Tag: University of Leeds Library

Images from the Library

  By

Check this out: The “Ui Breasail” home recipe cookery book, published in 1910 in Dublin, Ireland, during the heyday of what is often called the “Irish Renaissance” (alternately, the “Celtic Twilight”).

The advertisements as well as the recipe write-ups put this book squarely in the Irish-Ireland movement, a fascinating mixture of home rule politics, nationalism, and a drive towards turning Ireland’s culture inwards. “Ui breasail” translates roughly to “Hy Brasil or ‘The Blessed Isle,” a land akin to Atlantis with which Ireland was occasionally identified, supposed to be the home of eternal life among other things. Interestingly enough, flipping through the advertisements at the front of the book shows plenty for goods and services from England: fish from Grimsby, “Dr Ridge’s Food” from London, “W & G Foyle,” booksellers from London, but the vast majority are for businesses in Dublin or Belfast: the Army and Navy Stores, the Royal Irish School of Art Needlework (being “Irish-Ireland” was not necessarily a reason to avoid the “Royal” label, although it could be), Carson’s Paints, electrolysis in Ballsbridge, and a laundry in Rathmines.

This single volume is practically a case study in a key moment in the development of modern Ireland and the recipes are wonderful: learn how to make ‘beef olives’ two different ways! vegetarian puddings! queen cake and plum bread!

Looking for Recipes?

  By

This time of year, many of us in the US start pulling out recipe books, making ingredient lists, and trying to remember just how that really good pie we made last fall went. If you’re looking for inspiration, the MHL has you covered!

Try the 1890 Recipe book from the Gloucestershire School of Cookery and Domestic Science: fruit pie? gingerbread pudding? boiled whiting?

Maybe you want something a little more old-timey? Try the 1908 An old-world recipe book:

The hare soup recipe could be a big hit!

Highlights from the MHL: National Potato Month!

  By

Among other things, September is National Potato Month and we are prepared.

Need recipe ideas? There are hundreds (really!) in Potato cookery (1907):

Are you a gardener looking to improve the potato? Try A study of the factors influencing the improvement of the potato (1908):

Or perhaps you have some kind of vermin problem? Potato bugs, perhaps? Try some Rat dynamite (1850):

Images from the Library

  By

Full page black and white illustration of six different plants

From John Hill’s The useful family-herbal : or, an account of all those English plants which are remarkable for their virtues, and of the drugs which are produced by vegetables of other countries; with their descriptions and their uses, as proved by experience … (1789).

As always, for more from the Medical Heritage Library, please visit our full collection!

Digital Highlights: Christmas Recipes

  By

I always enjoy looking through the cookbooks and home manuals in our collection and it always seems as though a holiday is a good time to point out a few.

What about the 1903 texts The White House cookbook : a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home; containing cooking, toilet, and household recipes, menus, dinner-giving, table etiquette, care of the sick, health suggestions, facts worth knowing, etc., featuring a recipe for both an English and a Christmas plum pudding.

Or this 1959 Food at Your Fingertips: In One Volume, put together by the Cookbook Committee of the Homemaking Section of the American Association of Instructors of the Blind.

There’s also the 1902 Cook book, published by the Ladies’ Aid Society of the Pullman Memorial Church, Albion, New York, which starts off with Pea soup. Dr. Fluhrer’s Favorite, and Mrs. Willingham Rawnsley’s 1908 An old-world recipe book, offering The Pudding. The simply titled Myra’s cookery book (1880) provides a wealth of recipes from soup to pickles.

Did I miss out your favorite? let me know in the comments! And, as always, please do visit our full collection for more.

Digital Highlights: “Confectionery Made Easy”

  By

Many of us are looking at an uptick in home baking as the holidays approach and some of us are dusting off recipes that we don’t use all that often: shortbread, cinnamon rolls, croissants, Eccles cakes! Never fear, though, George Read is here with directions for a variety of confectionery items in a “plain and concise manner.”

Flip through the pages of The confectioner’s and pastry-cook’s guide below or follow this link to read it online.

Digital Highlights: What’s Your Daily Want?

  By

The two volumes of the 1858 Dictionary of Daily Wants aim to do for the nineteenth century family what Google does today: answer any possible question on any possible topic.

Want to know what you should always have in the house in case of accidents? Turn to page four and the list starts with “A piece of adhesive plaster.” Need a quick batch of almond cakes? That’s page 19. How about how to catch a bird? Page 141 through 144 for that. Planning your garden for next year and want to know about kale? Volume Two, page 587 has everything you need to know.

Flip through the volumes of the Dictionary of Daily Wants below or follow this link to Volume One and this link to Volume Two.

As always, for more from the Medical Heritage Library, please visit our full collection!

New to the MHL!

  By

Last week we announced the official opening of over 3,000 digitized volumes of historical medical journals.

Here are some highlights of what else is new in our collection:

And as always for more from the Medical Heritage Library, please visit our full collection!