Vegetables
Hints for cooking vegetables
Margaret Black was Head Mistress of the West-End Training School of Cookery in Glasgow. She wrote several works on cookery and housekeeping. Her 'Superior cookery' of 1887 is illustrated with numerous plates, such as the one on this page which shows a variety of vegetable dishes.
Mrs Black's monthly 'Hints to young housekeepers' were first published in the 'Glasgow Weekly Mail' in the 1890s.
Among the hints she gave was 'Three ways to cook parsnips', which promoted vegetables as an integral part of every dinner.
Vegetarianism
At this time, there was growing interest in vegetarianism.
The first Vegetarian Society was established in Ramsgate in 1847 and the Scottish Vegetarian Society was founded in 1893. By 1912 there were societies in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee.
But, until relatively recent times, most people considered vegetarians eccentrics.
'Vegetables' from Margaret Black's 'Superior cookery', Glasgow, 1887. [Library reference: NG.835.f.23]