Women in the Kitchen: Twelve Essential Cookbook Writers Who Defined the Way We Eat, from 1661 to Today

by Anne Willan

Culinary historian Anne Willan “has melded her passions for culinary history, writing, and teaching into her fascinating new book” (Chicago Tribune) that traces the origins of American cooking through profiles of twelve influential women—from Hannah Woolley in the mid-1600s to Fannie Farmer, Julia Child, and Alice Waters—whose recipes and ideas changed the way we eat.Anne Willan, multi-award-winning culinary historian, cookbook writer, teacher, and founder of La Varenne Cooking School in Paris, explores the lives and work of women cookbook authors whose essential books have defined cooking over the past three hundred years. Beginning with the first published cookbook by Hannah Woolley in 1661 to the early colonial days to the transformative popular works by Fannie Farmer, Irma Rombauer, Julia Child, Edna Lewis, Marcella Hazan, and up to Alice Waters working today. Willan offers a brief biography of each influential woman, highlighting her key contributions, seminal books, and representative dishes. The book features fifty original recipes—as well as updated versions Willan has tested and modernized for the contemporary kitchen. Women in the Kitchen is an engaging narrative that seamlessly moves through the centuries to help readers understand the ways cookbook authors inspire one another, that they in part owe their places in history to those who came before them, and how they forever change the culinary landscape. This “informative and inspiring book is a reminder that the love of delicious food and the care and preparation that goes into it can create a common bond” (Booklist).

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, History, Cookbooks, Biography, Cooking, Audiobook

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 11, 2020

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a somewhat interesting book that profiles 12 women who wrote American cookbooks throughout history. The premise is that these are the women who "defined" cooking but I'm not sure I agree with her choices. Not that I am any kind of culinary expert, but I haven't heard of most of them other than Julia Child, and I collect vintage cookbooks. My own all-time favorite cookbook (from any time) is the Meta Given set of two huge books with tiny print and almost no pictures (and those are in black and white, since it was published so long ago). I grew up cooking from those books and there are notes in it rating recipes and making suggestions with dates going back to the 1940's when it was my grandmother's and then my mother's and they would record every recipe they cooked. If ever there was a book to teach you everything you needed to know, from how to dress a chicken to how to make perfect pie crust to 30 different recipes using pumpkin, it was hers. Shrug. I also half expected something about the fictional Betty Crocker since while she was not a real person "she" had such an effect on cooking in America. One of my other favorite female cookbook authors is the woman who wrote The Golden Age Cookbook, a vegetarian cookbook for "those who follow a bloodless diet" written over a hundred years ago (find it free on Kindle and Project G).

While reading this book, it was hard not to compare it to The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks, a similar type of book that compiled histories of influential cookbooks and their authors (that time in African American authors). Both tell the stories of the authors and give just a sampling of recipes. This one felt very dry about the authors.

Willan translates every recipe she gives from the original to her updated version. In most cases, I didn't feel that was really necessary. Most of us can follow a recipe even if it's given in vague old fashioned ways. A small note could say what temperature was recommended or how much a gill was, for instance. More recipes could have been included if each one wasn't in here twice.

The author is apparently a chef herself, but she did too much humble bragging about spending time at Julia Child's house and talking about her own career. I don't know who she is, so it got old hearing herself mentioned in the league of these great chefs and authors. It may be different for readers who are fans of hers (I honestly have no idea if she is big enough to have her own fans).

In all, the book was interesting but could have been far more so. There were not nearly enough recipes for those of us who love old cookbooks and want to try the originals. A simple blog post could have summed up each author and the cookbook and given a link to get the original book, and would have probably been more satisfying for me. The authors themselves have all sort of run together in my mind a week after finishing it, and none of the recipes were ones that I'd feel compelled to rush to try.

Three stars for "liked it" but it wasn't a home run for me.

