CAIRD.   JOHN     - Caird's progresssive cookery book.
THE COMPLETE CONFECTIONER and FAMILY COOK;
including MANY VALUABLE RECEIPTS, and ample directions for MARKETING, TRUSSING CARVING, &C. the whole being the result of MANY YEARS EXPERIENCE. (a double horizontal line) By J. CAIRD. (a double horizontal line) Illustrated with copperplates and woodcuts. Edinburgh: PRINTED FOR JOHN ANDERSON; AND SOLD BY LONGMAN, HURST, REES, & ORMEE, LONDON and WOGAN & CUMMING, DUBLIN. 1809.
FIRST EDITION: Octavo. 204mm x 120mm. 2 feps. [1] Engraved frontispiece on verso. Tittle page. Verso printer's details. (1)iv-vi Preface. (1)2-445. (1)447-454 Index. 2feps. Text block slightly dusted with original rough paper edges. Some pages have light foxing. Overall in good condition. 7 engraved plates. in-text illustrations. 1/4 size brown leather spine with gilt text and lines. Original paper boards with nice dark brown patina.
- In the Preface, Caird informs that the book is in three parts; the first is Confectionary, the second to Pastry, Baking and Pickling and the third relates to Cookery. It includes many recipes for still popular Scottish sweets, oat cakes, bannocks, shortbread, barley sugar, apple dumplings, and apple fritters, as well as recipes such as macaroni and cheese. John Caird was a grocer and confectioner based in Edinburgh, known for his internationally imported fruits and spices. This work is notable for containing the first known recipe for marmalade ice cream. Also, Caird shows his professionalism by having a separate and precise ingredient list attached to recipess, albeit in large quantities, which no doubt reflects his shop production rather than being geared just for the housewife. A good copy of a very scarce book.

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ref number: 11104