The Frugal Housewife, or complete woman cook. Wherein the art of dressing all sorts of viands, with cleanliness, decency and elegance, is explained in five hundred approved recipes... to which are added, various bills of fare, and a proper arrangement of dinners, two courses, for every month in the year

Philadelphia: Printed by James Carey, 83, N. Second-Street, 1796. Duodecimo (16 x 10 cm.), [xiii], 14-132 pages; three plates; two engravings depicting carving and a third woodcut depicting "Arrangement of a Supper Table". ~ Third American edition, first printing. Carter’s popular English cookbook (circa 1765), became one of the very earliest cookery books printed in the U.S. The American printings preceding this one were: Boston: Edes & Gill of 1772 (Lowenstein 4), and New York: Berry & Rogers of 1792 (Lowenstein 7) and 1795 (Lowenstein 8b). The Edes & Gill issue of 1772 was just the second American cookbook, following the 1742 Alexandria printing of Eliza Smith’s Compleat Housewife. The two Berry & Rogers printings contained a number of changes which better reflected the American context of these books, and which greatly influenced Amelia Simmons in the creation of her foundational American Cookery of 1796. In a statement “To the readers” (page [ii]), it is explained that the sections on Gravies and Sauces has been moved to the front and indexed for reference within the other recipes, “as the chief excellence of all cookery consists in a perfect acquaintance with the making of Gravies and Sauces”. Contemporary calf, gilt-ruled spine, morocco spine label; scuffed, joints and extremities rubbed, front cover substantially detached – but present. Lightly age-toned, with some light foxing, scattered spotting, darkening at edges; light spotting to plates, small tear to second plate with no paper loss. Ink ownership signature of Elizabeth Richardson, dated 1798, at head of front blank verso, early ink ownership of Mary Taylor at head of title page. [OCLC locates twenty-three copies; Evans 30168; Lowenstein 15; not in Cagle; this printing not in Bitting].