Robert's Guide for Butlers and Other Household Staff
My loving niece gave me this wonderful book for the holidays. It pleases me is so many different ways: it was originally published in 1827, they retained what appears to be the original typeface, the instructions and guides within offer a delightful insight into the duties of a domestic just before the turn of the century. Many of the tasks have, of course, fallen into disuse and are only interesting from a historical perspective, but I am surprised at how many remain useful. I suppose good housekeeping has not changed as much as I might have thought.
There are also included a number of interesting recipes that I am dying to try out - spruce beer, ginger beer, a most excellent sounding punch (with dark rum,) and several more.
This book is wonderful for curling up at the end of a long day and imagining, just for a while, that you are in charge of a manor house somewhere outside of New York, and well satisfied with the fruit of your labours.
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