The Evolution of the First Recipe Book on Baked Goods: From Mesopotamia to Modern Times
The Oldest Known Cookery Books
The history of ancient cookbooks dates back to the earliest civilizations, with the Yale Culinary Tablets representing the oldest known recipe-making in world history. These three stone slabs, dating back to Mesopotamia around 1700 B.C., depict bread soups, roasts, and even early forms of cake. By the 7th century A.D., Persian cooks had mastered techniques of lightening and enriching bread-based mixtures using eggs, butter, cream, fruits, and honey.
Early Spiced Biscuits and the Art of Baking
One of the earliest spiced biscuits was gingerbread, which comes from the French word pain dépices, meaning "spiced bread." The De Re Coquinaria is one of the oldest collections of recipes to survive from antiquity, mentioned by Pliny in his Natural History. However, it does not include any mentions of bread biscuits or cakes. The earliest known cookery book written in English is The Forme of Cury, an extensive 14th-century collection of medieval English recipes. This book predates many other known cookbooks and includes mentions of olive oil, gourds, and spices like mace and cloves.
Regional Cake and Pudding Recipes
The next significant cookbook was the Book of Sent Sovín from 1324 in Catalonia, which is full of soup and stew recipes but contains no sweet dishes. The Daz buch von guter spise from 1340 in Germany also lacks puddings and cakes, as most households could already bake bread and refined sugar was not widely available until much later. The Romans had a form of biscuit, similar to what we now call a rusk, which they re-baked to make it crisp and long-lasting. This type of biscuit was useful for travelers and soldiers' rations.
14th Century and Beyond: Biscuit Evolution
By the 14th century, the English language itself saw the introduction of the word "biscuit" with a broadening definition. Twice-baked biscuits remained popular, both savory and sweet, while other types, such as pancakes, were also becoming more common. Wafers, made from a sweetened batter, were one of the longest-lasting medieval biscuits and could be molded or rolled as technology advanced.
Evolution of Baking and Historical Context
The 17th century brought significant changes to baking. Prior to this, sugar was very expensive, consumed only by the very rich, and imported from the Near East. By the 1660s, Britain began colonizing the West Indies, leading to the rise of the plantation system and a dark period in history characterized by the slave trade and the production of human misery-based sugar empires. In Britain, the price of sugar fell, leading to a decrease in its cost and greater accessibility in foods that used it.
John Nott's Contribution to Confectionery
By the 18th century, many more people were consuming biscuits, cakes, and puddings. One significant work in this era is The Cooks and Confectioners Dictionary by John Nott, published in 1723, which contains many recipes for biscuits, cakes, and puddings. This era saw a proliferation of the types of biscuits and cakes available, catering to various occasions and tastes.
The journey from ancient Mesopotamia to the 17th and 18th centuries presents a fascinating perspective on how baking and cooking have evolved, shaped not only by technological advancements but also by historical and economic contexts.