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Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America's First Cooking School
In Philadelphia during the first decades of the nineteenth century, a widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Goodfellow, ran a popular bakery and sweet shop. In addition to catering to Philadelphia’s wealthy families and a reputation of having the finest desserts and sweet dishes in the young country, her business stood out from every other establishment in another way: she ran a small school to learn the art of cooking, the first of its kind in America. Despite her fame—references to her cooking as a benchmark abound in the literature of the period—we know very little about who she was. Since she did not keep a journal and never published any of her recipes, we have to rely on her students, most notably Eliza Leslie, who fortunately recorded many of Goodfellow’s creations and techniques. Goodfellow is known to have made the first lemon meringue pie and for popularizing regional foods, such as Indian (corn) meal. Her students also recall that Mrs. Goodfellow stressed using simple wholesome ingredients that were locally grown, presaging modern culinary fashion.
By assembling the many parts of this puzzle from old recipe books, advertisements, letters, diaries, genealogical records, and other primary sources, researcher and writer Becky Diamond has been able to provide a more complete portrait of this influential figure in cooking history.Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School begins with what we know about Elizabeth Goodfellow—where she was born, her husbands, her children, where her shop was located. We then travel back in time to discover the kinds of foods that would have been available to Goodfellow and how she may have used them. The book next turns to the rise of both commercial eating establishements and books of recipes. From here, the author explains the rapid expansion of cooking schools, such as the New York Cooking Academy and the Boston Cooking School, made famous through its association with Fannie Farmer, and ends with a discussion of the role of celebrity chefs. Thoroughly researched and including a range of authentic recipes, Mrs. Goodfellow is a delicious exploration of the life and legacy of one of America’s most influential cooks.
By assembling the many parts of this puzzle from old recipe books, advertisements, letters, diaries, genealogical records, and other primary sources, researcher and writer Becky Diamond has been able to provide a more complete portrait of this influential figure in cooking history.Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School begins with what we know about Elizabeth Goodfellow—where she was born, her husbands, her children, where her shop was located. We then travel back in time to discover the kinds of foods that would have been available to Goodfellow and how she may have used them. The book next turns to the rise of both commercial eating establishements and books of recipes. From here, the author explains the rapid expansion of cooking schools, such as the New York Cooking Academy and the Boston Cooking School, made famous through its association with Fannie Farmer, and ends with a discussion of the role of celebrity chefs. Thoroughly researched and including a range of authentic recipes, Mrs. Goodfellow is a delicious exploration of the life and legacy of one of America’s most influential cooks.
PORTRAIT OF A LADY: Mrs. Elizabeth Goodfellow
Beautifully written post by Daniela L. Geremia Tenuta ~ My little old world ~ gardening, home, poetry and everything romantic that makes us dream.
"Rich cooking smells permeated the close space. The Cheesecakes Mrs. Goodfellow had prepared earlier were cooling on one of the large wall racks. On another rested little tins of heart- and diamond-shaped Queen cakes, waiting to be prettily decorated later with fluffly sweet meringue icing, colorful nonpareils and fine sugar sand [ ...]
On one end of the wooden work table had set out crocks of fresh butter and cream, and some small bowls of flour, herbs and spices to make the chicken. At the other end sat earthenware dishes of butter and eggs, the box of powdered white sugar Hannah had prepared, and separated demijohns of white wine, brandy and rosewater for the lemon pudding." (more..)
"Rich cooking smells permeated the close space. The Cheesecakes Mrs. Goodfellow had prepared earlier were cooling on one of the large wall racks. On another rested little tins of heart- and diamond-shaped Queen cakes, waiting to be prettily decorated later with fluffly sweet meringue icing, colorful nonpareils and fine sugar sand [ ...]
On one end of the wooden work table had set out crocks of fresh butter and cream, and some small bowls of flour, herbs and spices to make the chicken. At the other end sat earthenware dishes of butter and eggs, the box of powdered white sugar Hannah had prepared, and separated demijohns of white wine, brandy and rosewater for the lemon pudding." (more..)
Before there was Martha Stewart, Philadelphia had Mrs. Goodfellow
Elizabeth Goodfellow is credited with creating lemon meringue pie. Eggs whipped into a foam were commonly used in her day to make the baked goods rise.
Image of lemon meringue pie via ShutterStock
November 20, 2012 | By Lari Robling
NewsWorks, WHYY Radio
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As home cooks around the region are heating up their kitchens for Thanksgiving, many will wish they had taken a class to learn how to make a meal that inspires thanks. And what few know is that Philadelphia was home to the first cooking school in the country.
Young women came to learn from the Martha Stewart of the 1800's - Mrs.Elizabeth Goodfellow. Becky Diamond of Yardley, Bucks County, wrote the biography, "Mrs.Goodfellow: The Story of America's First Cooking School" and she says in today's world of food obsession heralding fresh, local ingredients, that's not such a new trend. Mrs.Goodfellow was doing it two hundred years ago.
"Goodfellow was an advocate for American foods, or what we think of now as American — like cornmeal, tomatoes, squashes things that were grown here in the New World," said Diamond. "She would incorporate them into the Old World recipes." (Read more...)
New book describes Elizabeth Goodfellow, founder of America's first cooking school
April 05, 2012|By Beth D’addono
Philadelphia Daily News
Welcome to Philadelphia, a city renowned for its vibrant, seasonally centric dining scene and colorful farmer's markets. You'll find some of the finest dishes on any table here, and confections that rival those served in the patisseries of Paris. Here, too, there is a culinary school geared to producing top-quality cooks as well versed in pastry as they are in producing savory delights.
No, we're not talking about Philly's contemporary gastronomic scene, as fabulous as it is. It's Philadelphia of the early 1800s we're invoking - when the city was arguably the best place to wine and dine in the new America. And the original Ace of Cakes, Mrs. Elizabeth Goodfellow, was in the thick of it all. (Read more...)
