I have recently acquired a remarkable book at auction: Cookery and Pastry as Taught and Practiced by Mrs. Maciver, who was born in 1709 and taught these arts in Edinburgh. I adore this book and feel very fortunate to own such a rare piece. The copy I purchased is not a first edition but a second or possibly third edition, printed in 1805. The first edition was likely published in 1773, a time when the letter 's' was still written as 'f', a style that had changed by the time my edition was printed.

It’s fascinating to think about the people who have held this book over the years. The language is beautiful, the dishes described are wonderful, and the condition of the book is quite remarkable for its 220 years. This edition was printed in the same year as the Battle of Trafalgar and when Lewis and Clark were exploring the Pacific coast of North America.

Mrs. Maciver was undoubtedly a skilled cook, operating two cookery schools near the High Street in Edinburgh. The Enlightenment and the society of the Georgian New Town spurred a new era of eating, cooking, and entertaining in the fancy New Town houses. The recipes in the book are fantastic, featuring an early, if not the first published, recipe for haggis (spelled "haggies"), hare collops, and a citron pudding. The instruction to soak a venison shoulder or breast in its own blood overnight was particularly surprising to me.

If you find a copy in as good condition as mine, I highly recommend purchasing it. They are said to be quite valuable. Try looking through your relatives’ bookcases or exploring some of the remaining old bookshops—you might just get lucky.