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Filled with food, medicine, magic, and religion, Early Modern (1500-1750) recipe books are treasure troves of information. Once so highly coveted they were bequeathed in wills, they now are held by institutions that are often inaccessible to the public.

The Recipe Book Compendium seeks to bridge the accessibility gap between you and the recipe books of yore.

A detail of a page from an Early Modern recipe book. The paper is yellowed with age and the handwriting is quite curly. Features a recipe for how to make plague water. The recipe lists unusual ingredients, symbols, and preparation instructions.

English Recipe Book, 17th century - 18th century (Wellcome Collection, MS.8097; p.4)