The Virginia House-Wife

The Virginia House-Wife is an 1824 housekeeping manual and cookbook by Mary Randolph. In addition to recipes it gave instructions for making soap, starch, blacking and cologne. Publication history The Virginia House-Wife was first published in 1824; it was republished at least nineteen times before the outbreak of the Civil War. The book was 225 pages long, included nearly 500 recipes, and resulted from Randolph's "practical experience as keeper of a large establishment, and perhaps in the hope of further augmenting the family income." The Virginia House-Wife is considered the first regional American cookbook. Contents According to historian Cynthia A. Kierner, "Randolph presented a southern — specifically, a Virginian — model for southern readers. Although her occasional explanations of uniquely southern foods suggests she anticipated an audience beyond her region, [Randolph's work] appealed to the women of the rural South who were the majority of her readers." Randolph's recipes exhibited a uniquely Virginian style, using Virginia produce for dishes influenced by African, Native American, and European foods. The book included recipes for Southern classics such as okra, sweet potatoes, biscuits, fried chicken, barbecue shote (young pig), and lemonade. European influenced recipes included gazpacho, ropa vieja, polenta, and macaroni. Six curry recipes were included in The Virginia House-Wife; these were the first curry recipes published in the United States and suggest curry was already a popular seasoning in the region. Specialties from other parts of the US included a recipe entitled "Dough Nuts - A Yankee Cake." The Virginia House-Wife also included the first ice cream recipe published by an American author. In addition to recipes the book also explained how to make soap, starch, blacking and cologne.