The Complete Cook: Plain and practical directions for cooking and housekeeping; with upwards of seven hundred receipts, consisting of directions for the choice of meat and poultry; preparations for cooking, making of broths and soups; boiling, roasting, baking, and frying, of meats, fish, &c. : Seasonings, colourings, cooking vegetables; preparing salads, clarifying, making of pastry, puddings, gruels, gravies, garnishes, &c. And, with general directions for making wines. With additions and alterations, by J.M. Sanderson, of the Franklin House

Philadelphia: Lea and Blanchard; J. Fagin, Stereotyper; J. & W. Kite, Printers, 1843. Octavo (20 x 12 cm.) 14-196 pages. Index. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION, with substantial revisions reflecting its new origin. Perhaps the earliest American cookbook with international pretentions. James M. Sanderson was the owner and chef of Philadelphia's Franklin House Hotel. According to the title page and his introduction, Sanderson clearly states that the majority of his book was copied heavily from a well-known English work, and he is but the adaptor. The uncredited English author was W. G. Lewis, and his original was A Guide to Service, The Cook, Plain and Practical Directions, published London, 1842. "Sanderson's small contributions throughout create an excellent combination of American and English cooking. For example, he provides an American recipe for Pumpkin Pie alongside the English version, comments on cooking in the excessive heat of the West Indies, and refers to a superior English method for boiling meat without contact with the water. There are quite a few American recipes cited with their English counterparts and referred to as 'the American mode,' for example, 'The American Mode of Dressing Salt Fish.'" (from introduction to the 2013 AAS facsimile). This work is frequently found bound together with Eleanor Parkinson's The Complete Confectioner. Light foxing throughout, and with a few closed tears to fore edge of some leaves. Corners bumped and dog eared. Front panel of original printed wrapper is present, and carries a dime size stain to the top of the panel. Scarce. [OCLC locates eighteen copies; Bitting page 416 (later edition); Cagle 684; Lowenstein 302]. (Inventory #: 6413)