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First Edition of American Cookery

American Cookery, by Amelia Simmons, is the first known cookbook written by an American, published in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1796. Until then, the cookbooks printed and used in the Thirteen Colonies were British. Its full title is:

American Cookery, or the art of dressing viands, fish, poultry, and vegetables, and the best modes of making pastes, puffs, pies, tarts, puddings, custards, and preserves, and all kinds of cakes, from the imperial plum to plain cake: Adapted to this country, and all grades of life.

Historical context

[edit]

Simmons' American Cookery used terms known to Americans, and ingredients that were readily available to American cooks.[1][2] It was the first cookbook to include New England specialties such as Indian pudding, johnnycake, and what is now called pumpkin pie. The cookbook was the first to suggest serving cranberry with turkey, and the first to use the Hudson River Valley Dutch word cookey (now usually spelled "cookie").[1][2]

The cookbook also introduced the use of pearlash, a precursor of baking soda, as a chemical leavener, starting a revolution in the making of American cakes.[3]: 31 [4]

The book was quite popular and was printed, reprinted and pirated for 30 years after its first appearance. Only four copies of the first edition are known to exist.[5] It is considered by the Library of Congress to be one of the "Books That Shaped America".[6]

The importance of this work cannot be overestimated. Its initial publication (Hartford, 1796) was, in its own way, a second Declaration of American Independence ...

— —Feeding America: The Historic American Cookbook Project[7]

About the author

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The only biographical information known about the author is from the cover and title pages of her cookbook that list her as "Amelia Simmons, An American Orphan"; all else is by inference. American Cookery is her only known published work.[2] The preface reads:

The candor of the American Ladies is solicitously intreated by the Authoress, as she is circumscribed in her knowledge, this being original work in this country.[8]

This indicates that she probably lacked formal education. Based on other quotes from her preface, she was most likely a domestic laborer. She wrote of "those females who have parents, or brothers, or riches", and how female orphans may be "reduced to the necessity of going into families in the line of domestics".[7]

Culinary historian Karen Hess says that because: "... the first edition is from Hartford, historians have always assumed that she was a New Englander."[citation needed] This assumption is bolstered by the inclusion of southern New England specialties such as Indian pudding and johnnycakes. However, many of the later editions were published from a cluster around the Hudson River Valley (e.g., Albany, Salem, Troy, Poughkeepsie, New York). Also, several Dutch words appeared in her work (for example, slaw and cookey), words that would have more likely come from that region, rather than New England. So a case can be made that Simmons more likely came from the Hudson Valley region.[9][10]

Karen Hess also referred to Miss Simmons as a "good plain cook", noting the generous use and variety of herbs and the use of wine in her recipes. Simmons also showed the use of English "extraordinarily fine roasting techniques" in her recipes.[9]

Publication history

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There were 13 known editions of this book published between 1796 and 1831.[11][12] American Cookery has also been reprinted in several editions and formats in the 20th Century, including Oxford University Press in 1958 and Dover reprints beginning in 1984.[13]: iv  [14]

First Edition: Hartford, CT, 1796

[edit]

The first edition was published in 1796 by Hudson & Goodwin of Hartford, CT. The words "For the Author" on the title page likely indicate that Simmons paid the printing costs herself.[15] The book was issued without hard covers: the title page also served as the front cover; the last page (page 48) was blank.

Second Edition: Albany, NY, 1796

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The second edition was also published in 1796, but by Charles R. and George Webster of Albany, NY.[16] The second edition (also issued without hard covers) consists of 64 pages.

