Description
Fullständigaste Svensk-Amerikansk Kokbok – Swedish-English Cookbook (Chicago: Engberg-Holmberg Publishing Co., 1897)
12mo. 378 pages plus 6 pages of advertisements. 50 illus. Two indices, one in Swedish and one in English. Hardbound in 1/2 bound cloth, in paper covered boards – front cover paper is printed with a reproduction of the 1895 title page, rear cover printed with advertisement. End papers are of a green and white print.
Condition: Binding in very good condition, edges of boards show shelf wear and some wear-through at the corners. A few spots of food staining present as might be expected in a cookbook of over a hundred twenty years of age. Light musty scent, though not bad.
Printed during the great migration of Swedish emigrants, this book was intended to introduce Swedes to American foodways. It is written in two columns, the left being in Swedish and the right being in English. It was a big seller to Swedes entering domestic service upon arrival to the United States. An uncommon cookbook, it is held in less than 15 institutional libraries worldwide according to WorldCat, though many more have a print-on-demand copy. Only one other copy that I have found is commercially available.
The MSU library describes the book thusly:
“This book well represents this genre of American culinary history. The recipes are written side by side in Swedish and English – and they cover both cultures. From America we have, among others, Boston Brown Bread, Johnny Cakes, Rye and Indian Bread, California Cake, To Smoke Ham in the American Way, Boston Baked Beans, Potatoes Kentucky Style, and several different recipes for Corn Bread. From Sweden we find Pork Chops-Swedish Way, Goose with Horse Radish, Herring Pudding, Swedish Caviar, Pickled Salmon (Graflax), and two Cherry Soups, one made with fresh cherries and one with dried.
“Then there are interesting hybrids. For example, the English language Preserved Cranberry recipe (Swedish title: Syltade Lingon Eller “Cranberries”) calls for the Scandinavian Lingon berries.
“There is a section entitled Potatoes for Every Day in the Week. The book also contains both English and Swedish indexes, household hints and menu suggestions, paired with wine selections.” – Feeding America: The Historic American Cookbook Project
