American Cookery

by Amelia Simmons

Overview

American Cookery was the first cookbook in America. Reproduced here is the rare second edition printed in 1796. We have added a new introduction by noted food historian Karen Hess.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781557094391
Publisher:	Applewood Books
Publication date:	10/28/1996
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	88
Sales rank:	458,973
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.23(d)

About the Author

There is no formal biography of Amelia Simmons available, except what is listed on the cover of her cookbook: “Amelia Simmons, an American orphan.” From the language of the book and its publishing history, culinary historians have deduced that she was most likely a domestic servant without formal education. (She describes enlisting a transcriber to write out the book for her.) Simmons probably came from the Hudson Valley region, and the basic content of the recipes indicates that she was a “good plain cook,” to substantiate the theory of her origins.