When he died in 1794 he left behind the unfinished drafts of his Memoirs, which were posthumously edited by his friend Lord Sheffield, and remain an astonishing portrait of a rich, full life. Recounting Gibbon's sickly childhood in London, his disappointment with an Oxford steeped in 'port and prejudice', his successful years in Lausanne, his first and only love affair and the monolithic achievement of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, he distils his genius for history into a remarkable gift for autobiography. Candid and detailed, these writings are filled with warmth and intellectual passion.

    Excerpt from The Life of Lorenzo De Medici, Called the MagnificentAmongst the numerous distinguished critics who'agree with this 'udgment the following may be recorded z - Pietro Bembo in his rose hum-m Castiglione (in his Cortigiano) Paullo Giovio (in his ogia Clnrorum Virorum) Giovanni Vitale of Palermo, and Pietro Mirteo of Udine (in their Latin poems); Benedetto Vat-chi, Guicciardini, Giam matteo Toscano of Milan, (in a letter to Catherine of Medici, preceding Ilia Carmina Illustrium l'octarum) Michele l'occianti (catalogo do' Saittnri Fiorcnti); Crescimbcni, Quadrio, Muratori, and many others.

    As the very first cookbook published in the new United States it set the standard for many years. "Patriot Eats!" re-imagines the original to preserve and re-present the food wisdom and recipes, that literally fueled a revolution. The book preserves the original author's (Amelia Simmons) words and recipes, but adds a lively and more useable new layout. It's now colorful, visual, easy to use cookbook, full of enticing photos of many of dishes created from the original recipes. We've also added essential clarifications and definitions to make it easier for modern cooks to recreate the timeless dishes Amelia first presented. Today, both home cooks and professionals are searching for authentic, healthy, fantastic tasting dishes to serve. "Real food" is the mantra of our times. Well, "Patriot Eats!" is real food. This is the real food that that your grandmother’s great-great-grandmother would recognize, and that you will love.The book is available in both print, and as an interactive iBook for the iPad from the Apple iBooks store.UPDATE: Take a look at the our new demo on Youtube at: http://youtu.be/x5YovMTA9rk

    It reveals the rich variety of food Colonial Americans enjoyed, their tastes, cooking and eating habits, even their colorful language.Author Amelia Simmons worked as a domestic in Colonial America and gathered her cookery expertise from firsthand experience. Her book points out the best ways of judging the quality of meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, etc., and presents the best methods of preparing and cooking them. In choosing fish, poultry, and other meats, the author wisely advises, "their smell denotes their goodness." Her sound suggestions for choosing the freshest and most tender onions, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, asparagus, lettuce, cabbage, beans, and other vegetables are as timely today as they were nearly 200 years ago.Here are the first uniquely American recipes using corn meal — Indian pudding, "Johnny cake," and Indian slapjacks — as well as the first recipes for pumpkin pudding, winter squash pudding, and for brewing spruce beer. The words "cookie" and "slaw" made their first published appearance in this book. You'll also find the first recommended use of pearlash (the forerunner of baking powder) to lighten dough, as well as recommendations for seasoning stuffing and roasting beef, mutton, veal, and lamb — even how to dress a turtle.Along with authentic recipes for colonial favorites, a Glossary includes definitions of antiquated cooking terms: pannikin, wallop, frumenty, emptins, and more. And Mary Tolford Wilson's informative Introductory Essay provides the culinary historical background needed to appreciate this important book fully.Anyone who uses and collects cookbooks will want to have The First American Cookbook. Cultural historians, Americana buffs, and gourmets will find this rare edition filled with interesting recipes and rich in early American flavor.