I read a digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't think this author had enough material to do write the book she intended, about the American canon of cookbooks. First, she's not even American and second, she starts with English cookbook authors whose books were best-sellers on this side of the Atlantic. Well yes because there weren't any American cookbooks until Amelia Simmons in 1796 American Cookery By Amelia Simmons, Orphan. I would have started there, actually, and included The Virginia Housewife, or Methodical Cook, Eliza Leslie and some others that were mentioned in passing but not in depth. Half the cookbooks are in the public domain and this author didn't say anything I didn't already know. The second half of the book featuring 20th-century chefs and cookbook authors was more interesting to me. I enjoyed learning about some new-to-me cooks as well as familiar names Julia Child and Alice Waters. I didn't understand why the author repeated these recipes slightly changed when the original ones were not difficult to follow. I can see why she had to edit and adapt the earlier recipes, pre-Fanny Farmer, measurements weren't precise or standardized and the measuring system was different. Personally, I'm a huge fan of old measurements. A tea cup is whatever cup you drink tea out of it, a spoon is whatever spoon you have handy, etc.! No fancy math required. Amelia Simmons's cupcake recipe is a snap to make and tasty once you add some cinnamon or nutmeg for flavor. I'm unsure as to why this recipe wasn't included in this book.

I also didn't care for how the author inserted herself and her own childhood memories into the second half of the book. Her childhood in Yorkshire has nothing to do with American cooking. I think she should have written her own memoir and that would include some of the 20th-century chefs she writes about here.

My mom glanced at the book but she doesn't seem to have read it cover to cover. It's not that interesting.

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first read about this book, I was fascinated with the idea. I’m so happy I decided to read it.
WOMEN IN THE KITCHEN is much more than just a cookbook. Author Anne Willan brings to light the history and recipes of 12 inspiring culinary creators. From Hannah Wooley 1622-1675 through to Sarah Rutledge 1782-1855 all the way to Alice Waters 1944-?, these women were instrumental in the world of cooking. Each chapter is dedicated to one of these amazing woman, covering a brief history on each one, and featuring some of their recipes.

In this, more than a cookbook book, you’ll find recipes like Savory Pumpkin and Apple Pie, Big and Baby Green Pea Soup, Corn Griddle Cakes, Potato Yeast Rolls, New England Lobster Salad, Blond Gingerbread, Crispy Fried Scallops, Corn Flake Drops (Cookies), Coq Au Vin Brown Sugar Caramel Pie, Polenta with Italian Sausages, and Mango Salad with Chile Pepper.

I very much enjoyed reading WOMEN IN THE KITCHEN. I took away from it so much more than bios and recipes. To me it’s a reminder that no matter how different we are, the one thing that connects us is not only the need for food, but the love of delicious food and the care and preparation that goes into it. Kudos to Anne Willan for this inspirational read.

Quick note. While you will find photos of the authors, there are no pictures of the food (if you have read my cookbook reviews, you know how I am about photos). But the lack of photos takes nothing away from WOMEN IN THE KITCHEN.

[The Library Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Willan is a renowned chef and writer, but here she has somehow left out an ingredient or two that would give real flavor to this book. This is a fascinating topic, and I know biographical material on some of these cookbook writers is limited, but a better writer could have brought these women to life. And mon dieu, she KNEW Julia Child--brags about how she often stayed over at her house-- and yet her portrayal of her could have been better written even by the awful Julie Powell of Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen!
( And if you've read my review of that, you know that I detest that woman. But she did try to channel Julia, which is more than Willan does here.)

As for the recipes, they're interesting, but most are for the adventurous cook who's feeding Julie Powell types, not for the everyday cook, even though Willan has adapted them to 21st century cooking. Which is ironic, since all of these cookbooks really wanted to reach out to everyday home cooks!

In sum, an intriguing recipe just doesn't work. Instead, if you want the best bio of Julia Child, head for her own My Life in France. Get a copy of The Joy of Cooking and enjoy both the recipes and the prose. Take a trip to Italy with Marcella Hazan via The Classic Italian Cook Book: The Art of Italian Cooking and the Italian Art of Eating

And if the idea of early cookbooks appeals to you, take a trip to my alma mater, the NY Public Library, which has an outstanding collection of such materials: https://www.nypl.org/node/5629

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gobbled this book right up. It's a fascinating overview of cookbooks by women. I loved the biographical sketches, and the recipes are interesting to look at. If you like reading cookbooks, you'll enjoy this book.

