On August 23, 1902, Fannie Farmer left the Boston Cooking School where had served as principal since 1891. During that time, she brought regulation into how recipes were written - writing and publishing The Boston School Cookbook in 1896 making the information, recipes and menus taught at the school available to home cooks around the country.
I started by checking Fannie Farmer's Book of Good Dinners, which is a 1972 revision of the 1905 book (Click HERE for a free pdf of the 1905 edition), but these were some hefty menus! Common in upper middle class families of the early 20th century, but a bit too much for me and Mr. Booklady - although maybe a great menu for a buffet one of these days. Most menus have 4 courses - a soup course, a fish course, a meat course and a dessert. Here's an example of one of her family dinners:
Smithsonian Libraries has a PDF of a 1919 edition you can read HERE. I have a reproduction of the 1896 cookbook and I used that to create my menu for a day of Boston Cooking School eating in honor of Fannie Farmer. It was still a pretty hefty menu. I was able to reduce most of the recipes and I took a little help here and there - making a few semi-homemade dishes, too. A few notes about the dishes: H-O is Hornsby Oats - a popular quick cooking oatmeal. Dropped eggs are poached eggs, and Irish Moss is a plant-based way to create a jelled desert.
Here is our Day of Boston Cooking School Dining:
Breakfast Blackberries H-O with Sugar and Cream Dropped Eggs on Toast Waffles with Maple Syrup Coffee
As I was looking through the different national recognition days in July, I noticed that July 28th was dedicated as National Buffalo Soldier Day - a day to recognize the contributions made by African American soldiers even while segregated from the rest of the U.S. Army. And while I am interested in the big, broad history, it's the stories of the men (an even some women) that most interest me. (Because I love a good research rabbit hole, there are some historical resources and documents below -- keep scrolling for those).
If you don't do anything else on this page, scroll down to the audio interview with Sgt. Luther Hall, C Company, 370th Infantry Regiment, 92nd Infantry Division. You can listen to all or just excerpts of his experiences in Italy during WWII.
I did a bit of online research and there are some amazing sources out there, but early on, I saw that the local university library had a copy of On the Trail of the Buffalo Soldier II edited by Frank N. Schubert and Irene Schubert. This is an amazing collection! My mind boggles at the work that went into compiling this in the relatively early years of the internet. I'm sure the work was the joint effort of hundreds of graduate research assistant hours! Some of the biographies have an extensive amount of information (and the source of the information - another kind of rabbit hole) and some just a few words.
The first soldier listed is James W. Abbot who was an Ordinance Sergeant in the U.S. Army. He was born in Kentucky in 1860. The information was compiled from the "Descriptive Book" and details his character (excellent) and his complexion (brown). The Assignment and Roll book gives a timeline of his service with the Army as he enlisted, was discharged and reenlisted. He served as a school teacher while stationed at Fort Bayard, NM, was on detached service during President Harrison's tour of the southwestern states, escorted an "insane soldier" to Washington, DC and was even one of the managers of a masquerade held in Fort Bayard, NM. A lot of information about Sgt. Major Abbott, compared to some other entries - but a lot is missing, too. Who were his parents? Where did he go to school? Did he have brother, sisters, a wife? Children? What were the living conditions for NCO's in the 1880's and how did that compare with White NCO's. What was a typical day like for Sgt. Major Abbott and I always want to know - what were the rations like at the fort?
There are many, many entries for Privates where the only information we have is their place of birth and enlistment date. Sometimes, there is mention of disciplinary actions that give such a human dimension to the basic facts. In 1885, Sergeant White decided to spend some time with some "disreputable women" instead of hunting as he was supposed to. And, you know -- that sounds like something thousands of soldiers must have done and still probably do to this very day. Sneak away for some a little fun whenever the opportunity presents itself! Poor Sergeant White just got caught!
Some history. Black Americans have served in the armed forces since colonial times, where both free and enslaved Blacks served in integrated units. They were a critical part of the Continental Army during the revolution and continued to be a part of the Army in the young nation.
During the Civil War, as the Army began to actively recruit free and formerly enslaved men to the armed forces, the War Department issued General Directive 143 which created the United States Colored Troops.
After the Civil War, Congress passed the "Armed Forces Reorganization Act of 1866" and formerly established the segregation of Black troops serving under White officers as part of the reorganization. The 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments and the 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments became known as the Buffalo Soldiers throughout the 19th and Early 20th Centuries and fought in all major US engagements around the world. They also served as some of the nations first National Park Rangers in the early years of the department.
On July 26, 1948 President Truman signed Executive Order 9981 to desegregate the armed forces, though it took over a decade for a complete restructuring, although the last of the Buffalo Soldier Regiments was disbanded in 1951.
