Hand-Book of Carving

According to the unknown author, "e;Without a perfect knowledge of the art of Carving, it is impossible to perform the honor of the table with propriety; and nothing can be more disagreeable to one of a sensitive disposition, than to behold a person, at the head of a well-furnished board, hacking the finest joints, and giving them the appearance of having been gnawed by dogs."e; This slim volume provides the dinner table host with detailed instructions and drawings for carving various fish, "e;joints"e; (mutton, lamb, beef, veal, pig), poultry, and game It also contains handy advice for the host ("e;The brief interval before dinner is announced may be easily filled up by the common-place inquiries after health, and observations on the weather"e;) and the guest ("e;You will probably have to wait a little time before dinner is announced. During this short period, render yourself as agreeable as possible to the assembled company."e;) Charming and disarming, this clever little treatise provides a fascinating window on dining culture and etiquette of the day. This edition of The Hand-Book of Carving was reproduced by permission from the volume in the collection of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts. Founded in 1812 by Isaiah Thomas, a Revolutionary War patriot and successful printer and publisher, the Society is a research library documenting the life of Americans from the colonial era through 1876. The Society collects, preserves, and makes available as complete a record as possible of the printed materials from the early American experience. The cookbook collection includes approximately 1,100 volumes.