(English) Smith, E[liza]. The Compleat Housewife; or, Accomlish\’d Gentlewoman\’s Companion.

Being a collection of upwards of Six Hundred of the most approved Receipts in cookery, pastry, confectionary, preserving, pickles, cakes, creams, jellies, made wines, cordials. With copper plates, curiously engraven, for the regular Disposition or Placing of the various Dishes and Courses. And also Bills of Fare for every Month in the Year. To which is added, a collection of above Three Hundred Family Receipts of medicines ; viz. Drinks, Syrups, Salves, Ointments, and various other Things of sovereign and approved Efficacy in most Distempers, Pains, Aches, Wounds, Sores, &c. particularly Mrs. Stephen\’s Medicine for the Cure of the Stone and Gravel, and Dr. Mead\’s famous Receipt for the Cure of a Bite of a mad Dog ; with several other excellent Receipts for the same, which have cured when the Persons were disordered, and the salt Water fail\’d ; never before made publick ; fit either for private Families, or such publick-spirited Gentlewomen as would be beneficient to their poor Neighbours. With Directions for Marketing. 396, xii pp. Illus. with 5 folding copper plates. 8vo., period calf. Fifteenth Edition, with Additions. London: R. Ware, S. Birt, T. Longman, C. Hitch, J. Hodges, J and J. Rivington, J. Ward, W. Johnston, and M. Cooper, 1753.

First published in 1727, Ms. Smith\’s cookbook was popular enough to go through 18 editions in 50 years. In 1742, it became the first cookbook published in the thirteen colonies; it contained the first published recipe for \”katchup\”, and appears to be the earliest source for bread and butter pudding. Front hinge cracking, corners rubbed; frontis. lacking (if there was one), still very good and scarce.

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