January Fashion Friday

 For the first Fashion Friday of 2026 here is lovely short video of getting dressed in a typical working outfit from 1864.
The video is by Blossum Darling on Facebook.

Enjoy
The Victorian Society of Alberta

January Book Tuesday

Happy New Year! 
W hope you had a fun, safe, and enjoyable start to 2026!

For  this the first Book Tuesday of 2026 we have  wonderful book of Victorian Recipes from 1877.
This book was written by Queen Victoria's Chef Charles Elmé,Francatelli,  1805-1876.
Initially written around 1846, and continuously updated over 25 editions, this book contains 1462 recipes across more than 500 pages !
Truly a treasure chest of period recipes.

Enjoy
The Victorian Society of Alberta

The Modern Cook;
A practical Guide to the culinary art
In all its branches

This book is available for download from the Internet Archive as a large PDF

PREFACE to the last edition
In introducing the present Edition of The Modern Cook to the public, I beg to return my thanks for the patronage that has been awarded to former Editions, by the public at large, as well as by the profession, of whose approbation I feel most proud. Indeed, I am so conscious of the value of the good opinion of these competent judges, that I. do not hesitate to ascribe the steady demand with which the Work has hitherto been favoured to their liberal support.

So gratifying an appreciation of my endeavours has naturally prompted me to render the present Edition in all respects worthy of a continuance of their patronage. I have in all cases most strictly studied economy, — by retrenching as far as it appeared to me consistent with propriety all unnecessary and too expensive accessories to the more costly kinds of dishes. The whole work has been entirely revised with scrupulous care and attention ; and upwards of eighty entirely new dishes, principally belonging to the Second Course department, have been added. I have also enlarged the glossary of technical terms : — and, in order to render the Work of easier reference to the public, as well as to the practitioner, no trouble has been spared to improve the Index.

I have nearly doubled the original number of Bills of Fare ; and have added many of dinners served to Her Majesty the Queen.

The first "recipe" in the book :

The last two before detailed discussions of how to server wines and lots of dinner plans.

Merry Christmas!

 We hope everyone has had a festive and delightful Christmas Day!

First Christmas Stamp

 Happy Christmas Eve!

We hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying time with your family and friends.

Here is a picture of the very first Christmas Stamp ever, and it was Canadian!

December Fashion friday

 This is a great video montage from Asta Darling on FB.

Enjoy 

The Victorian Society of Alberta

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Anything you can do I can do better 🎶 Here’s to the fearless women who came before us and paved the way 🥂

“By the turn of the century The Queen in October 1903 relates how ‘many a skirted climber’ had reached the Needle, which juts out from Lake District peak the Great Gable. But several obstacles faced these pioneering women: the difficulty of obtaining proper clothing for their task, and the lack of a mountaineering organisation that would allow them to join."

But The Queen was on hand to provide advice to women on how to dress for mountaineering. The main taboo when it came to dressing for climbing centred on the skirt: practicality and safety dictated that it should be abandoned, but the moral code of the day meant that it should be retained. The Queen in 1890 writes how:

"Some ladies dispense with skirts altogether, and lay them aside with the other impedimenta when climbing really begins. But this requires some little courage, and by carefully arranging the length of the skirt, it may be worn without inconvenience. It must, however, be capable of being shortened so as to cover the knees; anything longer than this is certainly inconvenient, if not actually dangerous.”

December Book Tuesday

 Oops missed last week but here is one for the season.

Enjoy
The Victorian Society of Alberta

The Victorian Christmas book 

by Antony Miall (Author)

Diaries, novels, poems, letters, and magazines of the period contribute to a comprehensive survey of the customs, traditions, and flavor of Christmas in Victorian England, while greeting cards, toys, cartoons, advertisements, and engravings provide visual delight.

November Fashion Friday

It is finally winter in Alberta!
So for this month's Fashion Friday we have an excellent video from Sew_Through_Time  on YouTube.
Enjoy
and Stay Warm!

The Victorian Society of Alberta