Fast-Day Cookery; or Meals without Meat

The cookbook includes a wide range of meatless dishes such as soups vegetable stews casseroles salads egg dishes and baked goods. Many of the recipes focus on using seasonal vegetables legumes grains and dairy products to create hearty and flavorful meals. Johnson provides recipes that were intended to be filling ensuring that the meals would not only comply with the restrictions of the fast but also provide enough sustenance to satisfy the appetites of those observing the fast. Fast-Day Cookery was a timely response to the growing interest in vegetarianism and meatless meals in the late 19th century especially in the context of Christian traditions where certain days or seasons called for abstinence from meat. The book reflects the period's emphasis on household efficiency and managing a family’s dietary needs while observing religious practices. Today it remains a historical resource offering insight into the culinary habits of the time particularly the early American experience with vegetarian and meatless cooking. It also provides inspiration for those looking to explore plant-based meals or create more sustainable eating habits.