Call Number:

Ms. Codex 2200

Repository:

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

Extent:

1 volume(s)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

Elodie Bush cookbook, 1879-1915, Ms. Codex 2200, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania

Date:

1879-1915 (inclusive)

Creator:

Bush, Elodie, active 1879-1915

Form:

Cookbooks and Codices (bound manuscripts)

Abstract:

This volume contains 279 culinary and 6 household recipes written and compiled by Elodie Bush between 1879 and 1915 in the United States.

Little is known about the creator of this volume, Elodie Bush, other than that she was active in the United States from 1879 to 1915.

This cookbook contains recipes for several distinct American recipes, including lobster Newburg, Marlborough pie, Parker House tomato soup, pepper pot soup, and succotash.

Lobster Newberg is said to have been created by Benjamin Wenberg at Delmonico's Restaurant in New York City in 1876. Charles Delmonico allegedly changed the name from "lobster Wenberg" to "lobster Newberg" after either an argument with Wenberg or at Wenberg's request due to privacy concerns. The dish consists of lobster in terrapin sauce, which was popular before the 1870s. The stories of its creation are unsubstantiated, but by the 1890s, it had become a popular dish in the United States.

Marlborough pie is an apple custard pie that was popular in New England in the 19th century. Its origins date to 17th century England, but it later became a staple Thanksgiving pie in the New England.

Omni Parker House Hotel, responsible for recipes like Parker House rolls and Parker House tomato soup, was a Boston, MA hotel founded by Harvey D. Parker in 1855. It was known to host high-profile guests, notably from the American literary, sports, thespian, and political communities. It was also known for its dining experience and is credited with having invented, perfected, or popularized numerous dishes.

Pepper Pot Soup is a traditionally West Indian soup that became popular in and associated with Philadelphia, PA in the 18th and 19th centuries, where it was commonly sold in taverns and by street vendors.

Succotash is a Native American dish of corn and beans that was likely consumed at the first Thanksgiving between the Wampanoags and the Pilgrims in 1691. The name comes from the Wampanoag term "msíckquatash" which means "boiled corn kernels."

Sources:

Chaki, Rohini. "Bake Luxurious 19th-Century Marlborough Pie." Atlas Obscura, 30 Jan. 2024, www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-marlborough-pie

O'Connell, Joe. "The Unusual Story of Lobster Newberg." Steak Perfection, 2001, www.steakperfection.com/delmonico/LobsterNewberg.html.

Omni Parker House: A Brief History, www.omnihotels.com/-/media/images/hotels/bospar/restaurants/menus/bospar-omni-parker-house-in-room-dining-menu.pdf.

Tucker, Aimee. "Succotash: Recipe with a History." New England, 28 July 2015, newengland.com/food/succotash-recipe-with-a-history/.

Weaver, Harlan Woys. "From Turtle to Tripe: Philadelphia Pepperpot, A Street Food from the West Indies ." Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery 1991: Public Eating : Proceedings, Prospect Books, 1991, pp. 287–294.

"Who Invented ... Lobster Newberg?" Restaurant-Ing through History, 25 Mar. 2016, restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com/2010/04/19/who-invented-lobster-newberg/

This volume contains 279 culinary and 6 household recipes written and compiled by Elodie Bush between 1879 and 1915 in the United States. It is bound in quarter leather with marbled paper boards and there is significant damage to the binding. There are numerous clippings and letters with recipes laid in between the front pastedown and first flyleaf and within the volume (p. 138-139).

This cookbook is mostly organized into thematic sections, which include soups (p. 1), fish (p. 27), sauce (p. 41), meats (p. 55), vegetables (p. 98), pastry, puddings, etc. (p. 115), preserves and jellies (p. 147), and cakes (p. 163). There are two additional untitled sections of recipes, one containing mostly baked goods and one with miscellaneous recipes and the few recipes for household products in this volume. Many of the sections are followed by a series of blank pages (p. 14-26, 32-40, 50-54, 73-82, 94-97, 104-114, 136-146, 159-162, 173-180, 183-185). There are additionally references to numerous states and areas within the United States in this cookbook, including Newport, RI; Maryland; Virginia; Kentucky; Boston, Massachusetts and specific recipes associated with American institutions such as Parker House tomato soup (p. 6) and Lobster Newberg (p. 30).

Examples of recipes in this volume include pepper pot (p. 1), fish chowder (p. 12), baked tautog (p. 27), creamed lobster (p. 31), mint sauce (p. 43), Newport sauce (p. 46), potted pigeons (p. 55), ragout of beef (p. 63), Indian fried cakes (p. 89), green tomato pickles (p. 101), succotash (p. 103), Marlborough pudding (p. 117), Jew's toast (p. 131), whortleberry pudding (p. 132), rusk (p. 166), to prevent hinges creaking (p. 186), and straw matting (p. 187).