[Jessica Haider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Women in the Kitchen profiles 12 different women who wrote and published cookbooks from as early as the 1660's all the way through current times. Most of these cookbook authors are British or American and they come from various walks of life. There are well-known names profiled in the book (Julia Child, Alice Waters, Edna Lewis, Irma Rombauer, and Fannie Farmer) and some lesser known names. These were nice digestible mini-biographies and each chapter also featured recipes from the profiled woman's cookbook.

While this book won't tell you everything that you need to know about these women, it's a great jumping off point to figure out who you may want to read more about. It was interesting to see what these women had in common and how they influenced each other and other cookbook authors.


I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan W. (pnwbookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read. It isn't something I would normally grab but I love food and history and this was a great combination of the two, I didn't know most of the chefs she had chosen but I enjoyed reading about them. The book was a little dry in parts but it didn't take too much away. I do feel like there could have been more to this book though, more recipes and more stories.

[Cathy Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was fascinating to hear how recipes have changed over time and how until recently, there were only a few really influential women in cooking.

It was disheartening to hear that women that wrote cookbooks could not have their name on the covers of the book until the 1900's, but not necessarily surprising. Willan includes recipes from all times in the cookbook so now I really want to get the print edition to possibly try a few that are doable still today.

It also made me want to try to collect some more cookbooks from some of these women I just now learned of if possible. I do have Fannie Farmer's and Julia Child's, but I'll have to definitely look for others.

[Susan Tunis · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book will have a niche readership, those interested in cooking, culinary history, cookbooks, and/or publishing will find this a quick and enjoyable read. The side helping of feminism is a bonus. And if Ms. Willan's discussions of early recipes temps you, she has updated them all for the contemporary kitchen. The 12 cookbook authors featured ranged from the utterly obscure to the best known in the world, i.e. Julia Child, Alice Waters, Fanny Farmer.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This unique book looks at 12 women cookbook authors from the 1600's to today. Each chapter highlights that woman and gives a brief bio and information about her cookbook(s) and how they impacted the culture of that time. Then there are a few original recipes with a modern update added. It was a quick read and I liked that the author updated the recipes especially for the older cookbooks.

A quote I liked:

"Julia had a clear vision of what she wanted [for Mastering the Art of French Cooking]: 'This is a book for the servantless American cook who can be unconcerned on occasion with budgets, waistlines, time schedules, children's meals, the parent-chauffeur-den-mother syndrome or anything else which might interfere with the enjoyments of producing something wonderful to eat.'" (p. 179)

[Ericka Clou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me a long time to read because I would instantly forget the chapter I'd just completed and I would turn back to reread it. It's still not going to stick for me though. Probably won't use the recipes.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting listen! I really enjoyed it.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting subject and informative, but somewhat disappointing. I love reading books about the history of food but the history part wasn't as informative as I would have liked.

[Kate TerHaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting introduction into culinary cultural history. Highlighted are woman from different eras and some interesting recipes to accompany each.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting histories, plus original recipes translated into modern-day versions.

[Monica Willyard Moen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had a blast reading and exploring this book which combines two of my favorite subjects, history and cooking. The author has sparked an interest so that I plan to track down copies of the various cookbooks mentioned and try some of the recipes in my own kitchen. Project Gutenberg should be of help with some of these.

If you are blind, this book is accessible in several ways. I would encourage you to use either the Bookshare, NLS or Kindle versions because of the ease of use with supplemental material which contains all of the recipes. The PDF file that comes with the Audible version is somewhat difficult to use with assistive technology. It can be done, but you will need to have a good understanding of how to navigate PDF files with information in several levels and presentation styles.

