The Modern Housewife or, Ménagère : Comprising Nearly One Thousand Receipts, for the Economic and Judicious Preparation of Every Meal of the Day, with those of The Nursery and Sick Room, and Minute Directions for Family Management in All its Branches.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Soyer, Alexis, 1809-1858

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"The Modern Housewife or, Ménagère" by Alexis Soyer is a comprehensive culinary guide written in the mid-19th century. The work aims to educate housekeepers on economical and effective meal preparation, offering nearly a thousand receipts for a variety of dishes suitable for all meals of the day, including those specific to the nursery and sick room. The practical advice emphasizes not just cooking techniques but also the art of family management in domestic spaces. At the start of the book, the editor sets the stage for Soyer's culinary philosophy through a dialogue between two characters, Mrs. B and Mrs. L, who discuss the intricacies of efficient housekeeping and cooking on a budget. Through their conversation, Soyer illustrates the transition from luxurious dining to a model of economic hospitality that doesn't compromise on quality. The opening portions also provide insights into the author's motive for writing the book-chiefly to prove that excellent French cooking can be achieved simply and affordably, making it accessible to the middle-class families of the time. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images available at The Internet Archive)

Notes:

Reading ease score: 57.3 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.

Release date is 2013-01-22