Introduction and Content Analysis of the Korean Cookbook Gyujungsehwa (규중세화)
Gyujungsehwa (규중세화), a handwritten cookbook recorded in Hangul Old Korean script, is believed to have been compiled around 1859. The exact author is unknown. The main text of the book is recorded over 54 pages. It is organized into 50 items, primarily focusing on various categories: 16 items on side dishes, six on snacks, and 23 on alcoholic beverages. The remaining items include teachings, essays, water-related items, and letter writings. Notably, 45 items, accounting for 90% of the content, detail recipes for cooking and brewing techniques. The manuscript features dishes utilizing the cow’s first stomach (羘) as ingredients and numerous dishes named with the pattern ‘ㅇㅇmandu’. Despite being from the 1800s, it does not include chili peppers or kimchi among the main ingredients of side dishes. The distilled liquor referred to as “Hyoju (효주)” reflects the characteristics of the Honamregion.