.edu/homeec/history-of-home-economics/. Accessed 11 Mar. 2024.

This volume contains 160 culinary recipes in addition to notes on the science of cooking and various cooking experiments. It was compiled by Bessie Leonard between 1910 and 1911 in the United States.

This volume contains notes on the theory, practice, and science of specific areas of cooking and notes on experiments done on specific ingredients, including potatoes (p. 8-10) and eggs (p. 29-31). The volume begins with simple recipes, such as a recipe for tea that instructs the cook to pour boiling water over loose tea (p. 5) and gradually increases in difficulty throughout. The nature of the information and recipes in this volume indicates that it could have been created during the course of a cooking or home economics class.

The volume begins with a statement on the theory and practice of cooking (p. 2), a table of weights, measures, and abbreviations (p. 2), and an explainer on cooking utensils and heating water (p. 3). The volume additionally includes notes on starches (p. 12), dairy and butter (p. 47), the science of freezing with salt (p. 68), and gelatin (p. 74).

Examples of recipes in this volume include baked potatoes (p. 7), boiled rice (p. 17), eggs à la goldenrod (p. 32), cheese fondue (p. 43), pineapple fanchonettes (p. 52), cottage pie (p. 60), Mexican kisses (p. 65), beef stew (p. 81), Aunt Ett's white cookies (p. 87), Mrs. Rundell's orange pudding (p. 91), and crab apple catchup (p. 99).