Florence A. George
Florence Annie George was an English schoolteacher and cookbook writer. Trained at the National Training School of Cookery, she served from 1894 as cookery mistress at King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham. She wrote four books: King Edward's Cookery Book, Vegetarian Cookery, Economical Dishes for Wartime, and the posthumous A Manual of Cookery.
George treated cookery as a practical branch of science in girls' education and adapted her texts to contemporary needs. Vegetarian Cookery set out meat-free and reduced-meat dishes, while Economical Dishes for Wartime revised recipes for rationing conditions during the First World War. Her vegetarian recipes included early nut cutlets later regarded as precursors of the nut roast. Her work has since been noted in histories of vegetarianism and modern compilations that reproduce or discuss her recipes.
Biography
Early life and education
Florence Annie George was born in Gloucester in the second quarter of 1864. Her parents were William D., a canal superintendent, and Annie George. She had two sisters and two brothers. George later earned a first-class diploma from The National Training School of Cookery, London.Teaching career
In 1894, George was appointed as cookery mistress of King Edward VI High School for Girls, Birmingham. This decision was made by headmistress Edith Creak, despite the strong objections of the school governors, who had firmly advised against including cookery in the curriculum.Writing
''King Edward's Cookery Book''
George saw cooking as a scientific skill that every girl should learn. In 1901, she published King Edward's Cookery Book as a textbook for everyone. It was described in The Publishers' Circular as a clear, concise, and methodical culinary guide designed for middle-class Englishwomen, providing essential cooking knowledge, principles, and practical advice, including scullery work, kitchen equipment, and seasonal ingredients. By 1921, it had sold 20,000 copies.''Vegetarian Cookery''
In 1908, George published Vegetarian Cookery, described in the preface as being "written for those who, from principle, wish to abstain from meat, as well as for the many who, from reasons of health, are obliged to reduce the proportion of it in their daily diet." It included recipes that used ingredients such as onions, parsley, salt, and pepper to create vegetarian dishes intended to replicate the flavours and textures of meat-based meals, including a chicken substitute made from butter bean paste. The book's two recipes for nut cutlets have been described as the ancestor of the nut roast. Vegetarian Cookery went through at least six imprints.''Economical Dishes for Wartime''
In response to rationing during the First World War, George published Economical Dishes for Wartime, in 1916. It contained her original recipes amended to account for wartime shortages.Death
George died following an illness in Amberley, Gloucestershire on 3 July 1918, at the age of 54. At the time of her death, she had been working on a more comprehensive cookbook for several years. It was later finished by her formal pupil Kate Lackland and edited by Irene Davison. It was published as A Manual of Cookery in 1920.Legacy
In 2011, Sally Huxley, who succeeded George as head of food studies at George's former school, published Recipes for Success, a contemporary treatment of domestic science. Drawing on research into the subject's history, the book discusses George's role in its development. It also includes recipes intended to reflect current social trends, echoing George's approach.A brief mention of George and her book Vegetarian Cookery was included in Colin Spencer's The Heretic's Feast: A History of Vegetarianism. After reading about George in Spencer's book, Anne O'Connell, who had later attended George's school, was inspired to author Early Vegetarian Recipes, exploring the history of vegetarian recipes.
One of George's recipes from her King Edward's Cookery Book was included in Annie Gray's The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook.
Publications
King Edward's Cookery Book Vegetarian Cookery- ''A Manual of Cookery''