Other editions

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In 1808, Lucy Emerson plagiarized Simmons's book (from the Troy, NY 1808 edition) by renaming part of the title and copying verbatim most of the rest of it. She changed the words "American Cookery" to "The New-England Cookery", but the title is otherwise almost the same. Published in Montpelier, VT in 1808.[11][17]

In 1957, Mary Tolford Wilson wrote "The First American Cookbook," an essay that served as the introduction to the facsimile of the first edition of American Cookery (Hartford, 1796). This edition was originally published by Oxford University Press in 1958, and then reissued by Dover Publications in 1984.[13]

In 1982, Gail Weesner edited and annotated a typographically reset edition with an introduction and an extensive number of individual annotations for recipes in which usage or content needed clarification. The type is easier to read, since the old-fashioned long cursive-like form of the letter "s" (called a long s) that looks like an "ƒ" has been rendered as a modern typographical short "s". Published by Rowan Tree Press (1982).[18]

In 1996, culinary historian Karen Hess encouraged the publishing of the facsimile edition of the American Cookery's second edition (Albany, 1796) by Applewood Books, and wrote the introduction and historical notes for it. This was the Bicentennial edition of American Cookery, published in 1996.[9]

Importance

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Use of American products

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American Cookery is the first known cook book that brings together English cooking methods with American products. More specifically, it contains the first known printed recipes with the substitution of American maize (cornmeal) for English oats in otherwise English recipes. The recipe for Johnny Cake is believed to be the first printed version made with cornmeal. Both corn and oats are cereal grains. It also contains the first known printed recipe for turkey (which is native to North and Central America) with cranberries.[1][2]

Although native Americans had been using corn for many millennia and European Americans and African Americans from earliest Pilgrim days, this book offers the first printed recipes using cornmeal.[7]

Wilson writes: "This facsimile of the first American-written cookbook published in the United States is not only a first in cookbook literature, but an historic document. It reveals the rich variety of food Colonial Americans enjoyed, their tastes, cooking and eating habits, even their colorful language. Author Amelia Simmons worked as a domestic in Colonial America and gathered her cookery expertize from first-hand experience." By 1831, American Cookery had long been superseded by other American editions of English cookbooks, but Wilson goes on to say "But Amelia Simmons still holds her place as the mother of American cookery books. And no later work, however completely it may reflect the mores of this country, has quite the freshness of this first glimpse caught in the small mirror held up by an American Orphan."[13]

Karen Hess writes: "Indeed, English cookbooks had long been in documented use by the Colonists, going back at least to The English Hus-wife of 1615 by Gervase Markham. ... Not one of them included specifically American recipes, although by that time a few native American products had become adopted in English cookery, beginning with turkey and so called French beans, but gradually also both sweet and white potatoes, even chocolate, vanilla, and tomatoes, and so came to be called for in English cookbooks well before the end of the eighteenth century. But we find not one cookbook written by an American, for Americans, that is, until 1796, when American Cookery appeared in Hartford, and later the same year, in Albany."[9] Hess goes on to say: "So, again, what makes American Cookery so very American? It is precisely the bringing together of certain native American products and English culinary traditions. So English that entire chapters were "borrowed" from The Frugal Housewife by Susannah Carter, which appeared in American editions in 1772 and 1792, and yet so very American in her use of those elements."[9]

Jan Longone writes for the Historic American Cookbook Project: "... the revolutionary and original aspects of her work lie in its recognition and use of truly American produce. There are five recipes using corn meal (corn is indigenous to America): three for Indian Pudding, one for Johnny or Hoe Cake and one for Indian Slapjacks."[4]

Introduction of new leavening

[edit]

Secondly, and probably most importantly, American Cookery is the first known printed American call for the use of a chemical leavening agent that was the precursor to modern baking powder, used to cause dough to rise in baking. At that time, it was known as potash, pearl ash, pearlash, or alkali.[3]

Jan Longone continues by saying "Perhaps the most far-reaching innovation was the introduction of pearlash, a well-known staple in the colonial American household, as a chemical leavening in doughs. This practice eventually led to the compounding of modern baking powders." She ends with: "Thus, twenty years after the political upheaval of the American Revolution of 1776, a second revolution - a culinary revolution - occurred with the publication of a cookbook by an American for Americans."[4]

