The Culinary Delights of the Gilded Age:

With the release of Season 2 of The Gilded Age, we would be remiss not to share our review of Becky Libourel’s The Gilded Age Cookbook, which she graciously sent us.

“I have been researching and writing about food for 15 years, during which I have collected several historic recipes that I have reconstructed and adapted for modern ingredients and methods. My first two books, Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School and The Thousand Dollar Dinner, both focused on events from the nineteenth century. As a result, I developed a deep interest in the Victorian and Gilded Age periods and thought, Why not compile all these recipes into a cookbook? The launch of the Julian Fellowes Gilded Age TV show on HBO further inspired me by highlighting the renewed interest in this era,” shared Becky Libourel Diamond.

Becky Libourel Diamond’s The Gilded Age Cookbook offers a richly detailed exploration of America’s late 19th-century culinary world, featuring recipes, stories, and cultural insights from a time celebrated for its opulence and innovation in dining.

Becky Libourel Diamond’s The Gilded Age Cookbook is a richly detailed journey into America’s late 19th-century culinary world, featuring recipes, stories, and cultural insights from an era renowned for its opulence and innovation in dining.

Recipes

• The cookbook offers both original and adapted recipes from the era, including:
  • Unique finds like Rabbit, Hunter Style, and Lobster Fricassee (updated for modern cooks)
  • Familiar dishes such as Waldorf salad, strawberry shortcake, chicken croquettes, and cornmeal potato muffins
• A standout is the Dutch Cucumbers salad, based on a family recipe dating back to the early 1870s—a tangy blend celebrated by readers.
• The recipes are modernized and tested, focusing on clarity and accessibility. While many come from lavish banquet menus, they are adapted for today’s home kitchen, making Gilded Age cooking approachable for most cooks.

Historical Context & Extra Features

• Diamond’s historical research shines, linking food history to broader social and political themes like the rise of women cooking school matrons and the democratizing influence of railroad dining cars.
• Each dish is accompanied by lively stories or background, immersing readers in both the taste and the context of the era.
• The book avoids unnecessary complexity, unlike the original texts of the Gilded Age that were written for professional chefs, making it user-friendly for enthusiasts and historians alike.
• The extensive bibliography adds scholarly value, though a noted flaw is the lack of a recipe index, which could make navigation easier.

Author Background

Becky Libourel Diamond is a noted food writer and historian with a background in journalism and library science. Her previous works include The Thousand Dollar Dinner and Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School, further cementing her expertise in historical American cuisine.

In the heart of the Gilded Age, a time defined by extravagant parties and culinary experimentation, food historian Becky Libourel Diamond embarked on an ambitious journey. With over 15 years of research and a passion for culinary history, she found herself captivated by the opulent dining practices of the late 19th century. Her previous works, including books about America’s first cooking school and lavish banquets, deepened her appreciation for this rich era.

The inspiration to compile her findings into a comprehensive cookbook struck her at just the right moment. Following the release of the HBO series “The Gilded Age,” there was a renewed curiosity about the lifestyle and culture of that time. Excited by this cultural wave, Becky set out to reconstruct and modernize historic recipes, bringing to life the flavors and culinary techniques of an era remembered for its elegance and innovation.

Her cookbook, titled *The Gilded Age Cookbook*, serves as a portal into this extravagant culinary world, offering not just recipes but rich narratives and cultural insights. Each dish evokes the sights and smells of grand dining halls, from tangy Dutch Cucumbers salad, rooted in a family recipe, to sophisticated takes on Lobster Fricassee. Becky’s goal was not only to offer recipes but to make the past accessible, showing home cooks how they can recreate these historical delights with modern ingredients and methods.

What sets this cookbook apart is its thoughtful organization and vivid storytelling. Divided into thematic sections, it reflects significant celebrations—be it a holiday feast or a summer picnic—while intertwining historical context that connects food to the societal shifts of the time, such as the rise of women in culinary roles. The journey through the book is a sensory delight, where readers can almost taste the multicolored dishes and feel the elegance of the Gilded Age around them.

While the modern adaptations of these recipes make them approachable, the extensive research adds depth, illuminating the social and political landscape of the era, like the impact of railroad dining cars on American cuisine. Each recipe is accompanied by lively anecdotes, ensuring that readers not only cook but also connect with the stories behind the food.

Ultimately, *The Gilded Age Cookbook* is more than just a collection of recipes; it’s a celebration of America’s culinary heritage, bringing history to life and inviting everyone to partake in the flavors of a bygone era. Becky Libourel Diamond has crafted a delightful blend of scholarship and home cooking, perfect for anyone fascinated by the glamour and history of the Gilded Age.

However, it focuses mainly on upper and middle-class white American dining, missing exploration of labor histories and Black culinary traditions of that era. Also, the book lacks a recipe index, which might make navigation challenging.