Oxford Night Caps
'Oxford Night Caps, a collection of receipts for making various beverages used in the University' is purported to be the first book entirely devoted to mixed drinks ever published, it is a collection of recipes common to the students social events of Oxford University and was first collected by Richard 'Cicero' Cook in 1827 with several additional recipes added in later years publications.
'Oxford Night Caps' is mentioned as a passing joke in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens[1]
"'People may say what they like,' observed Mrs Nickleby, 'but there's a great deal of comfort in a nightcap, as I'm sure you would confess, Nicholas my dear, if you would only have strings to yours, and wear it like a Christian, instead of sticking it upon the very top of your head like a blue-coat boy. You needn't think it an unmanly or quizzical thing to be particular about your nightcap, for I have often heard your poor dear papa, and the Reverend Mr What's-his-name, who used to read prayers in that old church with the curious little steeple that the weathercock was blown off the night week before you were born,--I have often heard them say, that the young men at college are uncommonly particular about their nightcaps, and that the Oxford nightcaps are quite celebrated for their strength and goodness; so much so, indeed, that the young men never dream of going to bed without 'em, and I believe it's admitted on all hands that they know what's good, and don't coddle themselves.' Nicholas laughed, and entering no further into the subject of this lengthened harangue, reverted to the pleasant tone of the little birthday party"
Publication and Content History
(1827) Oxford Night Caps {1st Edition} – Cook, Richard[2]
Published by Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green of London for Henry Slatter of Oxford
[The edition kept at the The Bodleian Library in Oxford lacks the final four pages, a complete copy is held at the EUVS museum.]
Recipes in this edition are as follows;
Bishop, or Spiced Wine
Oxford Punch, or Classical Sherbet
Restorative Punch, vulgo Storative
Lemon Punch to keep
Sir Fleetwood Fletcher's Sack Posset
White Wine Whey, or Milk Posset
Rum Booze, or Egg Posset
The Wassail Bowl, or Swig
(18xx) Oxford Night Caps {2nd Edition} – Cook, Richard
- Unknown publication date, no known copy existing.
(1835) Oxford Night Caps {3rd Edition, A New Edition, Enlarged} – Cook, Richard[3]
Published by Longman and Co. and Whittaker and Co. London for Henry Slatter, Oxford.
[This copy 's owner was once H.M. Richards, Andover, November 15th '43, (unknown as to 1843 or 1943).]
Four additional recipes are included;
(1847) Oxford Night Caps {4th Edition, Enlarged} – Cook, Richard[4]
Published by Henry Slatter, 2 & 3 High Street, Oxford
[This copy was entered into the Library of Congress]
Seven additional recipes are included;
Julap, or Julep
(1860) Oxford Night Caps {A New Edition, Enlarged} – Cook, Richard[5]
Published by Slatter & Rose, 2 & 3 High Street, Oxford
One additional recipe is included;
(1871) Oxford Night Caps {A New Edition, Enlarged} – Cook, Richard[6]
Published by Slatter & Rose, 2 & 3 High Street, Oxford
[This copy has handwritten notes;
- One of the owners of this copy was J.M. Maxwell of Corpus Christi College as ascribed on the cover
- The book is stamped by The Bodleian Library 12th July, 1929
- Another reader made a note on August 3rd 1929 that the author Richard Cook's nickname was 'Cicero' Cook and that the first edition was written in 1929]
Three additional recipes are included;
(2011.01.05) Oxford Night Caps {Classic Cocktail Guides & Retro Bartender Books} - Cook, Richard
Published by Kalevala Books
(2015.02.18) Oxford Night Caps {Scholars Choice Edition} - Cook, Richard
Published by Scholars Choice
(2015.02.18) Oxford Night Caps {} - Cook, Richard
Published by Trieste Publishing
(2015.08.08) Oxford Night Caps {Scholar Select Edition} – Cook, Richard
Published by Andesite Press
(2015.08.21) Oxford Night Caps {Scholar Select Edition} – Cook, Richard
Hardback reprint of the 1871 edition published by Sagwan Press
(2015.11.18) Oxford Night Caps {Vintage Cookery Books Edition} – Cook, Richard
Published by Vintage Cookery Books
(2016.08.28) Oxford Night Caps {Scholar Select} - Cook, Richard
Published by Wentworth Press
(2017.08.25) Oxford Night Caps {Vintage Cookery Books Edition} – Cook, Richard
Published by Vintage Cookery Books
(2018.01.31) Oxford Night Caps {Scholar Select Edition} – Cook, Richard
Paperback reprint of the 1871 edition published by Sagwan Press
(2018.12.03) Oxford Night Caps {Classic Reprint Edition} – Cook, Richard
Published by Forgotten Books
(2018.05.26) Oxford Night Caps {Kindle Edition} - Cook, Richard
References[edit]
- ↑ Dickens, Charles (February 1839). "Nicholas Nickleby" (PDF).
- ↑ "1827 Oxford night caps, a collection of receipts for making various beverages used in the university". euvs-vintage-cocktail-books.cld.bz. Retrieved 2019-05-20.
- ↑ "1835 Oxford night caps (3rd edition)". euvs-vintage-cocktail-books.cld.bz. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
- ↑ "1847 Oxford night caps (4th edition)". euvs-vintage-cocktail-books.cld.bz. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
- ↑ "1860 Oxford Night Caps". euvs-vintage-cocktail-books.cld.bz. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
- ↑ "1871 Oxford Night Caps a collection of receipts for making various beverages used in the university". euvs-vintage-cocktail-books.cld.bz. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
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