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CALEB P. WILSON : 1867 UNIQUE AND FASCINATING ORIGINAL HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT COOKBOOK OF 20+ RECIPES FOR CAKES, PIES, ROLLS, AND MORE THAT SHOW A LESSER KNOWN SIDE OF LIFE IN THE CIVIL WAR ERA

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is an exceptionally unique and interesting document of the Civil War Era. It is a 19-page long cookbook, written by a man named Caleb P. Wilson of Wauregan, Connecticut. The front cover states that the book was written on ‘June 12, 1861.’ The cookbook contains recipes for over 20 different cakes, loafs, pies, rolls, and the occasional savory item. Judging by the name of many of the ingredients, this may have been Wilson’s personal cookbook to write down some of recipes of people he knew in town. These recipes have titles such as “Aunt Mary’s Loaf Cake,” “Mrs. Parker’s Cake,” “Gold Cake,” “Sett’s Mountain Cakes,” “Sea Rolls,” and more. While some of the recipes only contain the different ingredients, many of them are more fully fleshed out and complete. For example: “Sea Rolls. 1/2 cup Yeast. 1/2 cup Sugar. 1/2 pint milk - Let the milk scald then cut to milk heat. Put the yeast and sugar into it. 2h flour ___. 1 tablespoonful butter. Little salt into the flour, Make a hole in the middle of the flour and put the wetting into it. Cover it over with flour. Let rise over night. Morning knead it thoroughly let it ___ then roll out spread butter on roll up.”; “Omelette. From 3 eggs take whites of 3 beat well then add 1/2 cup milk a little salt beat the whites to a froth. Have a frying pan hot well buttered. Pour the eggs into it when cooked spread upon them the whites and remove the pan to a hot over to slightly cook then fold it for the table.” Many of the cooking instructions are rather vague, containing simple instructions such as “bake in stove oven one hour and half,” or simply just “bake in hot oven.” However, with enough knowledge or expertise, many of these recipes could still be made today. The book is in fair shape. The book’s front cover of the book is a plain brown paper. It shows a good bit of wear from age and use. Wilson’s handwriting is very legible and easy to read. The writing alternate between pencil and ink. (Background: The only information I could find on Wilson reads as such: Caleb P. Wilson, son of Jared Wilson, was born in 1813 in Sterling [Connecticut]. He came to Wauregan in 1854 as overseer of weaving, and continued in that capacity until December, 1866.. Since then he has been superintendent of the [Wauregan] mill. Prior to 1854 he had been overseer of weaving in Central Village about eight years. He was a member of the legislature in 1851 as a Whig. He was married first in 1839. He lost his first wife, and was married again in 1883. He is a republican.). Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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