Boston Cooking-School Cook Book/Preface

by Fannie Farmer

TO

MRS. WILLIAM B. SEWALL,

IN APPRECIATION OF HER HELPFUL ENCOURAGEMENT AND UNTIRING EFFORTS IN PROMOTING THE WORK OF SCIENTIFIC COOKERY, WHICH MEANS THE ELEVATION OF THE HUMAN RACE,

THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

BY THE AUTHOR.

Cookery means the knowledge of Medea and of Circ. and of Helen and of the Queen of Sheba. It means the knowledge of all herbs and fruits and balms and spices, and all that is healing and sweet in the fields and groves and savory in meats. It means carefulness and inventiveness and willingness and readiness of appliances. It means the economy of your grandmothers and the science of the modern chemist; it means much testing and no wasting ; it means English thoroughness and French art and Arabian hospitality; and, in fine, it means that you are to be perfectly and always ladies—loaf givers.—Ruskin.

PREFACE

"But for life the universe were nothing; and all that has life requires nourishment."

With the progress of knowledge the needs of the human body have not been forgotten. During the last decade much time has been given by scientists to the study of foods and their dietetic value, and it is a subject which rightfully should demand much consideration from all. I certainly feel that the time is not far distant when a knowledge of the principles of diet will be an essential part of one's education. Then mankind will eat to live, will be able to do better mental and physical work, and disease will be less frequent.

At the earnest solicitation of educators, pupils, and friends, I have been urged to prepare this book, and I trust it may be a help to many who need its aid. It is my wish that it may not only be looked upon as a compilation of tried and tested recipes, but that it may awaken an interest through its condensed scientific knowledge which will lead to deeper thought and broader study of what to eat.

F. M. F.