When first published, this book was heralded as a "new guide for the housekeeper, especially intended as a full record of delicious dishes sufficient for any well-to-do family, clear enough for the beginner, and complete enough for ambitious providers." There are delectable recipes (more than sixty feature chocolate!), along with timeless tips for the homemaker. Walter M. Lowney was the founder of a chocolate, cocoa, and confectionary empire. Using innovative techniques to dip and box chocolates, Lowney won a gold medal for his sweets at the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. He published this cookbook to promote his prizewinning chocolate and other recipes. Its author, Maria Willett Howard was trained by the renowned chef and cooking instructor Fannie Farmer at the Boston Cooking School. She eventually became head of the culinary department of a progressive college for self-supporting women.