See also

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References

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Bibliography

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

American Cookery

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from Grokipedia
American Cookery is a seminal 1796 cookbook authored by Amelia Simmons, an American woman described on the title page as an "American Orphan," and is widely recognized as the first cookbook written by an American for an American audience, marking a departure from European culinary traditions. Published in Hartford, Connecticut, by Hudson & Goodwin, the slim 47-page volume combined British cooking methods with distinctly American ingredients and innovations, such as the use of pearl ash (potassium carbonate) as a leavening agent, and introduced terms like "cookie" and "slaw" into English culinary lexicon. Its recipes featured native staples including cornmeal for johnnycakes and Indian pudding, cranberries paired with turkey, and pumpkin pie, alongside politically themed dishes like "federal pan cake" and "election cake" that reflected the era's nationalistic fervor following the American Revolution. The book underwent multiple printings through 1831 and remained the best-selling cookbook in the early United States until the 1830s, underscoring its profound influence on shaping a unique American culinary identity. Selected by the Library of Congress as one of the 88 "Books That Shaped America," American Cookery not only documented practical domestic arts but also highlighted women's contributions to nation-building through food preparation and cultural adaptation.

Background

Historical Context

Following the (1775–1783), the newly independent experienced a surge in efforts to forge a distinct , extending beyond politics to cultural domains like cuisine, as citizens sought to distance themselves from British influences and celebrate self-sufficiency. This post-war period, marked by the Treaty of Paris in 1783, emphasized republican virtues of independence and innovation, prompting Americans to adapt imported traditions to local resources amid an agrarian economy reliant on farming and household production. Culinary practices in late 18th-century America were heavily shaped by European cookbooks, particularly English ones such as Eliza Smith's (first published in London in 1727 and reprinted in in 1742), which provided foundational recipes for pastries, meats, and preserves but assumed access to ingredients unavailable in the . However, the push for American adaptations arose from the need to incorporate indigenous staples like corn and , reflecting a broader cultural shift toward recipes suited to the continent's diverse climates and produce, as seen in early efforts to create domestic guides independent of British models. In the early republic, the domestic economy formed the backbone of society, with most households operating as self-sustaining units in an agrarian context where women played central roles in managing food preparation, preservation, and to support welfare and . Women's contributions extended to overseeing kitchen gardens, dairying, and textile production, essential for household resilience in a period of limited commercialization and regional trade networks. The Declaration of Independence in catalyzed this cultural separation, symbolizing not only political autonomy but also the aspiration for self-reliant practices in daily life, including cooking with available domestic goods. disruptions during and after the war—exacerbated by British naval blockades, the 1780s , and restricted access to European ports—severely limited imports of luxury items like spices and refined sugars, compelling reliance on local agriculture and fostering innovations in household cookery. This environment of scarcity and underscored the value of practical, American-oriented culinary knowledge, exemplified by figures like the self-taught Amelia Simmons, whose background as an "American Orphan" embodied the era's ethos of individual resourcefulness.

Authorship

American Cookery is attributed to Amelia Simmons, who described herself on the as "An American Orphan," suggesting a background of modest means and likely personal hardship following the loss of parental support. Beyond this self-identification, no confirmed biographical details exist, with Simmons appearing solely in connection to the 1796 publication and vanishing from historical records thereafter. Scholars speculate that she may have been an indentured servant or a self-taught , drawing on practical experience in colonial households, though her name's exclusivity to this work has fueled debates over whether "Amelia Simmons" was a designed to evoke sympathy and relatability among readers. Simmons' motivations appear rooted in providing accessible culinary instruction for American housewives, emphasizing the use of indigenous ingredients and techniques to foster self-sufficiency amid the post-Revolutionary era's drive for culturally independent works. In her preface, she highlights the challenges faced by orphaned women confined to domestic labor, positioning the book as a tool for empowerment through "useful knowledge" aligned with Enlightenment values of practicality and progress. This intent reflects a broader push in the young for domestically authored texts that asserted separate from British influences. Twentieth-century scholarship has intensified scrutiny of the authorship, with culinary historians like Mary Tolford Wilson and Karen Hess noting stylistic inconsistencies that suggest contributions from multiple hands. For instance, the recipe section blends original American adaptations with direct plagiarism from British sources such as Susannah Carter's The Frugal Housewife (1772), while an appended 17-page market guide—added by an anonymous transcriber without Simmons' consent—exhibits a markedly different tone and structure, prompting questions about whether the book truly represents a singular authorial voice or a collaborative, albeit uneven, effort. These analyses underscore ongoing uncertainties, including unverified claims of Simmons' possible Dutch heritage based on linguistic traces, further complicating her enigmatic profile.

