Manuscript recipe books have recently been subject to increasing scholarly attention and have been rehabilitated from their previous rather ephemeral status in local archives to be recognised as a source offering multiple possibilities for the researcher (and sometimes the celebrity chef!). Many of them are not exclusively culinary, also incorporating medical, veterinary, cosmetic and household recipes. They can offer a glimpse into the domestic lives of their compilers, illustrating not only the state of knowledge but also the way information was transmitted through the family’s network of acquaintances, and how ways of making food and medicines developed and changed over time.
This volume is a useful addition to the growing range of recipe transcriptions available both in print and online.