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THE PRACTICE OF COOKERY
Adapted to the
BUSINESS OF EVERY-DAY LIFE.
By MRS. DALGAIRNS.
1840
 PREFACE
This Volume contains a Complete System of
Practical Cookery, so carefully adapted to the purposes of every-day life,
that although a person totally unacquainted with the art here treated of
may not be able at first to dress a dinner, merely by referring to this
book, any Cook or House-keeper, possessed of ordinary experience, will
certainly have the means of knowing, without further help than what these
pages afford, how to prepare, in the best manner, every dish at present in
general use.
There are Twenty-five Chapters in all, arranged in
the order of the following List, each of which is preceded by those useful
Preparatory Remarks, which are usually kept at the beginning of the
volume, at most inconvenient distance from the subject treated of. This is
often embarrassing; and, it is believed, the novelty in arrangement here
adopted, will be found advantageous to all parties concerned.
LIST OF THE CHAPTERS
In all 1597 Recipes
A copious Index will be found at the end of the volume.
Great pains have been taken to compose a work
having, in all respects, a practical character. Care has also been used to
collect valuable materials from various authentic sources, the chief
object being the compositions of a treatise which might be called, with
truth, the Cook’s Companion in the practice of Cookery; and at the same
time, be no less useful to the mistress of a family, if required for
occasional reference.
The chief requisites, in a work of this kind, are
– first, the intrinsic excellence of the precepts it contains; next, their
economical adaptation to the habits and tastes of the majority of its
readers; and, lastly, such a distinct arrangement of the various parts,
that no difficulty can arise in searching for what is wanted, nor any
ambiguity in the meaning of the directions when found.
A perfectly original book of Cookery would neither
meet with, nor deserve, much attention; because what is wanted in this
matter, is not receipts for new dishes, but clear instructions how to make
those already established in public favour. The study, therefore, of the
author has been to consult the best authorities; compare different
receipts with care and impartiality, and afterwards to select for
publication those only which appeared economical, easy to follow, and
calculated to furnish the dishes required for daily use, as well as those
for occasions of ceremony. But nothing has been considered worthy of
adoption, however high its pretensions, without some specific and
substantial recommendations. Every receipt, therefore, has either been
actually tried by the author, or by persons whose accuracy in the various
manipulations could be safely relied upon.
The defects usually complained of in most Cookery
books are their extravagance, and their want of distinctness in the
directions. In many cases, they are perversely adapted exclusively to the
finances of persons who never think of reading receipts at all, but who
overcome the whole difficulty by keeping highly educated, and, of course,
expensive Cooks. Such works, therefore, afford little assistance to the
young mistress of a family, to country servants, or even to persons who
live in towns, but whose circumstances are so limited, that, with all the
disposition in the world to learn the art of Cookery, they have no means
of putting such costly lessons in practice.
It is hoped that such criticisms will not apply to
this work: as the author has used every effort of industry and patience,
to arrive at the truth, and to impart it clearly and forcibly to others,
so that correct knowledge and judicious economy might go hand in hand, in
this important branch of housekeeping.
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