[Amy Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I thought started as a delightfully niche book (a history of influential cookbook authors) became even MORE than expected: a history of women from the UK and (eventually) America who wrote cookbooks for women home cooks. If, like me, you were hoping for something more globally focused, adjust your expectations. Ardent fans of Colonial Williamsburg and state-side Anglophiles, rejoice! It’s a quick and informative read, regardless.

To me, there is a sharp separation between two sections: one that is more focused on history (1660s England - Antebellum South), and one focused on the house-hold names that likely got us cooking in the first place. From “The Joy of Cooking” onward (side note, what is shrimp wiggle? do I want to know?) we cycle through Julia Child, Edna Lewis, Alice Waters, and others. The gumption and personal histories of these women are fascinating, varied, and deep. I found the “history” portion quite interesting for its otherworldly ness. I’m sure folks who have sought to “What Henry VIII ate the day of Anne Bolyn’s beheading” would really enjoy the recipes, the discussion about kitchen organization (I now desire a still room), when certain technologies/ ingredients became widely available at which times, and what effects they had on the culture at the time. I certainly did, though I have no idea what Henry VIII was doing on that most infamous day.

Anne Willan clearly has a shared history with a few of the more recent cooks, sharing rather intimate moments she’s had with Julia Child and Alice Waters. It’s clear that these last 6 women gave innumerable to culture at large, and were figured previous women couldn’t hope to be. I listened to the audiobook here, and while from a history standpoint I’m glad I did, I plan to get my hands on a copy of the book to peruse some of the finer recipes.

History, personal histories, and anecdotes are the main draw for me in this book.

What you run into here is what you’d run into anywhere historical listicals are to be found: you just want more context, deeper questions, thorough critiques, and newer vindication. Is the notoriously euro-centric food industry becoming more inclusive? This book definitively proves that it hasn’t, should you at all have been on the fence. You can’t get into too much with 12 (mostly) white, cis, hetero woman and 360 years, and the book deliberately does not try to engage those deeper reflections. For instance, there are a few paragraphs in Sarah Rutledge’s section, author of “The Carolina Housewife,” confirming that its recipes were likely devised and definitely executed by slave labor, but focuses primarily on the content of the book and the history of Sarah Rutledge. The same frustrations that leave home cooks wanting for diversity (in palate, character, race, gender, culture, etc.) is felt here, too, if only because history cannot be rewritten to be what it is not. That said, there’s a weird male through-line here which I didn’t find completely necessary— the whole “men dominated the kitchen and made things too fancy, and women just wanted to make something simple for the home! Even now, Michael Pollan writes about food!” Type of thing — and to be sure, patriarchal forces are a high vault for every woman that has ever lived. If anything, it’s a known. Though it wasn’t brought up more than a few times, I’d have rather spent the ink glorifying on the wonders brought to tables across the country.

I enjoyed this book. If nothing else, it’s a fascinating look into gastronomy and how the magic of “women’s work” has changed over the years. I plan to get my hands on a copy, for the history and to take a whack at a few of these recipes.

[The Book in my Carryon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women in the Kitchen by Anne Willan hits on a lot of my passions including history (women's, American, and food), cookbooks and even genealogy - ding, ding, ding! Like the author, I am a collector of cookbooks, however, where the author seems to collect rare and historically significant titles, mine are mostly of the church auxiliary variety, and include way too many casseroles and recipes requiring a jello mold. Still, somedays there's nothing better than hunkering down with an old cookbook or - in the case of this book - a excerpts from a dozen of them.

The book looks at 12 women who wrote cookbooks beginning with Hannah Wooley in the 1600s and working up to Alice Waters, a contemporary cookbook author. The author provides a short history of each woman, their place in history and local culture, their kitchen, and what each brought to the growth of cookbooks and the art of cooking. Each section ends with a couple of the woman's recipes in their original form and then in a modern form. It's a brilliant touch.

When I got done reading Women in the Kitchen, I realized it was a lot like taking a cruise: a fun, no-pressure journey through a bunch of cool period cookbooks and the women who wrote them. And just like a cruise, I was given enough information to help me decide which cookbooks and women I wanted to explore more deeply (Sarah Rutledge and her The Carolina Housewife, as well as Edna Lewis and her The Taste of Country Cooking), and which I didn't have to revisit (Hannah Glasse, but also Julia Child whom I've already read extensively).

