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Amelia Simmons is an American writer noted for publishing the ''
American Cookery ''American Cookery'', by Amelia Simmons, is the first known cookbook written by an American, published in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1796. Until then, the cookbooks printed and used in the Thirteen Colonies were British. Its full title is: ''Am ...
''. This cookbook is considered an important text that provided insights into the language and culinary practices of former colonists, helping shape American identity. It is considered the first American cookbook published in the United States.


Biography

Little is known about Simmons' life except that she was an orphan. She was left to the care of several guardians and this was said to have helped shape her character, one that had an opinion and determination of her own. A single-woman publishing her own book demonstrated this since it was not an everyday occurrence during her time. Simmons was also forced to earn her living as a domestic worker. She was later described as a woman of modest means. In her published book, it was noted that she was preoccupied with that status in life. In her own words, Simmons claimed she was "circumscribed in her knowledge" and lacked "an education sufficient to prepare the work for the press."Wilson, Mary Tolford. "Amelia Simmons Fills a Need: American Cookery, 1796.” ''The William and Mary Quarterly'', vol. 14, no. 1, 1957, pp. 16–30. According to the historian
Karen Hess Karen Loft HessThough ''New York Times'', ''Toronto Star'', and ''The Independent'' give "Lost," the ''Los Angeles Times'' correctly gives "Loft." The New York Times noted her given name was pronounced "CAR-inn" per the Scandinavian manner. (Novem ...
, Simmons probably lived in New York's Albany area, which was the center of the manufacture of potash, a prominent ingredient in Simmons' recipes. The likelihood of this theory is supported by Simmons' use of words that are Dutch in origin.


American Cookery

Simmons' cookbook, ''American Cookery'' was published in 1796. During this period, all cookbooks used in the colonies were British. The book contained practical recipes that catered to the wider American audience as well as meals that appealed to those who had larger budget as it taught its readers "how to eat simply but sumptuously". This work is considered significant for addressing the deficiencies of extant British cookbooks since it understood American culture. The cookbook was described as a place that acknowledged British heritage and introduced a new kind of cuisine and citizen cook. Its preface claimed that it was "adapted to this country". While it contained recipes copied from British cookbooks, it also included meals that had indigenous American recipes or meals that substituted native American ingredients. Several of the recipes in the cookbook that were copied from British sources were largely from the works of
Susannah Carter Susannah Carter ( fl. 1765?) was the author of an early household management and cookery book, ''The Frugal Housewife, or, Complete woman cook''. Little more is known than that Carter was from Clerkenwell in London as stated in the title page of t ...
. Simmons copied her entries on creams and
syllabub Syllabub is a sweet dish made by curdling sweet cream or milk with an acid such as wine or cider. It was a popular British confection from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Early recipes for syllabub are for a drink of cider with milk. By the 1 ...
s but she introduced new ingredients such as cornmeal, pumpkins, and molasses. Such copying was said to be commonplace and Simmons' recipes also suffered from the same practice later on. The US Library of Congress designated the ''American Cookery'' as one of the 88 "Books That Shaped America.


References

{{reflist Writers from New York (state) 18th-century American women writers 19th-century American women writers