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This book came from the writings of Hannah Hickes, her notes encompass medical and cookery recipes stretching all the way into the 1700’s, coming to completion in 1709, although mostly written in a moderately illiterate hand.

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A notebook from 1680, outlining medical recipes, cookery and general health.

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A book by Joan and Joanna Gibson, filled with mostly medical recipes as well as some surrounding cookery.

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For the women of the 17th and 18th centuries, communication consisted of far more than a simple exchange of conversation, and hence spread into the sphere of material culture. In particular, family recipe books became a common household item in the early modern period and many women who were encompassed in domestic lifestyles used them regularly for medicinal and cookery purposes. Historians across recent decades have so forth come to recognise that the recipes and notes that these books held were not merely ‘just for cakes and foods’ but also ‘forms of cultural communication’ (Early Modern Women and Material Culture; Arizona State University).

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In many ways, history is restricted to analysing the lives of the upper classes, as sources from the poorer strata of society have largely been lost or simply not documented. However, family recipe books are one of the sources through which even the daily lives of poorer women can be explored and analysed. Through not only the recipes themselves do we gain insight into their diets, hobbies and treatments, but numerous recipe books also contained personal notes which were added over time, helping historians to delve into their true daily on-goings and neighbourly/familial discourse.

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Historian Caitlin Cregan discusses these written communications and recipe books through the lens of feminist history, arguing that recipe books allowed women to display their knowledge in practical form, even within a patriarchal household (The Feminism of Early Modern Recipe Books, Caitlin Cregan). Through testing and trailing their own recipes, women would often leave notes or cross and scribble out parts of recipes that did not work, or in contrast, would comment on parts that worked particularly well. By writing this commentary they were able to pass on niche information to their children or even friends, depending on whether the book was to be passed down through generations, or to be practically borrowed and shared by friends in the neighbourhood.

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Notes in the sidelines after one has tested the recipe or medical treatment usually indicate their efficiency. In this instance, Saint Johanna states that
"You need no other for this most excellent"
suggesting that through trying multiple treatments she found this to be the best one.

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Ultimately, material culture played a hugely significant role in the maintenance of female connections and the circulation of knowledge in early modern England. From sharing household items, food and gossip to practical recipe books and medicinal formulas, the population remained inter-connected and modernising recipe techniques began to spread throughout society as a result of the practices of women and their domestic recipe books. So, with that being said, let's delve into and uncover the secrets and underlying communications of these recipe books...

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Many recipe books also contained an abundance of blank pages within them, however, this arguably may have been purposeful. Due to the practical nature of these recipe books, leaving blanks pages was most likely for friends and family to add their own recipes and treatments over time, and hence create a book filled with the knowledge and expertise of numerous women over numerous decades.

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Recipe books of Early modern England also were largely multi-purpose. As well as holding predominantly medical recipes throughout the body of the book, towards the end Joanna's entries bought in some interesting baking recipes, for example, "To make Gingerbread", as shown above.

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This medicinal and culinary recipe book comes from the wife of Sir Richard Fanshawe and was completed by 1651, with some extra entries following into 1680.

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Throughout Lady Ann Fanshawe's recipe book, erasing, crossing out and disregarding writings is not uncommon. Many recipes which she simply trialled and tested were often left with negative comments in the left-hand column or simply crossed out to highlight their lack of usefulness; thus creating sign-posts for any future relatives, friends or readers and advising them to other recipes.

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- An example taken from her recipe book of warnings, notes, and advice stated in the left-hand column alongside the 'failed' or 'no-good' recipe.

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Small diagrams and drawings were also a commonality across recipe books, some depicted apparatus as shown above but many simply were women's artistic expressions with many drawings of flowers, houses and vases being seen throughout recipe books in this period.

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Contents and abbreviations pages were also key in recipe books, especially ones that were intended to be shared or passed down. To aid other readers in deciphering the writing and short-hand, women like Saint Johanna gave definitions for her symbols to provide ease for readers and so forth also herself.

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Practicality also extended into the binding and size of recipe books as well. Hicke's book itself being only 16cm x 10cm in size made it a very manageable book that was able to be shared and passed around the community, as well as being easily carried. The book's accessibility henceforth ensured that women's knowledge, notes and wisdom were put into circulation, and communication through writing (beyond letters) was maintained.

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In sum, recipe books provided the women of early modern England with a sense of agency and empowerment in their own intellect and work. Communication between each other through written culture maintained their socialisation, as well as giving them the ability to distribute new techniques, foods, and treatments through their local communities. Thus, the importance of domestic writing for post-medieval women remained a significant one, and to many a focal point of their local female social circles.

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- The Feminism of Early Modern Recipe Books, by Caitlin Cregan
- Early Modern Women's Manuscript writing, by Jonathan Gibson & Victoria E. Burke
- Early Modern Women and Material Culture, Arizona State University