The South Church Cook Book. [Compiled by Ladies of the South Church]

Pittsfield, Mass: [The Church]; Chickering & Axtell, Steam Printers, 1877. Octavo (23.5 x 15 cm.), 87, [i] pages. Advertisements. Cover title: Cook Book. FIRST EDITION. An attractively printed church cookbook from the seat of Berkshire County in the westernmost region of Massachusetts, with some three hundred fifty unattributed recipes. Warranting notice: Black Bean Soup, Onion Pie, Vegetable Plum Pudding, (Baked) Raspberry Sandwich, Whortleberry Cake, Rice Meringue, Brandy Peaches, and Blackberry Wine. The graceful Congregational Church at 110 South Street had a rocky start, its original structure consumed by fire in September 1849 just before its completion. But completed it was, delayed by only a year. Twice subsequently (in 1859 and 1882) its steeple fell victim to gale winds. In 1877 South Church found itself unable to install a permanent pastor, and it may well be that the Cook Book helped to remove indebtedness and place finances on a secure footing – which in the event was achieved in 1885, when a new pastor settled into the post. The congregation not only recovered and rebuilt, but grew steadily, and flourishes still, famous locally for an ambitious pantry program that serves hundreds. Front hinge shaken, and some signatures pulling. In gilt-lettered, green publisher's; light wear to head and foot of spine, corners lightly bumped, otherwise near fine. [OCLC locates five copies; Cook, page 107; not in Brown or Cagle].