What do you think?
Rate this book
A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
99 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1852
144 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Read
March 22, 2012Plain, fairly easy-to-follow instructions to make basic dishes. Some dishes are still familiar: roast fowl, rice pudding, meat pie. Others sound a bit odd to modern ears: Cocky Leaky, Italian cheese (which is bits of pig and seasonings baked together until spreadable), baked bullock's heart. Some measurements are in Imperial, but others are things like "a pennyworth of mixed pickles", "half-a-gill" of vinegar, or "pieces about the size of a pigeon's egg". In terms of ingredients, bread and herbs predominate, with a lot of oatmeal, rice, and salted pork. The cheeks, heels, and organs of animals are commonly used as well. Interestingly, although ketchup and curry were already common enough to Victorian audiences that Francatelli doesn't think to explain them, the poor were still going to bakers to bake their food. Additionally, it's clear that Francatelli is writing for a fairly urban audience, because although he assumes everyone knows how to pluck a fowl or will make their own fruit preserves, he also gives very detailed instructions on how to break down a pig's body. His audience is at an odd stage in society, where they don't raise or grow their own food but still deal wtih ingredients at their most basic level.
Can be read for free here.
Can be read for free here.
February 18, 2011
Reading this book in the historical context that it was written for - the mid 1800s - gives a fascinating insight to what it meant to be dirt poor. The recipes waste *nothing* - if you're boiling potatoes, veggies, or meat, use the water to make soup and let everyone fill up on soup.
The whole approach is very different from our 21st century approach as it is a very matter-of-fact "waste not want not... as we can't *afford* to waste any calories or nutrition".
One note for anyone wanting to use one of the recipes - what the author refers to as "skim milk" is what we would call "full fat" or "vitamin D" milk - it is milk that has had the cream skimmed off it, it is not the watery abomination that is presented as "milk" these days.
The final point to make is that this book is not for people who have swallowed the lie that fat is bad. It isn't.
The whole approach is very different from our 21st century approach as it is a very matter-of-fact "waste not want not... as we can't *afford* to waste any calories or nutrition".
One note for anyone wanting to use one of the recipes - what the author refers to as "skim milk" is what we would call "full fat" or "vitamin D" milk - it is milk that has had the cream skimmed off it, it is not the watery abomination that is presented as "milk" these days.
The final point to make is that this book is not for people who have swallowed the lie that fat is bad. It isn't.
December 8, 2020
This book is fairly easy to adapt to modern kitchens, but I would suggest you invest in a good culinary dictionary. There are a significant number of recipes with ingredients that are impossible to find. I was able to find a cd-rom with historical cookbooks that sparked my interest in historical cookbooks. If you share that interest, I recommend this book.
May 24, 2020
I love reading old cookbooks does anyone else? I have heard about this book, through previous reading but only found a copy free to download today.
Charles Elmé Francatelli, was a nineteenth century London born (of Italian extraction) chef and writer of cookery books, who was chef to Queen Victoria, and later Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. Ferdinand Kingsley played him on television in the 2016 drama 'Victoria', in a fictionalised romance he marries Nancy Skerrett, the Queen's Head Dresser.
A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes, published in 1852, is extraordinary for being one of the most ambitious cookbooks aimed at the British Working Class, with at least two recipes for curry, and a recipe for bouillabaisse, Francatelli must be one of the first chefs to understand that the working classes wanted more than a full belly and that some were actually interested in food. That being said there are the usual stodgefests of heavy meat and cereal stews, cods heads, and more offal and offcuts than you can shake a stick at.
Some of his recipes, such as his Toad in the Hole (no sausages in this recipe) are quite repulsive. He recommends the thrifty cook, purchases 'bits or pieces any kind of meat... when the days sale is over. one should 'ascertain if there be any necessity to pare away some tainted part, or perhaps a fly blow...' fry it all together, add the usual batter 'bake for an hour and half or send to the baker's'. Little wonder at the high mortality due to food poisoning in those days.
Other recipes, (Baked Suckling Pig, Roast Stuffed Veal ect) are a little aspirational for most working class cooks, however how many of us pour over complicated recipes that are beyond our means or ability to cook. I cannot remember if it was Jane Grigson or Elizabeth David, who suggested the cookbook was aimed at the thrifty middle classes rather than the typical working class household. Still is a fascinating read,
Charles Elmé Francatelli, was a nineteenth century London born (of Italian extraction) chef and writer of cookery books, who was chef to Queen Victoria, and later Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. Ferdinand Kingsley played him on television in the 2016 drama 'Victoria', in a fictionalised romance he marries Nancy Skerrett, the Queen's Head Dresser.
A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes, published in 1852, is extraordinary for being one of the most ambitious cookbooks aimed at the British Working Class, with at least two recipes for curry, and a recipe for bouillabaisse, Francatelli must be one of the first chefs to understand that the working classes wanted more than a full belly and that some were actually interested in food. That being said there are the usual stodgefests of heavy meat and cereal stews, cods heads, and more offal and offcuts than you can shake a stick at.
Some of his recipes, such as his Toad in the Hole (no sausages in this recipe) are quite repulsive. He recommends the thrifty cook, purchases 'bits or pieces any kind of meat... when the days sale is over. one should 'ascertain if there be any necessity to pare away some tainted part, or perhaps a fly blow...' fry it all together, add the usual batter 'bake for an hour and half or send to the baker's'. Little wonder at the high mortality due to food poisoning in those days.
