An Introduction to my Book
I was given this book ‘The Lady’s Companion’ Vol 2 by my Uncle Dan, my Dad’s eldest brother, he found it in a box of stuff that he bought in a sale many years before, and gave it to me because he knew I enjoyed Cooking, its not in the best condition, lots damp stains over the pages and very discoloured. But I have often picked it up to read a few pages here and there as you do over the thirty odd years that I have owned it. I love it, there is just something about the feel of an old book that sets you thinking about who used to own it and where did they live and I wonder what recipes they tried out.
Luckily for me in the front page is written

‘Rebecka Honeybone
Hir Book
Nov 1st 1787
Edward Honeybone
His Book’

Then the bottom of the page is torn off………so frustrating, wonder what was written on it !
I have had a quick look up on their names in the records and found that a Edward Honeybone married a Rebecca Barrett in Westminster, Middlesex in 1787, this was in Pallots Marriage index. Could be them and maybe it was a marriage gift to them from someone???   I wonder……..

Anyway when I was looking up to find out some info on the book I came across some interesting Facts also for 1753..
1. The marriage act was passed in 1753 to prevent secret marriages by unqualified clergymen. From then on every bride & Groom had to sign a marriage register or, if they were illiterate, make their mark upon it..

2. Taxes became due on 6th April 1753, this was the start of using 6 April as the beginning of the tax year. The reason being that in September 1752, Great Britain changed from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar, and in order to achieve the switch over 11 days were ‘omitted’ from the calendar (the day after 2nd Sept 1752 was 14th Sept 1752) Bearing this in mind, the following year 1753 ‘Lady Day’ (25 Mar) the day when rents & taxes were traditionally due, people were not impressed about losing 11 days and still having to pay up on 25 Mar or actually 26 Mar, because 25th turned out to be a Sunday. So the Taxman ‘skipped’ the 11 days and decreed that taxes were due on 6 April 1753.And so to this day the UK tax year still starts on 6 April.

3.The British Museum was founded in 1753, at a time when London was changing to being the centre of a new empire.

There is lots more info about these facts on the internet but I have just copied a few snippets out for you.

The Book
It states in the beginning that it contains ‘Upwards of Three Thousand different Receipts in every Kind of COOKERY and Four Times the Quantity of any Book of the Sort’  (note: all the s’s are written down as f in book)

As most people seem to enjoy Chocolate, this is the first recipe

‘Chocolate Cream’
First take a Quart of Milk, a Quarter of a pound of sugar, and boil them together for a Quarter of an hour, then beat up the Yolk of an Egg, put it in the Cream, and give it three or four boils, take it off the Fire, and put Scrap’d Chocolate to it till the Cream has taken the colour of it, then boil it again for a minute, strain it through a sieve ans serve in China Dishes.

Couldn’t resist sharing this one. Don’t tell Madeline!(our resident Pigeon)
’To Pickle Pigeons’
Bone them as whole as possible, and stove them in Rhenish Wine ( German sweet wine) and vinegar, and two slices of Lemon, season with pepper and salt, and, when tender, take them out, let your liquor be cold, skim off the Fat, and pour the Clear off, then put your Pigeons into the Pickle, put in some Mace, Nutmeg, and a Bay-leaf.

It states also that you must always use Stone or Glass jars and cover with a wet bladder or leather………….and always use the very best and strongest white wine Vinegar.

Update on Mum, got her all settled at Home now and stayed couple nights to make sure she’s ok, care workers coming in every day, they are brilliant, so hoping things go along well.

Till next time then……………..