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In: Cooking & Drinking·How To ...
Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #64459.
Marion Harland’s Complete Cook Book presents itself as a sweeping, practical guide for the housewife of the early twentieth‑century American home. The opening pages already reveal the book’s scope: a detailed, step‑by‑step recipe for pickled mangoes (originally melons) that includes precise brining times, the use of alum, and a slow‑steamed “green” finish, followed by a prefatory dedication that frames the work as the culmination of thirty‑odd years of household experience. The extensive table of contents, running from “Care of Household Stores” through “Final Familiar Talk,” underscores its ambition to cover everything from kitchen chemistry to etiquette, promising thousands of carefully proved recipes and household hints.
The tone is conversational yet authoritative, written in the earnest, instructional voice of a seasoned “housemother” addressing fellow women. Its language reflects the domestic ideals and culinary knowledge of the 1900s, with a blend of practical advice and moral encouragement. Readers who enjoy historical domestic literature, detailed Victorian‑era cooking techniques, or a glimpse into the everyday concerns of an early‑1900s American kitchen will find Harland’s methodical, personable style both informative and engaging.
The opening · free to read
In the section Pickled nutmeg melons, melons change to mangoes part way through, viz. “Lay the mangoes in strong brine for three days. Drain off the brine and freshen in pure water for twenty-four hours. “Green” as you would cucumbers—that is, have a kettle lined with green vine leaves, and lay the mangoes evenly within it, scattering powdered alum over the layers. A piece of alum as large as a pigeon’s egg will be enough for a two-gallon kettleful. Fill with cold water; cover with vine leaves, three deep; put a close lid or inverted pan over all, and steam over a slow fire five or six hours, not allowing the water to boil. When the mangoes are a fine green remove the leaves and lay the melons in cold water until cold and firm.” This has been corrected.
Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (italics).
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