Colonial Virginia Cookery Jane Carson 1985 Hardcover Colonial Williamsburg Cooking History

Colonial Virginia Cookery by Jane Carson is a 1985 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation hardcover exploring procedures, equipment, ingredients, and cooking practices associated with eighteenth century Virginia.

This historical cookbook and food reference looks beyond finished recipes to explain how food was prepared, preserved, seasoned, and served in colonial Virginia. The contents include provisions and menus, the Virginia kitchen, boiling and stewing, roasting and broiling, baking, sauces and garnishes, made dishes, and food preservation.

The text includes period methods and unusual historical preparations, along with drawings by Linda Funk. The pages are clean, easy to read, and filled with useful illustrations and instructions, including period jelly making and food preparation methods.

Details

• Item: Historical cookbook and food history reference
• Title: Colonial Virginia Cookery: Procedures, Equipment, and Ingredients in Colonial Cooking
• Author: Jane Carson
• Illustrator: Drawings by Linda Funk
• Publisher: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Williamsburg, Virginia
• Publication Year: 1985
• Edition and Printing: 1985 reprint. Copyright page states the work was originally published by Colonial Williamsburg in 1968. Exact printing of this 1985 reprint is not confirmed from photos.
• Format and Binding: Hardcover with dark blue cloth spine and patterned paper-covered boards
• Dust Jacket: None present
• Pages: 145 pages
• Genre: Cooking history, American food history, colonial cooking
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0-87935-107-1
• Dimensions: 9 inches x 6 inches x 1/2 inch

Condition Grade: Good

Positives

• Graded Good: The book is complete enough for reading and reference, with noticeable exterior wear but clean and legible interior pages.
• The photographed pages are clean and easy to read, with clear text and black-and-white illustrations.
• The hardcover binding remains present and usable, and the patterned boards retain strong blue, green, cream, and gold color.
• The contents page and interior spreads show a broad range of cooking methods and historical kitchen information.

Issues / Wear

• The paper title label on the front cover has a visible tear and paper loss near the lower left portion of the label.
• The cover shows light handling wear and small areas of surface marking, including wear on the dark blue cloth spine.
• Page edges show age toning. The photographed interior text remains clear and readable.

Collector's Notes

Colonial Williamsburg published books like this to connect surviving eighteenth century sources with the practical work of historic interpretation. The result is as much food history as cookbook.

The subject suits readers interested in Colonial Williamsburg, early American kitchens, Virginia history, historical cooking, or the development of American foodways.

This 1985 edition credits Linda Funk for the drawings and identifies itself as a reprint of Jane Carson's original 1968 Colonial Williamsburg study. The photographed copyright page also gives ISBN 0-87935-107-1.

It is the kind of cookbook that is just as interesting to sit down and read as it is to keep with the cooking books.

Shipping + Trust (Reading Vintage standards)

1. Photo-verified condition, no surprises
2. Packed with our protective packaging standard
3. Ships in 1 business day
4. Free Shipping on $35+ (U.S. only)

Disclaimer
All items are vintage and may show signs of age, wear, or use consistent with their history. Photos show the exact condition of each piece, please review them carefully, as they are part of the description.

Care and Handling:
Handle with clean, dry hands. Store upright, out of direct sunlight, at about 68°F and 40 to 50% relative humidity. Avoid damp areas and extreme temperature swings.

How Reading Vintage sources and grades every book