Other recipes, (Baked Suckling Pig, Roast Stuffed Veal ect) are a little aspirational for most working class cooks, however how many of us pour over complicated recipes that are beyond our means or ability to cook. I cannot remember if it was Jane Grigson or Elizabeth David, who suggested the cookbook was aimed at the thrifty middle classes rather than the typical working class household. Still is a fascinating read,
November 5, 2018
A fun read which satisfies both interest in historical context and the connection between food resources, diet, family budgets, and socio-economic class in 19th century Britain. Provides a list of recipes and instructions for those adventurous enough to recreate the dishes in their modern kitchens, while providing clear historical information about how and why certain ingredients were used and recommended for the working classes. It is an enlightening period read.
August 7, 2019
Really interesting and insightful
Great insight into old fashioned cookery on a budget as well as interesting remedies for common ailments. The measurements and qualities were rather amusing
Great insight into old fashioned cookery on a budget as well as interesting remedies for common ailments. The measurements and qualities were rather amusing
Read
August 15, 2024Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verse 75—
Are you so keen for them to believe for your own sake while a group of them have already heard God’s word? Then they tamper with it once they have studied it, and they realized it.
Are you so keen for them to believe for your own sake while a group of them have already heard God’s word? Then they tamper with it once they have studied it, and they realized it.
February 17, 2021
Very poor read, not what I was expecting.
Read
July 10, 2024How 'bout you fast and not cook for people, save it in the fridge and take it to hell?
August 6, 2022
Really enjoyable with lots of good recipes....also some really bad ones (I don't think "toast water" should be a thing 🤢)
The language is a little difficult at points, but this book works for teaching a range of basic, cheap recipes.
The language is a little difficult at points, but this book works for teaching a range of basic, cheap recipes.
August 11, 2015
It's always interesting to read old cookbooks. Some recipes stand the test of time, while others. . . Boiled sheep's head, anyone?
This book is geared towards working class families (read: poor) during Victorian-era England. Waste nothing. Lots of vegetables, especially potatoes and onions, I suppose because they were cheap and easily plentiful. Organ meats also feature.
As an aside, I always find it interesting that eels were part of a poor person's diet back in history, and now we eat them as a delicacy.
The book also features special recipes for invalids (toast water and other thin and supposedly nutritious things for sick people) and some great advertisements for patent medicines, such as Frampton's pill of health, which removes all of women's 'obstructions,' which seems like a code word for abortifacient.
This book is geared towards working class families (read: poor) during Victorian-era England. Waste nothing. Lots of vegetables, especially potatoes and onions, I suppose because they were cheap and easily plentiful. Organ meats also feature.
As an aside, I always find it interesting that eels were part of a poor person's diet back in history, and now we eat them as a delicacy.
The book also features special recipes for invalids (toast water and other thin and supposedly nutritious things for sick people) and some great advertisements for patent medicines, such as Frampton's pill of health, which removes all of women's 'obstructions,' which seems like a code word for abortifacient.
January 28, 2016
Not really very practical (randomly opening it, there's 'Baked Bullocks heart', followed by 'stewed sheeps trotters') in this day and age of supermarket pre-packed meat.
Even my local butcher no longer has hanging carcasses in the shopfront (I remember playing punchbag with sides of beef when I was a boy, waiting for mum to buy a pound of mince!).
As a piece of social archeology though, it's really interesting to see how the upper classes thought the lower could be educated into 'proper comestibles'.
What's missing from the book is a proper introduction by someone qualified to give us the context of the recipies inside - E.g. the monies mentioned mean nothing to me (how much is 1s1d worth in 2010's money?) and there's a number of mentions (who is 'Brown and Paulson', what's a 'bushel') that would benefit from a 21stC glossary.
Even my local butcher no longer has hanging carcasses in the shopfront (I remember playing punchbag with sides of beef when I was a boy, waiting for mum to buy a pound of mince!).
As a piece of social archeology though, it's really interesting to see how the upper classes thought the lower could be educated into 'proper comestibles'.
What's missing from the book is a proper introduction by someone qualified to give us the context of the recipies inside - E.g. the monies mentioned mean nothing to me (how much is 1s1d worth in 2010's money?) and there's a number of mentions (who is 'Brown and Paulson', what's a 'bushel') that would benefit from a 21stC glossary.
February 25, 2016
Very interesting book as all it is is a reprint of a book published originally in the late 1800's. My, how things have changed. The recipes in this book are all quite simple, but also intended to feed large numbers of people at as low a cost as possible. Quite chatty in it's instructions which just goes to show another area where things have changed a lot in the last 100+ years.
One of the really interesting things to me was how some things that were considered so cheap are now really expensive.
One of the really interesting things to me was how some things that were considered so cheap are now really expensive.
Want to read
January 25, 2012on Kindle
January 21, 2013
This is a wonderful social history of old Victorian England. The recipies are pretty brutal as are the insights. Still a favourite.
April 20, 2013
fascinating. I can't believe the ingredients in here that we just dont have access to nowadays!
April 28, 2016
Fascinating insight into the eating habits of the 19th century. A mixture of recipes - some of which I want to try, others I know I never will. An enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews