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AUS T R A L I A’ S
F I R S T C O OK B O OK
Th
Originea
The English and
Australian Cookery Book
by Edward Abbott Esq.
Published by The Culinary Historians of Tasmania
The National Dictionary of Biography calls it “a landmark
publication.”
150 years ago this year (1864 – 2014) Edward Abbott Esq.
published Australia’s first cookery book: The English and Australian
Cookery Book: Cooking for the Many as well as the Upper Ten Thousand.
To experts like Michael Symons it is still Australia’s best
cook book. ‘Any Australian cook’s bookshelf without it is the
lesser’ says Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans. In some 1500
recipes across 300 pages the book offers dozens of unique
Australian dishes to the world’s cuisine and rivals Larousse
Gastronomique for depth.
Abbott not only published recipes for kangaroo, emu, duck,
swan, mutton birds, possum and wombat, he also described,
from the culinary perspective, a hundred local fish, wrote of the
contemporary restaurant and café scene (could do with
improvement) and promoted a very wide range of gourmet
foods.
Out of print for over 100 years, now adventurous foodlovers, cookery book devotees, cooks and culinary students can
immerse themselves in Abbott’s landmark work just as he
published it. The facsimile is accompanied by a Companion Volume
of explanatory essays.
The book’s sesquicentenary is being celebrated with a yearlong Edward Abbott food festival.
"
BACKGROUND
LIMITED SEQUICENTENARY EDITION
l!
THE FACSIMILE
"
With 287 pages of recipes and culinary advice
and printed in the same coloured bindings with
the same gold foil of the original on the shield
and spine, this is a faithful facsimile in almost
every regard. It contains all pages, all the colour
plates together with the 12 pages of
advertisments.
The 1864 edition
Abbott’s book was
bound in green and
gold cloth and had a
red quarter-cover
spine. Only about 20
copies are known to
exist in public
collections. They can
sell for up to
$13,000 each.
"Victorian
wines, Tasmanian salmon, Cascade
Pale Ale as well as NSW beers and South
Australian flours, recipes for turtles, sheep
heads, quail, quince and quin sauce, a dozen
puddings, two dozen sauces, 300 drinks.
"
The facsimile is presented in a handsome
slipcase together with the CompanionVolume.
The 2014 facsimile
Original print
run: 3000 copies : Facsimile print run: 3000 copies
Arguably, still the best Australian cookery book
in terms of both its scope and earnestness.
Michael Symons, One Continuous Picnic Australia’s preeminent food historian
A
gl
the E n
C o m pa
nion
to
ish
ra
and A u s t
lian
y
Cooker
Book
THE COMPANION
"
The cover of the Companion
Volume. Below: An original
Edward Abbott bookplate. The
Abbott Coat of Arms (also shown)
features a shield with three
Warden pears. Abbott was the
first Warden of Clarence
Municipality.
The Companion Volume’s scholarly essays explore the life of
the father of Australian cuisine, the publication of his
extraordinary work together with instructive chapters by
contemporary chefs on his continuing influence.
The Companion is a faithful replica of its companion the
facsimile, mimicking the original’s typography and design in
a contrasting livery. It has twelve exquisitely quirky black
and white illustrations created by Penny Carey Wells and
Diane Perndt from their vast library of 19th century
illustrations. Contributors to the Companion include
Michael Symons (One Continuous Picnic), Barbara Santich
(Professor Emeritus at the University of Adelaide and
author of Bold Palates: Australia’s Gastronomic Heritage, Tony
Marshall (Retired Senior Librarian (Heritage Collections) at
Tasmania’s State Library, Sebastian Reaburn (Australian
cocktail historian), Sally Wise (author of A Year in a Bottle, A
Year on the Farm) and Bernard Lloyd (author of Tasmania’s
culinary history: BeforeWe Eat).
Genealogical research commissioned by the publishers
located Abbott’s descendants, still living in Tasmania. They
provided exclusive access to the contents of Edward
Abbott’s writing box which contains documents dating back
to 1770, before the settlement of Australia.
No Cookery-book has been presented to the public with
better claims on universal favour.
Smith, Ellis & Co, London
"
Not only the most popular cookery book of the day, this is
the best book of the kind ever published. Mercury
"
A very readable book indeed, and eminently characteristic
of the author's peculiar studies, favourite pursuits and
natural humour. Tasmanian Times
The Australian Cookery Book is
beautifully “mounted”. Its embellishments
in the way of illustration are superb, and
its typography cannot be surpassed. It
abounds with racy anecdotes of old
colonists, and old celebrities, besides
quotations from, we should think, nearly
every poet and author. A “multum in
parvo” of modern cookery.
Cornwall Chronicle
It reveals all the mysteries of cookery,
from the Roast Beef of Old England to
the Australian kangaroo.
Sydney Morning Herald
In a different form to most books
of the kind, and being written in a
light racy style—with apt extracts
and appropriate quotations, it is
thought that it will have an
extended sale in the mother
Country and Colonies.
[The publisher]
It is an amusing
Book, and the
receipts will find
favour with both
house-wives and
their husbands.
The Athenaeum
An entertaining and
informative volume that
gently but firmly reminds
Australia of where our food
culture all began.
Matthew Denholm
The Australian
The “Cookery Book” was, during the last
few months before the departure of the
English mail, creating more noise than
the literary essays, the startling poems,
the glittering novels, or the sparkling
plays of the entire British press. Princes
and Peers, Statesmen and Peasants were
studying it; studying it, and “Bantings
theory” of how to keep thin. For you
must get fat if you act up to the precepts
of the “Cookery Book”. It not only
teaches you what to eat, and how to
enjoy the social glass; but at the same
time it amuses you; it makes you laugh if
you are in ever so melancholy a mood,
and a good laugh it is established, is by
far the best medicine.
Cornwall Chronicle
"
It includes, it is believed, the largest
number of ‘drinks,’ British, American,
and colonial, yet published. The
Monthly Circular, London
"
An Acceptable Gift for the
Miner's Wife or Daughter...A
product that cannot be injured
by Free Trade; there is an
originality about it that is
charming, and it is the cheapest.
Ballarat Star
A highly
creditable
compilation; it
ought to have a
large sale in
Melbourne,
Adelaide,
Tasmania and
Sydney.
Walch’s
Literary
Intelligencer
TESTIMONIALS
CONTRIBUTORS
"
Lyn Abbott is the great great grand daughter of E.A. and
has supported the project in every way. She resides in
NSW.
"
"
Peter Abbott is the great great grandson of E.A. and has
also quietly supported the project immensely. He lives in
Hobart.
"
Bernard Lloyd compiled Before We Eat: A delicious slice of
Tasmania’s culinary life. He lives in Hobart.
"
Tony Marshall Senior Librarian (Heritage Collections) at
Tasmania’s State Library when he began researching Edward
Abbott in 1992, he gave the keynote address on Abbott at the
1999 Australian Gastronomic Symposium as well as many
subsequent public talks. Now retired, he knows more about
Edward Abbott than any person on earth.
"
Nick Osborne A commercial and editorial photographer
with a lifetime’s experience of documenting Tasmania. As well
as photographing the relics he rendered the shield on the
book’s cover. He lives in Hobart.
Sebastian Reaburn A refined mix of one part cocktail
maker, two parts cocktail historian and three parts cocktail
storyteller. He resides in Melbourne, Australia.
"
Barbara Santich Professor Emeritus at the University of
Adelaide, Barbara and has written, among many other works,
Bold Palates: Australia’s Gastronomic Heritage. She lives in
Adelaide.
"
Michael Sprod Proprietor of Astrolabe Booksellers,
Hobart, has been selling antiquarian books for thirty years in
Tasmania.
"
Michael Symons The father of food history in Australia
who wrote One Continuous Picnic. First published by Duck
Press in Adelaide in 1982, it continues to charm us while
Michael is not done with challenging us. He lives in Sydney.
"
Penny Carey-Wells and Diane Perndt the slightlytwisted sisters of Cloud Design — all swimming, all dancing
illustrators; graphic designers and makers of artists’ books
and boxes. Their business is in Hobart.
"
Sally Wise Tasmanian author and cook who came to national
attention with her best-selling recipe book A Year in a Bottle.
She has a special interest in colonial cookery. She preaches its
virtues, teaches its practices and recreates its splendours. Her
latest book, A Year on the Farm, includes over 200 preserving
recipes. Sally lives near Molesworth, Tasmania.
"EDWARD ABBOTT ESQ. MP. JP
The Father of Australian Cuisine
"
Edward Abbott was a colourful and passionate
character born in Sydney in 1801. He arrived in
Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) in 1816 with his
mother and father—who had been appointed
Judge Advocate.
