Blog Post 3- Bryce Ridge

Cookbooks are used not only to remember and pass down recipes, but to remember memories with relatives and tell stories. The first spanish cookbook was written by Encarnacion Pinedo in 1898, and is not only the first but most extensive spanish cookbook. Scholars have began to read old cookbooks to get a better understanding of history from a different point of view. Many old cookbooks not only have recipes, but also literary texts about different cultures. Pinedo writes all about her experiences, as well as the experiences her family had throughout her life. Pinedo was also the first Californian writer to participate in the culinary formation of romance. Overall Pinedos book served as a first hand document of cultural transmission. Looking through the actual cookbook, it is very detailed and makes sure even the average person would be able to cook the meal to perfection. The other thing that caught my attention was that the cookbook wasn’t bullet points like most are nowadays, but in depth paragraphs. The detail is very unique, stating things like “a very black blackberry” and “a fat finger of beef”.