A Guide to Using the Compendium

The Recipe Book Compendium is a resource for locating, interpreting, and understanding Early Modern recipe books.

A detail from a recipe book page. Neat, precise handwriting lists ingredients and steps for treating aches.

Medical Remedy Book, 17th Century (Wellcome Collection, MS.8174; p.1)

  1. The pages under ‘Getting Started’ will give you a foundation to work from. What are recipe books and why should we have access to them?

  2. The ‘Anatomy of a Recipe Book’ section will give you a chance to become familiar with recipe books first hand. You can browse individual books or learn about the key knowledge themes found in three featured recipe books.

  3. The ‘Resources’ pages will fill in any gaps you experience. They’ll help you decipher Early Modern English, interpret unusual measurements, locate institutions that collect recipe books, and determine other resources you might find helpful for additional context.

Note: Referencing Step 3 resources while exploring books in Step 2 is a good strategy.