There is something so wonderful about old books. The musty scent of the paper, how their history is etched into their worn leather and I often wonder about the various hands that have turned their pages through time, many of which I suppose are long gone today. Kindles and ipad just don't carry that kind of history, that's for sure. So when a friend of mine recently gave me this new edition of Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management from the year 1902, you can imagine how humbled I was. Here's a glimpse into the world of Mrs Beeton ...

 Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management was a guide to all aspects of running a household in Victorian Britain. The author Isabella Beeton was just 21 when she began work on this book, and she became the most famous cookery writer in British history. Sadly died at the tender age of 28 from Puerperal fever, just a week after giving birth to her fourth child.







The book was was first published in 1861 and although she died in 1865, the book continued, and it still remains in print today. This edition is HUGE and contains such a vast amount! You can see the size in the last picture. In the new edition it also includes recipes with vibrant colour pull-outs (most of which won't be gracing my kitchen surfaces anytime soon, lets be honest) ...