Current News: On February 18, 2025 Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10) introduced H.R.1437 - Buffalo Soldiers Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2025 "to award a Congressional Gold Medal collectively to the Buffalo Soldier regiments, authorized by Congress in 1866 to serve in the United States Armed Forces, in recognition of their superior, dedicated, and vital service to our Nation." It has been referred to committee, but no further action has been taken.
There is so much to learn about the Buffalo Soldiers and their part in world history. It is a complicated and complex story - too much for one small blog post. So take a little time to dive into some of these sites and get to know the individuals who served throughout the years.
Explore the wide world of tacos and agave liquor online - then head to Booklady Cooks Online shop to continue your journey with our curated selection of new, used and vintage cookbooks and kitchenware!
Her writing is both elegant and snarky, timely and evocative of years gone by. Our edition is one that was revised in 1951. Revisions are bracketed [ ] so you can still get the mood and feeling from the height of the war years.
Check out some resources about rationing in the US.
Such an exciting time of year for foodies as the British Library Kicks off Food Season on April 17. The season runs from April to June and many of the events are online.
Here are some of the online events coming up. All times listed are BST and there is a small cost of about $10.00 - $25.00 (£6.5 -£19) for online tickets.
Join Dame Prue Leith as she reflects on radical changes in food culture with food critic Jimi Famurewa. Having started a catering company in the 60s, opened a cookery school in the 70s, advised the government on hospital food, and judged The Great British Bake Off, Prue is a national treasure and powerful voice in the UK food scene today.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to join Angela Hartnett, Claudia Roden and Ken Hom as they share their experiences of starting out and shine a light on the enduring legacy of Anna del Conte in conversation with Itamar Srulovich. Favourite dishes from these beloved icons will be served with a glass of wine (or soft alternative).
Ozempic and other semaglutide drugs have dominated the headlines in the last year. Some claim their power as a miracle drug to beat the obesity crisis, while others warn about potential negative side-effects and viewing them as a quick fix. Our expert panel will offer perspectives on the impact of weight loss drugs on our physical and mental health, and society.
Join Nadiya Hussain and Candice Brathwaite as they talk about the impetus behind Nadiya’s book, Rooza. Described as ‘a little piece of her heart’, Rooza is a journey through Islamic cuisine inspired by Ramadhan and Eid and the ways food, culture and family connect to questions of community and belonging.
This BIPC event brings together food business owners who have carved out their own unique spaces in the vibrant culinary world. From crafting innovative ready meals to blending diverse cultures through vegan cuisine, our panelists share the highs and lows of their entrepreneurial journeys and offer valuable insights and practical advice.
Take a sonic journey through a recipe with chef Pam Brunton and DJ Matthew Herbert as they consider the potential for listening to food – how it is produced, what it costs to the land and communities – in order to understand what shapes our tastes and diets and argue how eating well is an increasingly radical act.
I love a good travel and dining on the road story! Duncan Hines (yes! he really existed!) was a travelling salesman in the early part of the 20th Century and he started with a goal to seek out and share the best dining experiences that he and sometimes his wife found on the road. The first edition was published in 1935. I've downloaded a few pages of the 1941 edition from the Hathi Trust. If you want to read the entire book, or check out your state, you'll have to click here - this book was digitalized by Google and download rights are limited. But you can read the introduction by Duncan Hines and a few pages from Arizona. Some of the restaurants still exist, so it's a fun list.
Time again for the annual wearing of the green wherever you might live! But first, here's a little history and a few favorite Irish Cookbooks! Read more about the history of St. Patrick's Day and Irish Foodways ...
I started by checking Fannie Farmer's Book of Good Dinners, which is a 1972 revision of the 1905 book (Click HERE for a free pdf of the 1905 edition), but these were some hefty menus! Common in upper middle class families of the early 20th century, but a bit too much for me and Mr. Booklady - although maybe a great menu for a buffet one of these days. Most menus have 4 courses - a soup course, a fish course, a meat course and a dessert. Here's an example of one of her family dinners:
Smithsonian Libraries has a PDF of a 1919 edition you can read HERE. I have a reproduction of the 1896 cookbook and I used that to create my menu for a day of Boston Cooking School eating in honor of Fannie Farmer. It was still a pretty hefty menu. I was able to reduce most of the recipes and I took a little help here and there - making a few semi-homemade dishes, too. A few notes about the dishes: H-O is Hornsby Oats - a popular quick cooking oatmeal. Dropped eggs are poached eggs, and Irish Moss is a plant-based way to create a jelled desert. 