Publication History

First Edition

The first edition of American Cookery was published in , in 1796 by the printing firm Hudson & Goodwin. This marked the inaugural authored by an American for an American audience, self-published under the name of Amelia Simmons, described on the title page as an "American Orphan." The exact print run remains unknown, though only six surviving copies are known to exist today, reflecting the modest production scales of late-18th-century American presses. The full title, as printed on the title page, reads: American Cookery, or the art of dressing Viands, Fish, Poultry and Vegetables, and the best modes of Pastes, Puffs, Pies, Tarts, Puddings, Custards and Preserves, and all kinds of Cakes, from the imperial plumb to plain Cake: adapted to this country, and all grades of life. This wording underscored the book's focus on practical, economical methods suited to the new nation's resources and social diversity, distinguishing it from British imports. The volume comprised 47 pages (48 including a blank) in duodecimo format—a compact size typical for affordable instructional pamphlets—with simple paper binding to facilitate widespread household use. It retailed for 2 shillings and 3 pence, making it accessible to middle-class families in post-Revolutionary America. Distribution occurred primarily through local booksellers in and nearby states, with advertisements appearing in regional newspapers shortly after publication. For instance, a notice in the Hartford Courant on May 9, 1796, promoted the book as newly available, while another in the Connecticut Journal on June 22, 1796, highlighted its utility for everyday cooking. These early promotions praised its practicality for young households in the emerging , signaling positive initial reception among readers seeking independent American culinary guidance. The rapid demand led to a second edition within the year, underscoring its immediate appeal.

Subsequent Editions

The second edition of American Cookery was published in , in 1796 by Charles R. and George Webster, featuring minor corrections to address errors from the initial printing, along with an added errata list to clarify recipe inaccuracies such as ingredient quantities. This version was slightly expanded, reaching approximately 50 pages, compared to the original edition's 47 pages, while retaining the core structure and recipes but improving readability through these adjustments. The preface acknowledged the rapid demand that necessitated the reprint and expressed gratitude to patrons, underscoring the book's early popularity among American households. Throughout the early 19th century, American Cookery saw several reprints that facilitated its dissemination across regions, with at least 13 editions appearing by 1831, including ones in Albany in 1800, in 1808 (by Wright, Goodenow, and Stockwell), in 1812, and in 1815; these maintained the book's focus on practical American cooking while varying slightly in formatting or to meet printer capabilities, typically ranging from 60 to 86 pages. Such variations helped the cookbook reach diverse audiences, from farmhouses to urban Southern kitchens, without major overhauls to the content. By the mid-19th century, printings of American Cookery became sporadic, largely overshadowed by more comprehensive works like Catharine Beecher's Domestic Receipt-Book (1846), which offered expanded guidance on household management and modernized techniques, reflecting evolving tastes and the influx of European-influenced cookbooks. The last known 19th-century edition appeared around 1831 in , marking a decline as newer titles dominated the market with broader recipe selections and illustrations. In the , interest revived through scholarly editions, including a 1958 reproduction by that preserved the original text for historical study, and the 1996 Bicentennial edition by Applewood Books, which included an introduction by food historian Karen Hess analyzing its cultural significance and printing history. These revivals emphasized the book's foundational role in American culinary literature, providing accessible reproductions with contextual notes to highlight its innovations without altering the primary content.

