Eighteenth-century Foodways
A Research Guide
Books
Belden, Louise Conway. The festive tradition, table decoration and desserts in America, 1750-1900 / New York: W.W. Norton, 1983. ISBN 0393016188
This book has a lot of good information on foodways in general and on table settings in particular. It also has modern adaptations for number of recipes you might want to include in your dinner today.
Carson, Jane. Colonial Virginia cookery: procedures, equipment, and ingredients in colonial cooking. Drawings by Linda Funk. Williamsburg, Va.: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, c1985. ISBN 0879351071
A good resource for utensils used in open-hearth cooking and for table settings.
Crump, Nancy Carter. Hearthside cooking: an introduction to Virginia plantation cuisine, including bills of far, tools and techniques, and original recipes with adaptations for modern fireplaces and kitchens. McLean, Va.: EPM Publications, c1986.
Lots of 18th century recipes, with modern adaptations.
Leaves from the table of George and Martha Washington. New York: The Taylor Winery of Hammondsport, c. 1940.
Paston-Williams, Sara.The art of dining: a history of cooking and eating. London: National Trust Enterprises Limited, 1993.
A beautifully illustrated guide to foodways in England from medieval times to the early 20th century. Gives a lot of background information on standard practices of the 18th century.
A Tryon Palace trifle; or, Eighteenth century cookery, etc... With which is combined sundry interesting accounts of colonial life, including various other matters having to do with the life of our North Carolina colonial ancestors / Tryon's Palace Commission. New Bern, 1960.
Eighteenth-century Cookbooks
Glasse, Hannah. The art of cookery made plain and easy: a facsimile of the first edition, supplemented by the recipes which the author added up to the fifth edition and furnished with a preface, a glossary and notes, a list of subscribers to this edition, and an index. London: Prospect Books, 1983. ISBN 0907325173
This is a facsimile of one of the most popular English cookbooks in 18th century America. Martha Washington's copy of this book is in the Mount Vernon archives.
Hess, Karen. . New York: Columbia University Press, 1981. ISBN 0231049307
This was a manuscript cookbook inherited by Martha Washington by her first husband's family. Ms. Hess has done a superb job with editing these recipes and gives suggestions for adapting many of them for the modern kitchen.
Lowenstein, Eleanor. Bibliography of American cookery books, 1742-1860. 3rd ed. Worcester Mass.: American Antiquarian Society, 1972.
Schmit, Patricia Brady. Nelly Custis Lewis's housekeeping book. New Orleans, La.: The Historic New Orleans Collection, 1982. ISBN 0917860098
This was a manuscript kept by Martha Washington's youngest granddaughter, Nelly Custis Lewis, who was raised at Mount Vernon by the Washingtons. Another good source for recipes.
Simmons, Amelia. The first American cookbook: a facsimile of "American cookery," 1796, with an essay by Mary Tolford Wilson. New York: Dover Publications, 1984, c1958. ISBN 0486247104
Articles
Moore, Stacy Gibbons. "Established and well cultivated": Afro-American foodways in early Virginia" Virginia Cavalcade39, 2 (Autumn 1989): 70-83.
Illustrated overview of African American foods and diet.
Thompson, Mary V. "Christmas at Mount Vernon." Mount Vernon Ladies' Association Annual Report 1990, pages 24-30.
Serials
Food History News / edited and published by Sandra L. Oliver, 1061 Main Road, HCR 60, Box 354A, Islesboro, ME 04848. ISSN 1067-1951.
Number 38 includes a bibliography of African American foodways resources.
Other resources
The Mount Vernon kitchen: http://www.mountvernon.org/groundstour/kitchen.asp
This page includes Martha Washington's recipe for a Great Cake, and Nelly Custis's recipe for Hoe Cakes.
HOUSEHOLD WORDS: Women Write from and for the Kitchen, an online exhibition exhibition at University of Pennsylvania.