Nelly Custis Lewis’s Housekeeping Book

Ever wondered how you might cure a sore throat in the days before DayQuil? You could follow this method: boil potatoes, soft with the peels on, mash them quick, put them in a piece of linen hot, bind them to the throat, when cold renew the hot potatoes. This and other household remedies and directives can be found in this classic volume of social history. The adopted daughter of George Washington, Eleanor Nelly Custis Lewis learned as a girl the considerable duties and responsibilities involved in the management of a southern household. Under the tutelage of Martha Washington, she collected recipes, remedies, and other household information pertinent to the daily tasks of plantation living.