And, of course, I earmarked several recipes which I'll be putting to the test in my own kitchen in the coming days and weeks, including Savory Pumpkin and Apple Pie (Hannah Woolley), Thanksgiving Pudding (Sarah Rutledge), English Monkey (Fannie Farmer) and Polenta with Italian Sausages (Marcella Hazan). Yum!

I also downloaded the author's memoir, One Souffle at a Time, and am excited to learn more about her and her take on French cooling.

Overall, this was a great introduction to some old cookbooks I hadn't come across before. The writing was clear and engaging, if not exactly imaginative, and the author did a great job of mixing in enough of the history I was looking for to make it a satisfying read.

If you're interested in learning more about the history of food, cookbooks and the women who write them without wanting to go too deep, Women in the Kitchen by Anne Willan is a wonderful choice. The inclusion of recipes with modern translations easily moved this from a 4-star to a 5-star read for me, and placed it firmly on my cookbook shelf as opposed to my history shelf.

This review was based on an advance copy read.

[Catie · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Women In The Kitchen' provides miniature bios and recipes from 12 influential female cookbook authors from 1661 to present day. These authors were chosen because they "defined" American cooking. I realize that any list of 12 people spanning approximately 350 years will miss some significant figures. However, the first cookbook author in the book was a British success in 1661 and the second again a British hit among the aristocracy. The first truly American cookbook author mentioned is Amelia Simmons in 1796. The case for her influence was exceptional and would have made a better beginning. The first two could have been mentioned for their impact on the cookbook format with nothing more needing to be said. The next several authors were well chosen, focusing on regional cooking, the impact of class and readership on the cookbooks themselves, and providing interesting tidbits about the women in the kitchen themselves. The last several names are ones that anyone familiar with cooking in the last 50 years will know: Irma Rombauer (Joy of Cooking), Julia Child (Mastering The Art of French Cooking), Edna Lewis (The Taste of Country Cooking), Marcella Hazan (The Classic Italian Cookbook), and Alice Waters (Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook). These were well chosen and of great influence, introducing regional and international cuisine in an approachable way. They focused on freshness, flavor, and home cooking in a world discovering packaged food and drive throughs.

My two stumbling blocks in the last half of the book were these. First, the biographies talk about the women themselves, what influenced their cooking style, and how the first book came about. However, it never really goes into any detail about what the lasting impact is, just that there is one. I am familiar with these women so can pinpoint some, but as many of my professors would say "spell it out for the reader! Don't make unfounded statements!". Second, the author clearly new Julia Childs fairly well. She said that Julia was like a grandmother to her children and talks about dinner at her house. She still doesn't bring her to life. I get more detail about Julia from 'Julie and Julia' than from someone who actually knew her.

It is for these reasons that I give 'Women In The Kitchen' 3 stars. It is a decent summary and can serve as a stepping off point to learn more about these women. However, it lacks a sense of the women's personalities and misses key figures through fitting in 2 British cooks at the start. It is worth a read but it isn't the most comprehensive or well done.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I am not a good cook I like cookbooks. Especially books like this one that not only has good recipes but a good story to tell also. This book has 12 short but interesting and to the point biographies on 12 different cookbook writers through 400 years with a small number of their recipes. How she chose these 12 I don't know but I had actually heard of 6 of them so I was pleased with myself.
Hannah Wooley (1622-1675) was the first English cookbook writer to be published. With no ingredients list and no real directions, only a professional cook could make sense of it but it was interesting. Amelia Simmons (no dates) was the first American cookbook author. Again, a book short on details but interesting life. Several more authors until we get to Fannie Farmer (1857-1915) cookbook author and also owned a cooking school. From Fannie Farmer on I actually own the cookbooks represented in this book. Irma Rombauer (1877-1962) Joy of Cooking, who doesn't own this? Julia Child (1912-2004) Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I wish I could just master cooking but I loved "Julie and Julia." Edna Lewis (1916-2006) The Taste of Country Cooking. The title alone brings back my grandmother's chicken and dumplings and my mother in law's fried chicken and how cake. Sigh..... Marcella Hazen (1924-2013) The Classic Italian Cookbook. She wasn't making any pizza chain pizza or spaghetti. Last but not least Alice Waters (1944-) who owns Chez Panisse in San Francisco and wrote Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook. Alice has trained many celebrity chefs in her restaurant including my favorite cookbook writer and blogger David Lebovitz. She has also tried to teach America organic, farm to table, and what a locavore is. The author of this book has been writing about cooking for over 50 years and wrote for Gourmet Magazine. She also has a cookbook collection of over 2000 volumes. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.

