First published in 1879, a collection of over 1700  recipes from over 250 old and famous Virginia families was regareded as the essence and mysteries of Old Virginian ‘housewifery’ and was acclaimed by the President’s wife, Mrs Rutherford B. Hayes. There are recipes for literally everything as well as chapters on remedies and behaviour in the ‘Sick Room’, housecleaning, restoring old clothes and miscellaneous recipes for cosmetics and cures.