THE MARY FRANCES COOK BOOK ADVENTURES AMONG THE KITCHEN PEOPLE

4to (7” x 9½”). pp. [x]; 175. Blue cloth boards with color illustrated paper onlay with titles; spine with titles stamped in gold script. Printed in red and black and profusely illustrated in the Golden Age tradition by Jane Allen Boyer (color frontis and textual vignette illustrations in line), and Margaret G. Hays (full page line illustrations printed in red and black). One in a series of seven books by Jane Eayre Fryer whose purpose was to teach children the domestic arts, The Mary Frances Cook Book weaves lessons about basic cookery into a story about a little girl helped by animated kitchen utensils (think Beauty and the Beast) to cook for her sick mother.An informative piece of cultural and culinary histiory of the early 20th century, The Mary Frances Cook Book is a snapshot of family life and the cooking of the time that includes 40 recipies that range from boiling eggs to making milk toast, tart pastry and pan-fried beef steak. As it was meant to be used actively by children learning to cook, it can be difficult to find clean copy. In very good condition with light to moderate edgewear, a lightly sunned spine and some light rubbing to the cloth and the paper onlay.