Elizabeth Lea wrote this book for the young housewife of her time. She said in her introduction that there were many books for the fancy and eloquent gatherins but nothing written for the ordinary. Many young women had little knowledge of the everyday running of a house. The recipes are a delight to read. Here is an example. "Brains and Tongue. Pour boiling water on the brains, and skin them; tie them tight in a cloth, and boil them and the tongue with the head; when done put them on a plate, chop three leaves of green sage fine, and beat up with the brains, spread them round a small dish, and after skinning the tongue, place it in the middle."