Common-Sense Papers on Cookery

"Common-Sense Papers on Cookery" by A. G. Payne is a set of writings about cooking from the late 1800s that strives to make cooking easier and more fun for everyday cooks. The author gives helpful advice, especially for women, to help them make meals that taste good and look nice. The book starts by pointing out what's wrong with old-fashioned cookbooks and promises a new, interesting way to learn to cook. It stresses learning basic cooking skills and uses stories and jokes about home life to keep readers interested. Starting with a discussion of the “frying-pan,” the book explains how to properly fry fish and prepare sweetbreads, intending to teach people how to cook better and waste less food, all while making cooking more enjoyable.