The Virginia House-Wife: 200th Anniversary Edition

The 200-year-old cookbook every modern food lover needs

At the turn of the nineteenth century, Mary Randolph--who was among Thomas Jefferson’s extended family--and her husband, US Marshall David Meade Randolph, were celebrated for their lavish hospitality. However, in 1802, Mr. Randolph was removed from office, precipitating a financial downturn. By 1808, Mrs. Randolph opened a boardinghouse, where, by all accounts, the food and accommodations were splendid. In the years that followed, she committed her culinary expertise to paper, publishing The Virginia House-wife in 1824. It has come to be regarded as the most influential American cookbook of the nineteenth century.

This unique edition includes a complete facsimile of the original book--with recipes for delicacies such as lobster sauce and pumpkin pudding, and household tips on such things as curing bacon and making lavender water--plus additional recipes from the 1825 and 1828 editions. Historical notes by culinary historian Karen Hess explain Mary Randolph’s influence on American culinary history, and a new foreword by Debra Freeman emphasizes contributions of the free and enslaved African American cooks on American cuisine.

Mary Randolph (1762-1828) published The Virginia House-wife in 1824. Karen Hess (1918-2007) was an accomplished culinary historian and author and editor of numerous books, including The Carolina Rice Kitchen (reissued 2022, USC Press). She was once called ＂the best American cook in Paris＂ by Newsweek. Debra Freeman is host and creator of the IACP award-winning podcast, Setting the Table; executive producer and host of the documentary series, Finding Edna Lewis; and food editor forStyle Weeklyin Richmond, Virginia.