"
During a life of 69 years he began in his father’s
office where he made enough to purchase two
thousand acres of land. He became a successful
g r a z i e r a n d p r i z e p o t a t o b r e e d e r. H e
subsequently started a newspaper, worked as a
Coroner and Magistrate, served in both houses in
Tasmania, was the first warden of Clarence
municipality and finally, declaring himself An
Australian Aristologist (one who studies the art
and science of dining) wrote Australia’s first
cookery book.
"
He was determined beyond belief, hot-tempered,
wilful and creative.
"
Edward Abbott’s fob watch with the 12 numerals replaced by the
letters of his name.The only known image of Edward Abbott
(below).
"
He was well known for his generosity as host and
the quality of his table. He hosted agricultural
dinners, a feast for several thousand at the annual
ploughing match and fancied himself no amateur
at curing.
"
He married late in life but had four children.
THE ABBOTT FAMILY
"
"
"
The Abbott family have preserved the good name and
the records of their forebears, including Edward
Abbott, but also his father and his father before him.
These records have been in the family for nearly 250
years. They have kept the records in Tasmania and freely
(though we proudly say, some records were shown
exclusively to us).
Paul and Bernard with Abbott’s great great granddaughter Lyn
Abbott holding the family copy of the famous cookery book at
Edward Abbott’s grave in Tasmania. (Below right): E.A.s crested silver
salt and pepper cellars.
"
Culinary Historians and Co-publishers "
Bernard Lloyd (left) and Paul County (right).
"
PUBLICATION
"
""
“Through research, including tracking down several of Abbott’s descendants and a
treasure trove of his personal effects, County and Lloyd have shed new light on an
unsung national hero.”
Matthew Denholm The Australian
" ""
The journey to this publication began 10 years ago with the publication of
Before We Eat. That delicious slice of Tasmania’s culinary life was filled with
quotations from a then-mysterious author known to us only as E.A.
"
"
Five years ago, with the publication of Tasmania’s Table, itself a
scrapbook of Tasmanian recipes, food history and dining adventures,
the experience required to publish the masterpiece was gained.
Two years ago, with the sesquicentenary on the
horizon, planning began for the reprinting of the
facsimile. It was decided to give the book a fresh
copy of itself. Scans provided from Australia’s best
remaining copy, held in the
William Crowther Library in
Tasmania were carefully
cleaned of the marks of the
intervening years.
"
Research into paper, binding,
printing and the all-important
gilt seal on the book’s front
cover together with
experimentation
and dummy
printings resulted
in the finished
product.
"
"
July
Stuffing the Porcupine
Allport Library, Hobart
August
First Warden’s Gala Dinner
The Barn, Clarence
September
High Tea National Launch
National Library of Australia, Canberra
October
Colonial Gala Dinner
Mortlock Chamber, Adelaide
November
Edward Abbott Dinner
Builder’s Arms Hotel, Melbourne
7.00pm Monday 24th
December
1864 Dinner, Hobart
2015
January
E.A.T lunch Edward Abbott Tasmania
Hobart Farmer’s Market
March
Acclimatisation Dinner
Launch of Exhibition edition
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Festival event details and updates:
www.facebook.com/EnglishAndAustralianCookeryBook
"
"
to an Historic
Gala Dinner
Mortlock Chamber
Wednesday 8th October
5.30pm for 6.00pm
Lounge suit / After Five
The State Library is delighted to showcase a rare item in
our collection, the 150 year old cookbook, “An Australian
Abbott, Edward 1801-69, The English and Australian cookery book. Originally published 1864
The entire Menu will be from Edward Abbott’s cookery book.
Jimmy Docherty’s Australian Food Adventure. Jimmy will be
present and the evening includes a conversation with Carole
Whitelock and two of Australia’s most highly renowned food
historians, Prof. Barbara Santich, and Mr Bernard Lloyd.
Ticket price $150 pp inclusive of canapés,
three course meal and all beverages
We invite you to be part of this extraordinary
dining experience
RSVP by 1 October:
marketing@slsa.sa.gov.au or phone 8207 7292
www.tasfoodbooks.com
Bernard Lloyd 0434 511 449
www.facebook.com/EnglishAndAustralianCookeryBook
ORDERS info@tasfoodbooks.com
RRP $75.00