Content Overview

Recipes and Structure

American Cookery is structured with an introductory "Directions for Cookery" section followed by recipes grouped thematically by type, such as roasts, boils, pastries, puddings, cakes, and preserves, to guide practical use. The book contains a total of 192 recipes, organized without a formal table of contents. Beyond the core recipes, it incorporates bills of fare suggesting monthly menus for family meals and detailed receipts for preserving fruits and vegetables to extend shelf life; period-specific terms like "calipash" and "syllabub" are explained within the text for novice cooks. The recipes span diverse categories, including soups such as hashes and stews; meats like , , cutlets, and mutton chops; fish preparations for , shad, and ; vegetable dishes featuring potatoes, beans, and squash; pastries and pies with or meat fillings; puddings including , , and Indian varieties; cakes ranging from plumb to ; and preserves for quinces, strawberries, and currants. This arrangement emphasizes simplicity and thrift, with instructions prioritizing economical use of resources and straightforward preparation methods suited to rural American kitchens. Stylistically, the text adopts a conversational tone, addressing readers directly as if instructing a apprentice, which fosters accessibility for everyday users. Measurements rely on common units like teaspoons, tablespoons, pints, and quarts, avoiding precise scales unavailable in most homes of the . Directions frequently reference wood-fired , specifying baking times and levels such as "a quick oven" or "bake gently," to accommodate open-hearth cooking. Scholars have observed inconsistencies in spelling and —such as variable renderings of "" or "favor"—attributable to the rudimentary technology and Simmons's possible limited formal . Among its distinctive features, the book provides practical advice on table settings for family meals, recommending arrangements that promote thrift and elegance with local .

Key Ingredients and Techniques

American Cookery emphasizes the use of indigenous and readily available ingredients that distinguished early American kitchens from European traditions, incorporating staples like , often referred to as "Indian meal," which forms the base for dishes such as johnnycakes and puddings. , another native produce, feature prominently in custards and pies, where one quart of stewed and strained pumpkin is combined with cream and eggs to create a rich . Cranberries serve as a tart local substitute for imported fruits, providing acidity in sauces; for instance, they accompany roasted to mimic the flavor of lemon-based accompaniments. , including , ducks, partridges, and hares, is highlighted in and recipes, reflecting the abundance of North American . While maple syrup is not explicitly detailed, —often derived from local sources—appears in and other sweets as an accessible sweetener. The book's techniques center on practical methods suited to colonial hearths and limited resources, with boiling employed for vegetables like asparagus and fish such as cod, where ingredients are simmered quickly in water to preserve tenderness. Stewing is recommended for pies and tougher meats, as in a "stew pie" layered in an iron pot with alternating fillings and crusts, slow-cooked over low heat. Baking occurs primarily in hearth ovens, requiring a brisk fire for items like apple pies encased in paste, baked until the crust browns evenly. Preservation techniques include pickling for cucumbers and melons in vinegar brines, and salting for bacon and beef, often with saltpetre to enhance curing and flavor. Spices are used sparingly, limited to essentials like nutmeg grated over custards and cloves in meat dishes, underscoring a restrained approach to flavoring amid import shortages. Tools and processes are described with an eye toward in rural settings, advocating iron kettles for their durability in stewing and , as they evenly distribute without scorching. Spits are essential for or mutton, positioned to hang over a for controlled cooking, while —known as "emptins" and prepared from —raises breads and cakes with minimal waste. Advice on economizing fuel includes using dry wood for sustained , lasting about 1.5 hours per batch, and layering tasks to reduce labor, such as preparing multiple pies in one session. Recipes are adapted for household practicality, often scaled to serve families of varying sizes—for example, a calling for six birds to feed a large group—allowing cooks to adjust proportions based on availability. Regional influences are evident, with orientation favoring cornmeal-based staples and pairings, while broader American adaptations incorporate Southern-style preparations without strict delineations.

