The Chemistry of Cooking and Cleaning
- Year
- 1882
- Era
- 19th century
- Origin
- USA · Americas
- Language
- English
- Category
- American
The Chemistry of Cooking and Cleaning, issued in 1882, stands among the foundational texts of American domestic science. Ellen H. Richards, the first woman admitted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a central figure in the emerging home economics movement, applied laboratory principles to household practice, treating food preparation and sanitation as subjects governed by chemistry. The work helped establish domestic management as a discipline grounded in scientific inquiry.
Cooking from this book
Soft-boiled egg
Signature dishFew dishes capture Ellen Richards's scientific approach to the kitchen as neatly as the simple boiled egg. In this landmark volume of domestic science, the egg becomes a small laboratory, a vehicle for explaining how heat coagulates protein and why temperature and timing matter more than guesswork. Its inclusion reflects Richards's conviction that everyday cookery deserved the same rigour as chemistry, transforming a humble breakfast staple into an emblem of the emerging home economics movement.
An editorial note on a dish associated with this book, written for The Coquinist. It is not a reproduction of the book's recipe.
