New system of domestic cookery, formed upon principles of economy, and adapted to the use of private families

"New System of Domestic Cookery, formed upon Principles of Economy, and adapted…" by an anonymous author is a practical cookbook written in the early 19th century. This work aims to provide households with economical cooking methods and recipes, focusing on efficiency and frugality in the management of daily meals. It serves as a guide for homemakers looking to balance quality cooking with practical budgeting, potentially making it useful for both novice cooks and those more experienced in the kitchen. The opening of the cookbook introduces the author's intentions and fundamental principles for family cooking. The author addresses the 'Mistress of a Family,' emphasizing the importance of budgeting, managing resources, and maintaining simplicity in cooking while avoiding excess and waste. A variety of cooking methods and guidelines are hinted at, including specific advice on purchasing ingredients and strategies for effective kitchen management, setting the stage for the detailed recipes that follow throughout the text. This focus on practical advice and thoughtful preparation is likely intended to empower women, particularly those managing households, to develop confidence in their cooking abilities and economic acumen. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Maria Eliza Rundell was an English writer. Little is known about most of her life, but in 1805, when she was over 60, she sent an unedited collection of recipes and household advice to John Murray, of whose family—owners of the John Murray publishing house—she was a friend. She asked for, and expected, no payment or royalties.