Fannie Farmer(1857–1915) came to cooking due to a stroke at the age of sixteen that forced her to remain homebound for over a decade. She took up cooking so thoroughly that she turned her mother's home into a boardinghouse known for its uncommonly delicious meals. Once she was able to walk again, Farmer attended the Boston Cooking School in the late 1880s and learned to approach cooking as a domestic science, as was popular then. The cookbook she eventually published under the school's name in 1896 became unexpectedly famous, thanks to its system of standardized measuring vessels and level measurements.

Fannie Farmer 1896 Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer

The cookbook that transformed the American kitchen from the country's first celebrity chef. "Fannie Farmer was the original Rachael Ray." (Smithsonian)

A classic bestseller for over a century, the Fannie Farmer 1896 Cook Book contains an incredible offering of 1,380 recipes, from boiling an egg to preparing a calf's head. Farmer's instructions also go beyond recipes to include how to set the table for proper tea, full menu ideas for holiday dinners, housekeeping tips, and so much more. This book is known for pioneering the standardization of measurements in recipe instructions, which made the creation of better meals possible for even the most inexperienced of cooks. Farmer's thorough text is chock full of fabulous Americana for cooks and non-cooks alike.

This book is a great buy for cooks who want to get back to basics and enjoy the pleasures of traditional American cooking. Cooks who think they've done it all will discover classic recipes to share with friends and family, and total beginners will be comfortable with Farmer's clear instructions for even the most basic meal prep. The Fannie Farmer Cook Book will be a valued addition to your cookbook collection.

 

REVIEWS

  • "She wrote a book and created a legacy that has survived for more than a century after her death... Farmer's cookbook revolutionized home cooking by introducing the concept of 'level measurements.'"

    – Boston.com

  • "Fannie Farmer changed the world with a simple idea: that home cooking was a serious pursuit, worthy of standards. Her lasting legacy is the modern recipe."

    – New England Network
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

PREFACE.

"BUT for life the universe were nothing; and all that has life requires nourishment."

With the progress of knowledge the needs of the human body have not been forgotten. During the last decade much time has been given by scientists to the study of foods and their dietetic value, and it is a subject which rightfully should demand much consideration from all. I certainly feel that the time is not far distant when a knowledge of the principles of diet will be an essential part of one's education. Then mankind will eat to live, will be able to do better mental and physical work, and disease will be less frequent.

At the earnest solicitation of educators, pupils, and friends, I have been urged to prepare this book, and I trust it may be a help to many who need its aid. It is my wish that it may not only be looked upon as a compilation of tried and tested recipes, but that it may awaken an interest through its condensed scientific knowledge which will lead to deeper thought and broader study of what to eat.

F. M. F.