A. Cook's Perspective

Ann Cook was an 18th-century cook and cookbook author. Her cookbook was printed in three editions and contained more than just receipts. For some reason, she had a real problem with Hannah Glasses cookbook, _The Art of Cookery: Made Plain and Easy_, which had been republished many times during the 18th century and would have been the first port of call for a puzzled cook or housekeeper. Cooks book included vitriolic comments about a number of Glasses recipes. Historic cooks Clarissa F. Dillon and Deborah J. Peterson use their skills to investigate whether Cooks remarks were valid. They prepared a number of recipes, both from Glasse and from Cook, and commented on the results. Although a number of people have written about these two women, their emphasis was on the comments, not on the validity of the criticisms. This approach makes this book unique.