First Cookbook Written in America

I often look to Europe, and more specifically France, for century old texts on cooking—and—America has a better evolving cookbook history.  The first cookbook in American was published in 1798 by Amelia Simmons entitled American Cookery.  Its mere 48 pages is a good preface for cooks in America.  Typesetting is definitely an art into itself.

Ingredients utilized back in the day were a little different than they are today; you had to preserve many fruits and vegetables. Procuring loaf sugar nowadays may be a little difficult.  They didn’t have stoves, but fire and cast iron pots.  I don’t see many turtles at the local supermarkets and for economy sake, every part of an animal and ingredient had to be used.  It took several weeks and much patience to cure bacon.

The way cookbook writing has evolved from a narrative of instruction to a more specific ingredient list and method displays are evolution of science, mechanization, and technical writing.  The narrative allows for fluidity, creativity, interpretation, and utilizing what ingredients are around.  Cooks today should learn to be creative with recipes and adapt them to what is locally and economically available.

To read American Cookery click here