If you want to decimate your carrots (boil for one to one and half hours ?!?) or manage the responsibilities of your servants then this is the book for you !! 

Seriously though, Mrs Beeton’s Every Day Cookery is an iconic culinary tome. Regardless of the vegetable massacres there’s actually some handy tips and great recipes. Chapters on quantities and measures, sauces , pastries, what’s in season and my favourite, ‘The Art of ‘Using-Up’.

As with any good cookery book it’s a little thumbed and worn but perfectly serviceable. The adverts to the front and back pages are great too ….. I can’t help but laugh each time I see the ad for ‘Bumsted’s Salt’! 

With 16 fabulous colour plates and over 300 illustrations .