[Virginia Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Women in the Kitchen: Twelve Essential Cookbook Writers Who Defined the Way We Eat, from 1661 to Today", by culinary historian Anne Willan, spans a time frame of more than 350 years and offers an enlightening look at a dozen great women and the great food they prepared. While cooking terms, techniques, trends, and tastes have certainly changed through the years (centuries), the love of cooking and sharing food is timeless. The author, who has been cooking professionally for 60 years and operated a Paris-based cooking school, writes with a great love of subject and an expansive knowledge of cooking and those who cook. The twelve women are each featured in a brief biography accompanied by several of their own recipes. Here's a sampler of what you'll find: Hannah Woolley (1622-1675)--"Savory Pumpkin and Apple Pie"; Hannah Glasse (1708-1770)--"Rose Petal Syrup"; Amelia Simmons (dates unknown)--"Corn Griddle Cakes"; Maria Rundell (1745-1828)--"Potato Yeast Rolls"; Lydia Child (1802-1880) --"Thanksgiving Pudding"; Sarah Rutledge (1782-1855)--"Golden Chicken"; Fannie Farmer (1857-1915)--"Bread Pudding with Raisins"; Irma Rombauer (1877-1962)--"Never-Fail Dinner Rolls"; Julia Child (1912-2004)--"Coq Au Vin"; Edna Lewis (1906-2006)--"Brown Sugar Caramel Pie"; Marcella Hazan (1924-2013)--"Polenta with Italian Sausages"; and Alice Waters (born 1944)--"Mango Salad with Chile Pepper". While these women represent a variety of cultures and levels of fame, each of them is a fascinating trailblazer in their own right. Author Anne Willan not only shines a spotlight on these wonderful women, she gives us a compelling look at almost four centuries of culinary history. As a child, I was taught to cook by my beloved Gran, who was also a very knowledgeable, intuitive and gifted cook. Over 50 years later, I am still at home in the kitchen, and I love to read and collect cookbooks. I greatly enjoyed "Women in the Kitchen".

Book Copy Gratis Scribner Books

[Jamie Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Survey of 350 Years of Cookbooks Written By Women

I have been reading cookbooks like novels since I was a teenager; my mother started me on the practice! This book looks at the cookbook contributions of female writers from the 17th century to the modern day. The female cooks of history may not be well known to you, but you will probably recognize the others featured recipe writers and cookbook authors, like Julia Child, Irma Rombauer (Joy of Cooking fame), and Alice Waters. The book has a fascinating introductory section, where Mrs. Willan talks about these authors and their books collectively, how the books came about, and a little of the cultural milieu—including the fact that women’s cookery books tend to be more simple and home based than men’s. The rest of the book looks at each cookbook author in chronological order. Each chapter gives more detail about the woman and her cookbook(s), and Mrs. Willan has not only included recipes from the original texts, but she has also created modern updates of them. Some older “receipts” were written with no measurements at all. I appreciated the author's modern spin on these older recipes. I found it fascinating that quite often the women wrote these books because they needed money, not unlike motivations today. One actually wrote the book to instruct her staff and shared it with friends so they could give it to their servants. Given the ease of ebook publishing these days, I found the little bits of information about how these women published their books interesting as well; it was certainly a different world. If you love cookbooks as I do, if you have an interest in English and American culinary history, or if you are a fan of any of the ladies featured in the book, you may very well enjoy this book as much as I did.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my reviw.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

*This book was received as an Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley.