Culinary Innovations

Use of Local Products

American Cookery prominently featured indigenous ingredients, adapting them into recipes that highlighted the abundance of the . Corn, referred to as "Indian meal," appears extensively in dishes such as "Nice Indian Pudding," which uses and fine Indian meal, as well as "Johny Cake or Hoe Cake" made with milk and Indian meal, and "Indian Slapjacks." These preparations marked a departure from European grains, incorporating corn as a versatile staple reflective of Native American culinary traditions integrated into colonial kitchens. Similarly, the book includes recipes for squash and , both native to the , emphasizing their availability and utility. "Crookneck, or Pudding" involves boiling and bruising the squash for a creamy , while "Pompkin Pudding" calls for stewed and strained pumpkin combined with cream, eggs, sugar, and spices, creating an early version of what would become a quintessentially American pie. , another indigenous , are detailed in varieties like "Clabboard " and "Cranbury ," recommended for winter storage to ensure year-round supply and use in soups. such as is showcased in "To Stuff and Roast a ," often paired with , a traditional using native berries in a combination that symbolized the land's natural bounty. further appear in " Tart," underscoring their role as a local acidic fruit for preserves and accompaniments. , derived from native trees, is recommended as a domestically produced sweetener, providing an alternative to imported sugars. This emphasis on local products carried an economic rationale, promoting self-sufficiency in the young republic following independence from Britain. The urges American women to cultivate skills that enable economies, noting ingredients like potatoes for their "universal use, profit and easy acquirement" and apples for family planting to reduce costs on imported goods. By substituting native alternatives like for expensive British-imported cane sugar and corn for wheat, the recipes encouraged reducing reliance on transatlantic trade, aligning with post-Revolutionary efforts to foster domestic production and . analyses indicate that while only about 2.5% of the book's 119 recipes were entirely without British parallels, native ingredients like corn, , , squash, and comprised a significant portion of the overall components, infusing European forms with American essence. Culturally, these ingredients served as symbols of American plenty, contrasting the scarcity and elitism of European aristocratic fare with the republic's accessible, abundant harvests. with and preparations evoked the vast resources of the , reinforcing a tied to the land's indigenous gifts rather than colonial dependencies. This integration not only practicalized local sourcing but also positioned cookery as a marker of emerging American distinctiveness.

Introduction of Leavening Agents

American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, published in 1796, introduced pearl ash—potassium carbonate derived from wood ashes—as the first chemical in printed American recipes, revolutionizing by enabling quicker rising without . This innovation preceded the development of by nearly five decades, with commercial baking powders not appearing until the . Sourced from the potash industry, which processed abundant wood ashes from timber operations into an affordable local product, pearl ash made chemical leavening accessible to households across the early . The book specifies pearl ash in four recipes for baked goods, including two for and two for , which encompass cake-like and biscuit-style items. For , the dosage is two dissolved in per two and a half pounds of , roughly one per ; for molasses , it is four per four pounds of , again approximating one per . Instructions direct cooks to mix pearl ash with sour , whose reacts to release gas, creating bubbles that lighten the dough during baking. Despite its pioneering role, pearl ash produced inconsistent results due to its variable purity and the sensitivity of dosages—small excesses could cause baked goods to collapse, while deficiencies left them dense, and it often imparted a bitter aftertaste. Modern recreations of these recipes typically use purer forms of and adjust quantities downward to account for the original ingredient's impurities, yielding more reliable outcomes without the off-flavors noted in historical accounts.

