Originally published in 1915 to help raise funds for the campaign for the vote for women, The Original Suffrage Cook Book is so much more than its title suggests. This new edition includes short biographies of many of the contributors and a new endnote by award-winning writer Cheryl Robson, which places the book both in its historical and contemporary contexts. It is such a fascinating read and the biographies are an inspired addition. One of them is Jack London, author of Call of the Wild. I remember studying the book at school for O level but when I read the short biography I wanted to hunt down a longer version. What a life!
This cookbook was compiled by Mrs Kleber from recipes contributed by leading men and women of the Suffrage movement in the UK and US, including Lady Constance Lytton (aka Jane Warton) who was imprisoned four times for her campaigning, Julia Lathrop the first woman to head a United States federal bureau department, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, author of The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland.
There is a wide range of recipes, many of them very simple, a few tongue in cheek – Pie for a Suffragist’s Doubting Husband for instance – and all grouped in a simple and organised manner; much as these women would have attempted to change the course of history.
It’s a fabulous historical document of its time but also an interesting cook book to boot, interspersed as it is with line drawings and including letters to the editor – or Editress as she is described in the contents section of the book.
Recipes aside this is a great gift idea. It’s both practical and fascinating on so many levels and I’ll be trying out more of the recipes over time. A unique way to celebrate the centenary of women getting the vote.
The Original Suffrage Cook Book compiled by Mrs L. O. Kleber
1915 Cook Book to be published for #VOTE100
PB £12.99
ISBN: 978-1-912430-13-0