Voort, C. van der
[Manuscript Cookbook].
Boxtel, unpublished, ca. 1770. 8vo (20.0 x 15.7 cm) [boards size 21.0 x 16.7 cm]. 58 pp. with handwritten recipes. Contemporary full calf. Spine with five raised bands.
This cookbook "Keuken Boek" contains many typically Dutch recipes, showing a greater variety of ingredients, and far more versatility in both ingredients and modes of food preparation, than is often assumed for Dutch cuisine. Included are recipes for tarts and cookies, such as spritsen and spekkoeken, and, e.g., abricoosen op brandewyn, and crême brulé. The last few recipes, are in a different, 19th-century hand, and include soezen and saucijzenbroodjes. In front is a collection of French chansons - mainly from French operas from the 1760-1770s (e.g., La belle Arsène, and La Rosière de Salency), as well as a few songs in German, and in Dutch (130 pp.), dating this manuscript as from the 1770s or slightly later. Several are embellished with ink drawings of flowers and garlands. In the rear there are many blank pages. A later owner, Alex Deckers from Baarn, the Netherlands, added a comment dated [18]16. Boards rather worn, otherwise very good. A unique item.