Marion Harland's Complete Cook Book A Practical and Exhaustive Manual of Cookery and Housekeeping

"Marion Harland's Complete Cook Book" by Marion Harland is a comprehensive cookbook written in the late 19th century. This practical guide focuses on cookery and housekeeping, aiming to empower everyday housewives with a wealth of recipes and advice on managing a home. With meticulous attention to detail, Harland shares her extensive culinary knowledge, making it accessible to readers who may not be professional chefs. The opening of this work features a dedicatory preface in which the author reflects on her years of experience and previously published works, establishing her authority and deep understanding of domestic management. She emphasizes her commitment to serving the needs of housewives, signifying a shift towards dignifying housewifery as a profession. Following this, the beginning chapters delve into essential aspects of household management, including the importance of proper marketing for ingredients and effective methods of storing various food items to ensure freshness. The text promises a blend of detailed recipes and practical advice aimed at making the art of cooking an enjoyable and fulfilling experience for the reader. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Mary Virginia Terhune, also known by her penname Marion Harland, was an American author who was prolific and bestselling in both fiction and non-fiction genres. Born in Amelia County, Virginia, she began her career writing articles at the age of 14, using various pennames until 1853, when she settled on Marion Harland. Her first novel Alone was published in 1854 and became an "emphatic success" following its second printing the next year. For fifteen years she was a prolific writer of best-selling women's novels, classified then as "plantation fiction", as well as writing numerous serial works, short stories, and essays for magazines.