Maren Elisabeth Bang (1797–1884) was a

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

cookbook writer who wrote the first printed Norwegian cookbook ''Huusholdnings-Bog, indrettet efter den almindelige Brug i norske Huusholdninger'' in 1831. Her early publications were anonymous but after 1842 she published in her own name. She was the most productive 19th-century Norwegian author of cookbooks and housekeeping guides.

Biography

The daughter of Hans Arnt Poulsen (1768–1809) and Sara Elisabeth Bergström (1770–1845), she was brought up at Skansgården near

Kongsvinger Kongsvinger () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Glåmdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsvinger. Other settlements in the municipality include Aust ...

in south-eastern Norway. In 1817, she married Lieutenant Lauritz Christian Steen Bang who from 1829 to 1839 was imprisoned for embezzlement while working at Norges Bank in Christiania (now Oslo). While he was in prison, Maren Bang earned a living by selling meals, which she either delivered herself or sold from home. She recorded her recipes, first publishing ''Huusholdnings-Bog, indrettet efter den almindelige Brug i norske Huusholdninger'' (Housekeeping Book, Prepared in Accordance with Normal Practice in Norwegian Households) in 1831, with new editions in 1834 and 1838. A selection of her recipes was published separately as ''Den Norske Kokkepige'' (The Norwegian Cooking Girl) in 1835. Later publications included ''Huusholdningsbog for Almuen'' Housekeeping for General Use), ''Slagtebog'' (Charcuterie), ''Almindelig Syltebog'' (Preservation and Pickling), ''Nyttige Huusraad'' (Useful Housekeeping Tips), ''Bagebog'' (Baking Book) and ''Praktisk Farve-Bog for Almuen'' (Practical Methods of Dyeing). In 1849, the couple moved to

Kristiansand Kristiansand is a seaside resort city and municipality in Agder county, Norway. The city is the fifth-largest and the municipality the sixth-largest in Norway, with a population of around 112,000 as of January 2020, following the incorporation ...

where Lieutenant Bang ran a restaurant until his death in 1862. Thereafter, Maren Bang returned to her writing, undertaking major revisions of her earlier works while publishing ''Vinbog'' (Wine Book) and ''Raad og Veiledning for Landmanden'' (Advice and Guidance for Countrymen). Bang spent her later years in Kristiania where she died of

gastroenteritis Gastroenteritis, also known as infectious diarrhea and gastro, is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract including the stomach and intestine. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Fever, lack of energy, and dehydra ...

on 3 July 1884.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bang, Maren Elisabeth 1797 births 1884 deaths People from Kongsvinger 19th-century Norwegian writers Norwegian women writers Women cookbook writers 19th-century women writers