The Cook’s Oracle (William Kitchiner)

Full Title: The Cook’s Oracle; containing Receipts for Plain Cookery on the Most Economical Plan for Private Families; also the Art of Composing the Most Simple and Most Highly Finished Broths, Gravies, Soups, Sauces, Store Sauces, and Flavoring Essences: Pastry, Preserves, Puddings, &c. and an Easy, Certain, and Economical Process for preparing Pickles in which they will be ready in a fortnight, and remain good for years.

 xx, 484 pp. Period 3/4 calf & cloth, morocco spine label. Fifth Edition. London & Edinburgh: A. Constable & Co., 1823.

“The most famous of Kitchiner's numerous cookery books, The Cook's Oracle first appeared in 1817 and went through many editions, even after his death. It was written in a down-to-earth style, and demonstrated Kitchiner's familiarity with the entire process, from shopping, through preparing and serving the dishes, to cleaning up. It was an acknowledged source of inspiration for Mrs Beeton, and was mined by the writers of other household guides.” -ODNB. Bitting p.262. The American edition was taken from this fifth edition. Very good.