Legacy and Influence

Impact on American Cuisine

American Cookery played a pivotal role in popularizing distinctly American dishes, such as pumpkin pie and corn-based breads, which became staples in early U.S. culinary practices. The book included the first published recipes for pumpkin pie in America, featuring stewed and strained pumpkin mixed with eggs, cream, sugar, and spices baked in a pastry crust, transforming a colonial experiment into a national tradition associated with Thanksgiving. Similarly, its recipes for johnnycakes and other cornmeal breads highlighted indigenous ingredients like corn, integrating Native American influences into everyday baking and helping to define regional Southern and New England cuisines by the early 19th century. These dishes quickly entered subsequent regional cookbooks, such as Lydia Maria Child's The American Frugal Housewife (1829), disseminating Simmons's innovations across households. The publication established the American cookbook genre, inspiring a wave of 19th-century works by women authors that emphasized domestic self-sufficiency and through food. As the first cookbook authored and printed in the United States, it set a for blending British techniques with local produce, influencing texts like Sarah Josepha Hale's The Good Housekeeper (1839) and reinforcing cookbooks as tools for cultural . By framing cooking as a virtuous domestic art primarily for women, American Cookery contributed to entrenched gender roles, portraying the as a space where women could express and moral authority in . Scholars regard American Cookery as a foundational text in American food studies, crediting it with shaping early culinary identity despite its hybrid nature. Its turkey roasting recipes, including herb-stuffed preparations, helped codify feasts as symbols of abundance, influencing holiday traditions that persist today. However, critiques highlight its Eurocentric biases, as the book largely adapts British recipes with minimal American alterations, challenging its claims to originality and revealing the limits of early national culinary independence. Overall, it was referenced or echoed in numerous 19th-century cookbooks, with its elements appearing in over dozens of publications by mid-century, underscoring its enduring impact on evolving American cooking practices.

Modern Editions and Recognition

In the 20th century, American Cookery saw renewed interest through scholarly facsimiles and reprints that preserved its original text while providing contextual introductions. A notable example is the 1984 facsimile edition, which reproduced the 1796 printing to highlight its role as the first American-authored , emphasizing its blend of British methods with indigenous ingredients like corn and . Similarly, the 1996 Applewood Books reprint of the second edition (Albany, 1796) included an introduction by food historian Karen Hess, underscoring the book's pioneering use of pearl ash as a and its influence on early . Academic recognition has positioned American Cookery as a cornerstone of U.S. culinary history. The selected it as one of the 88 "Books That Shaped America" in 2012, recognizing its contribution to defining a distinct through recipes incorporating local produce and techniques. Scholars John L. Hess and Karen Hess analyzed it in their 1977 book The Taste of America, critiquing its reflection of colonial habits while praising its of European recipes to staples, which helped establish regional American flavors. The book's cultural status has been revived in museums and media, celebrating its historical significance. It has been featured in collections and articles exploring early American , illustrating how Simmons's work bridged traditions with native resources. Post-2000 recreations of its recipes appear in educational programming, such as PBS-affiliated culinary history segments and historical reenactments, which demonstrate techniques like pumpkin pudding to connect audiences with 18th-century practices. Contemporary examines American Cookery through lenses of accuracy and inclusivity. The first edition contained printing errors in measurements and recipes, which Simmons attributed to a negligent transcriber and corrected in the second edition, revealing challenges in early . Analyses highlight its limited inclusivity, noting the absence of explicit Native American culinary techniques despite incorporating indigenous ingredients like squash and , which underscores the Eurocentric biases in early American texts. In 2020s discussions, its emphasis on local, seasonal products is seen as relevant to sustainable cooking movements, promoting resource-efficient methods amid modern environmental concerns. A 2025 hardcover edition titled American Cookery: The First Born from the Spirit and Flavors of America was published by Antiquarius, and presentations on the book continue, such as a April 2025 event by Windham Preservation, Inc. in .

References

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  32. https://books.google.com/books/about/American_Cookery_Or_The_Art_of_Dressing.html?id=_6CggcPs3iQC
  33. https://www.nypl.org/node/5629
  34. https://www.facebook.com/groups/asfs.org/posts/10161197015751061/
  35. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/12/the-mysterious-corruption-of-americas-first-cookbook/67592/
  36. https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?tn=American+Cookery&an=Amelia+Simmons
  37. https://www.facebook.com/groups/957724288519331/posts/1613647362927017/
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