In presenting to my friends and the public, another addition to the already copious literature of Cooking, I would say that most of the Recipes given in this work are new to the general public; they have never appeared in print before, and are the accumulated experience of nearly thirty years' attention to the subject.

Every Recipe given has been carefully tested by either myself or my friends; it has been my aim to give only those that are reliable and practical, and I have made the instructions so explicit that the most inexperienced housekeeper may undertake the preparation of her own dishes, or give intelligent instructions to her servants, with the certainty of attaining a happy result.

To those friends whose valuable contributions have rendered the preparation of this work a pleasant summer pastime, I take this opportunity of returning my sincere thanks; and if my labors are the means of smoothing the rough places in housekeeping to any of them, I shall feel amply repaid for the work.

I have been particularly requested to designate my own Recipes, and those I have been in the habit of using constantly; I have marked these with a star (*); but I would say that those that are not so marked, are, I consider, equally as good.

S. T. P.