Mrs. Owens' Cook Book (part 1: title page – p 43: Soups, Fish, Eggs)

 This is, I think, the oldest cookbook in my collection, having been printed in 1882.  Clearly, it's not loved for its outstanding beauty. The binding is shot to heck, it's missing its front cover, the pages are a bit messy, there are exactly zero illustrations, and the recipes are often just a list of ingredients in vague proportions, but that short list is the larger reason I love this book as much as I do. 

Mrs. Owens' Cook Book and Helpful Hints for the Household, by Mrs. Frances E. Owens, was published in Chicago, with contributions from housewives all over the country, including at least one from my home town, Monmouth, IL (it's on page 147, and it's one I would make for myself & my family, repeatedly.).

There is plenty in this book I would never recommend, but a whole lot more I'd love to research & probably serve up to my family on a regular basis. I hope you feel the same.

Dig in!

(Links to more, at the bottom of this post.)

As always, click any image to embiggen, and please share/copy if you like what you find here.

pp 2, 3:
copyright; Preface (part 1)

pp 4, 5:
Preface (part 2); Dedication

pp 6, 7:
hand-written recipe for waffles;
SOUPS
Introduction

pp 8, 9:
SOUPS
Croutons; German Soup Balls;
Noodles; suggestions;
Gumbo Soup; Rice Soup;
White Soup (part 1)

pp 10, 11:
SOUPS
White Soup (part 2);
Economical Soup;
Tomato Soup (1);Tomato Soup (2);
Potato Soup; Onion Soup;
Pea Hull Soup (part 1)

pp 12, 13:
SOUPS
Pea Hull Soup (part 2);
Bean Soup; Ox Tail Soup;
Chicken Soup;
Louisiana Plantation Soup;
Confederate Army Soup;
Chestnut Soup; Giblet Soup

pp 14, 15:
SOUPS
Mock Turtle Soup;
To Clarify Soup;
Soup Stock, or Broth (part 1)

pp 16, 17:
SOUPS
Soup Stock, or Broth (part 2);
Very Cheap Soup;
Brunoise, or Brown Soup;
Pea Soup; Potage a la Reine;
Ox-Tail Soup (part 1)

pp 18, 19:
SOUPS
Ox-Tail Soup (part 2);
Puree of Game;
Puree of Fish (or cream soup of Fish);
Wrexham Soup; 
Cream of Spinach – Soup (part 1)

pp 20, 21:
SOUPS
Cream of Spinach – Soup (part 2);
Julienne Soup;
Brown Fish Soup;
FISH
Fish Chowder (part 1)

pp 22, 23:
FISH
Fish Chowder (part 2);
Eels; Frogs; Boiled Fish;
Fried Fish; Baked Fish;
Stuffing for Fish;
Codfish Stew (part 1)

pp 24, 25:
FISH
Codfish Stew (part 2):
Codfish Balls; Clam Chowder;
Clam Fritters; Fresh Mackerel;
Salt Mackerel (1) (part 1)

pp 26, 27:
FISH
Salt Mackerel (1) (part 2);
Salt Mackerel (2);
Salt Mackerel (3);
Lobster Salad; Pickled Fish;
Boiled Pike with Egg Sauce;
Halibut – Creole Style (part 1)

pp 28, 29:
FISH
Halibut – Creole Style (part 2);
Baked Fish with Cream Sauce;
To Fry Smelts;
Shad Roe with Oysters;
Boiled Fish with Hollandaise Sauce;
Hollandaise Sauce; 
Fish Croquettes (part 1)

pp 30, 31:
FISH
Fish Croquettes (part 2);
Turbans of Fish; Potted Fish;
Broiled Fish (part 1)

pp 32, 33:
FISH
Broiled Fish (part 2);
Oysters
Oyster Fricassee;
Mobile Roast Oysters;
Oyster Soup;
Virginia Oyster Stew (part 1)

pp 84, 85:
FISH 
Oysters
Virginia Oyster Stew (part 2);
Oyster Stew; Fried Oysters;
Steamed Oysters in the Shell;
Steamed Oysters; Scalloped Oysters;
Oyster Sauce with Turkey;
Cream Oysters on the Half Shell (part 1)

pp 36, 37:
FISH
Oysters
Cream Oysters on the Half Shell (part 2);
Stuffed Oysters; Pickled Oysters;
New Way of Cooking Oysters;
Stewed Oysters with Celery

pp 38, 39:
FISH
Oysters
tips
Oyster Pie; Oyster Omelet; 
EGGS
Boiled Eggs; Scrambled Eggs

pp 40, 41:
EGGS
Fried Ham and Eggs:
Broiled Ham and Eggs;
Proper Way to Cook Eggs;
Baked Eggs; Egg Chowder;
Poached Eggs; Fried Eggs;
Panned Eggs

pp 42, 43:
EGGS
Scalloped Eggs; 
Hot Egg Salad;
Omelet; Egg Omelet;
Omelet Souffle;
Omelet Saccharine (part 1)

Keep going. This is a pretty darned thick book, especially for its generation… If you don't feel like just scrolling through the posts, you can skip to your preferred section right away, from here: up next is Meats, followed by sections on Sauces, Salads, Veggies & Breads;  on (my personal fave) Pies and Cakes; on Cookies, Doughnuts, Custards, Ices & Creams, and Puddings; on Family Beverages, Preserves and Jellies, Pickles, and Confectionery (mmmm, candies!); and the ever-entertaining Useful Hints from 1882, as well as the Index.