Image: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain
A Practical Cookery Book
- Year
- 1936
- Era
- 20th century
- Origin
- Scotland · Europe
- Language
- English
- Category
- English 20th C
A Practical Cookery Book, compiled by Mrs Haldane and first issued in 1936, belongs to the tradition of Scottish household manuals aimed at middle-class kitchens between the wars. Its receipts reflect the period's emphasis on economy, plain cooking, and reliable domestic instruction, offering a useful record of everyday British fare on the eve of wartime rationing and the dietary changes that followed.
Cooking from this book
Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Signature dishThis venerable Scottish broth of fowl simmered with leeks and prunes is a fitting emblem of Mrs Haldane's practical handbook. Aimed at the interwar household cook, the volume gathers thrifty, sustaining fare that draws on Scotland's enduring kitchen traditions while suiting modern ranges and smaller families. Cock-a-leekie, at once economical and ceremonial, captures that spirit perfectly: a single pot stretching humble ingredients into a nourishing dish suitable for both family supper and Sunday table.
An editorial note on a dish associated with this book, written for The Coquinist. It is not a reproduction of the book's recipe.
