Antiquarian Cookbooks

Celia Sack is the owner of Omnivore Books in San Francisco, which sells new and antiquarian cookbooks. The store features a selection of Victorian-era cookbooks, 19th century agricultural guides and first editions from the legends of the food world, including Julia Child and James Beard. Find images from some of the antiquarian cookbooks on our blog.

Ginger Cordial

In a large wide-necked bottle place one and a half ounces of pulverized ginger; infuse this in a quart of cognac, well corked, for from two to three days; stir now and then; strain through a flannel, and add a syrup of one pound of sugar cleared and refined in one gill of water; filter again, cork well. The English often add to the pulverized ginger one pound of mashed black or white currants that secures a very delicious taste.

From The Flowing Bowl: What and When to Drink by William Schmidt, NY: 1892

Roast Quail

Roast Quail (Codornices Asadas) - a Spanish recipe:

Quail

Celery Sprigs

Salt and Pepper

Bacon slices

Grape leaves

Season birds inside and out. Place a celery sprig and the bird's giblets in each. Season, cover breasts with bacon slices, and truss birds. Wrap in grape leaves and tie with twine. (If the leaves are old and bitter, scald them in boiling water.) Lay in roasting pan and bake in slow oven (300 degrees F.); or roast on spit before open fire.

From The European Cookbook for American Homes, by Bob, Cora & Rose Brown, NY: 1936

Lemon Cream Pudding

Beat the yolks of four eggs, with four tablespoons of sugar; add the juice and grated rind of one large lemon and two tablespoons of hot water. Simmer until it thickens, then remove from the fire, and stir in the whites of four eggs, beaten stiff with two tablespoons of sugar. Eat cold.

From The Book of Forty Puddings by Susan Anna Brown, NY: 1882

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