Mary Ronald’s Century Cook Book, 1908

I love finding hidden handwritten recipes and clippings tucked inside old cookbooks. I always feel like I get a little glimpse into the previous owner’s life - what she liked to cook or what she thought was interesting or worth saving, her penmanship, what recipes she tried, what notations she wrote, and sometimes I find dried flowers or herbs she pressed in. I feel like this woman is speaking to me in a way, even though she is long gone. Cookbooks can be surprisingly personal. Ultimately, I think what this whole thing is about for me is that I really miss my mum and my grandmothers. All three were amazing cooks. I miss my mum’s butter tarts, and my grandmothers’ home made bread, jam and Sunday roasts. But let’s talk about Mary Ronald instead of my feelings of grief and loss. For starters, this is an incredibly erudite cookbook - Mary Ronald was a very good writer and in the opening pages she incorporates quotes from Shakespeare and Ruskin, and French aphorisms from Brillat-Savarin. The title page offers a synopsis: "This book contains directions for cooking in its various branches, from the simplest forms to high-class dishes and ornamental pieces; a group of New England dishes furnished by Susan Coolidge; and a few receipts of distinctively Southern dishes. It gives also the etiquette of dinner entertainments - how to serve dinners - table decorations, and many items relative to household affairs." Truly a delightful old cookery book that allows us to step back into a bygone era and explore the cuisine and customs at the turn of the century.