Books like The art of cookery, made plain and easy

The art of cookery, made plain and easy by Hannah Glasse reads as instructive, authoritative. These 12 books share its genome — matched by how they actually read, not just their shelf label.

What The art of cookery, made plain and easy is like to read

A plainspoken, no-nonsense kitchen companion that talks directly to the cook — recipes laid out in straightforward directions, championing hearty English fare over French pretension. Best for: food historians and cooks curious about 18th-century Anglo-American domestic cuisine.

Larousse gastronomique

Montagné, Prosper · 1938

A dense reference work to be dipped into rather than read straight through—browsing for a recipe or entry, absorbing culinary history and technique along the way.

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A new system of domestic cookery

Maria Eliza Ketelby Rundell · 1800

Both explore culinary history & traditional recipes

The frugal housewife, or, Complete woman cook

Susannah Carter · 1772

Both explore household management & culinary history

Household discoveries

Sidney Morse · 1908

A practical, no-nonsense household manual offering tips and remedies for self-sufficient living, read more for reference than narrative pleasure.

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The improved housewife, or, Book of receipts

Webster, A. L. Mrs · 1844

Both explore household management & traditional recipes

The queen-like closet, or, Rich cabinet

Hannah Woolley · 1670

Both explore household management

English housewifery exemplified

Elizabeth Moxon · 1749

Both explore household management

A new way to cook

Sally Schneider · 1924

Both explore culinary history

The young house-keeper

William A. Alcott · 1838

Both explore household management

Family cookbook

Isabella Beeton · 1907

A comprehensive Victorian-era reference offering recipes and domestic guidance meant to instruct and reassure the home manager rather than entertain narratively.

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