I love food history, and I've been reading a lot about cookbook authors lately (shout out to The Jemima Code and several others). So I was eager to get started on this book that followed twelve cookbook authors and even included some recipes.

Half memoir, half history book, Women in the Kitchen chronicles the contributions of twelve different women. From Hannah Woolley to Alice Waters, there are several centuries contained in this book. I will say it was light on diversity, Edna Lewis is in there, but so is Sarah Rutledge, who yes made a cookbook, but was also a slaveowner and probably didn't feature all original works by Rutledge herself (although plagiarism seems to be a common thing for the earlier cookbooks). That being said, hearkening back to those other books I've ready lately, I would guess a lot of these were not her recipes. A quote from the book on Rutledge states"All these contributions would undoubtedly have relied on her family and friends' slave labor", but I'm not really sure if this is referring to actual slaves or this is a poor choice of phrase for friend's help (I don't normally quote ARCs but this stood out). She does somewhat allude to this time period and culture of the woman writing the cookbook not actually being the cook herself, but I personally think it's far too gentle. There is a section later on, at the end of the chapter on Edna Lewis, about diversity and women cookbook authors.

But I'll hop off my soapbox and continue on. I did find the small insights into the different authors lives interesting. And it appears that Willan herself knew/knows several of them and it ended up being a slight memoir because of it. Not expected, but not unwelcome either, and while it jarred me a bit to have personal interludes here and there, it didn't completely take away from the book. I think the best part of this book is the authors' recreations of some of the recipes. While some were written in a way you could follow (Julia Child and some of the later cooks), some of the earlier ones had no measurements, etc. and would have been complicated to recreate. Not saying I'll still make some of the earlier recipes with this translation (because some of them are just not to my taste), but it will make it easier should someone like to try.

Overall, I found the book interesting, but thought it could have done a much firmer job on describing the plagiarism issues these authors had, diversity, and other aspects of the cooking.

Review by M. Reynard 2020

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a mixed bag. It was interesting learning about the history of American (and a little bit British) food from a female perspective. However, it felt simultaneously like too much information and not enough. I think part of the problem was that it focused solely on cookbook writers. While that was the point of the book, it didn't seem like it led to a well-rounded view of women in the kitchen. In some ways it also seemed to gloss over some of the more complex and complicated history surrounding American cuisine. Cookbook writers were overwhelmingly white and of at least middle if not upper-class descent and that is reflected in the writers highlighted in this book (other than the inclusion of Edna Lewis). For this reason, this book is less about certain women in the kitchen and what shaped modern American eating habits and is more focused on how cookbooks transformed through time.

All that being said, it was mildly interesting. For background, I'm not a chef, but I am a home cook and baker. I found myself setting reading goals (I will read one chapter today) in order to finish it rather than being unable to put it down. It was an easy read though, and I appreciated the inclusion of recipes from each cookbook. The recipes, more than anything else, demonstrated how some parts of American cooking have changed through time. It was also interesting learning about the lives of a select number of female cookbook writers. I don't regret reading it, but I won't be holding on to my copy for posterity.

[Liz Deignan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading cookbooks and watching cooking shows are two of my guilty pleasures. Willan’s book took it a couple of steps beyond enjoyment. Each chapter provides a profile of one cook so I was able to learn a bit about the time period, the chef, her responsibilities beyond menu planning and execution, and culinary contribution. It was interesting for me to read about both the ingredients (e.g., quail and baby pigeon), how the cooktop changed from an open fire to a stovetop, and how leveling off measurement became a staple. I also never gave too much thought about the layout of a recipe - ingredients listed at the beginning, followed by instructions, but now have an appreciation for it. I am looking forward to trying some of the recipes, namely “Jumbled Spice Cookies,” “Rosewater Butter Cookies,” and “Crispy Buttermilk Biscuits*.” I found this book a nice blend of enjoyable and intriguing.
Women in the Kitchen: Twelve Essential Cookbook Writers Who Defined the Way We Eat, from 1661 to Today

