Food-related literary genres

thumb|upright=1.35|Eliza Smith (writer)|Eliza Smith's [[The Compleat Housewife, 1727]] A cookbook or cookery book is a culinary reference work that contains a collection of recipes and instructions for food preparation. Cookbooks serve as comprehensive guides that may include cooking techniques, ingredient information, nutritional data, and cultural context related to culinary practices. Cookery books can be general-purpose, covering a wide range of recipes and methods, or specialized, focusing on specific cuisines, dietary restrictions, cooking methods, specific ingredients, or a target audie