Hand-Book of Practical Cookery for Ladies and Professional Cooks

Published in 1867 in New York, Hand-Book of Practical Cookery was authored by the first American celebrity chef, Pierre Blot. An immigrant from France, Blot opened the first French cooking school in America and created this epicurean collection as an extension of his celebrated classes. In Hand-Book of Practical Cookery, Blot emphasizes the "good things in life" and wisely states in the preface, "Food is the most important of our wants; we cannot exist without it."

Basing recipes on precise and scientific measurements and including clear explanations of techniques and definitions, the Hand-Book of Practical Cookery, for Ladies and Professional Cooks includes recipes such as Beef Tongue with Sauces, Cabinet Pudding, Fried Celery, Duck with Garniture, Roasted Eel, and Candied Pears. After the book's release in 1867, the New York Times positively reviewed it and ended with the bold statement, "The book ought to be in the hands of every housekeeper in the land"—and its value is still evident to modern-day cooks.