*I have, since writing this, made Edna Lewis' crispy buttermilk biscuits during the 48-hour snow-a-thon. Easy and quite good. They were a great match with beef bourguignon 😋. (@inagarten in Barefoot in Paris)

[Biblio Files (takingadayoff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a non-cook who enjoys watching cooking shows and reading food writing, I usually skip the recipes, but in the case of Women in the Kitchen, I found the recipes to be the best part of the book. To be honest, I found the biographies of these cooks to be somewhat perfunctory. But the recipes told another story. For most of the recipes, Willan has included both the original recipe as written, and then has "translated" it so that modern cooks can prepare it. The reader can compare ingredients that would have been available at the time in question (who knew that soy sauce was available in 1810 America?) with those of today or some other time. The methods of preparing food have changed over time, no surprise, but it's not the sort of thing you might think of when reading a Louis May Alcott novel for instance. Now you can. Another book that was a fascinating look at preparing food in America's history is Stirring the Pot with Benjamin Franklin by Rae Katherine Eighmy. (Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for a digital review copy.)

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was received as an ARC from Scribner in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I could not be more impressed of the history that enriches this book. I am familiar with Edna Lewis in being an influencer in Southern Cuisine, Julia Child of course and her impact she had on French Cuisine and Fannie Farmer and her signature in the dessert world. However hearing more about these wonderful women chefs made me more inspired to continue cooking and see where it takes me. It was also so enriching to hear more about other women chefs and their signature cuisine. But of course the best part of the book was sharing some of the signature recipes from each chef. It would however make the book better if they included photos of the recipes to make them more appetizing and we can increase our will to try them. Overall though it was a good book.

We will consider adding this title to our TX Non-Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

[Lisa of Hopewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Women in the Kitchen: Twelve Essential Cookbook Writers Who Defined the Way We Eat, from 1661 to Today by Anne Willan, rightly struck me as foodies’ delight. The history of cookbooks in one slim, fast-reading, collection of essays. I was well-versed already in Alice Waters, Julie Child, Fannie Farmer, and Irma Rombauer. The others were truly a fun education.

The “way-back-when’s” were fine, but most interesting to me were Edna Lewis and Marcella Hazan–neither of whom had come to my attention before. Lewis, the daughter of slaves, is the author of The Taste of Country Cooking–which even inspired Alice Waters. Hazan, in the era of Chef Boyardee spaghetti and pizza kits, brought Italian cooking to the American masses with her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. Both–well, ALL, of the ladies were interesting people as well as great cooks. The recipes included range from Brown Sugar Carmel Pie, to Blond Gingerbread, to Ratatouille to Mango Salad With Chile Pepper and beyond. All sound delicious.

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Women in the Kitchen" is a great discussion about food and cooks throughout history, of course with a concentration on women as the title implies. Men have long been more famous as chefs, but women have always done the important work of feeding households, and this, I think, was the inspiration for the book. Anne Willan has chosen 12 women throughout the time period of 1661 to the present day to look at. She has included recipes from each and appended them with her own take on the dish.
There is a wonderful bibliography of the books used to create "Women in the Kitchen" for further reading if a reader would want further information.
I found the book well-written, interesting, and a great way to know who many great woman chefs have been throughout time, even though some of them were not culinary school trained. "Women in the Kitchen" is well worth the read, especially if you enjoy food (which I do).

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 3 out of 5]

The biographies of these women were short but interesting... not fabulously interesting, but enough. Julia Child's biography was good, but could have been a lot better. Perhaps the author was holding back because they once knew each other.

The biographies were interspersed with recipes that would be impossible to recreate without the help of the author who has provided a PDF of recipes for the modern kitchen and prompts throughout the audiobook to look for the recipe in the PDF. I appreciated that.

I doubt I will listen to this audiobook again, but it did prompt me to look more into the biography of Julia Child. I will have to add that to my queue of books to read. I think I'll try "Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child" by Bob Spitz.