author

Edith May Bertels Thomas

b. 1859

Best known for a 1915 cookbook-story set among Pennsylvania German families, this little-known writer blended recipes, local customs, and fiction into a lively portrait of everyday life. Her work has stayed in circulation because it offers both culinary history and a warm sense of place.

2 Audiobooks

Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled During Her Visit Among the "Pennsylvania Germans"

Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled During Her Visit Among the "Pennsylvania Germans"

by Edith May Bertels Thomas

Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled During Her Visit Among the "Pennsylvania Germans"

by Edith May Bertels Thomas

About the author

Edith May Bertels Thomas was born in 1859 and is recorded as having died in 1941. Reliable online records for her life are limited, so only a few details can be confirmed with confidence.

She is best known as the author of Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes: Compiled During Her Visit Among the "Pennsylvania Germans", published in Norristown, Pennsylvania, in 1915. In the book's preface, she explains that the story draws on real people and real experiences, even if not every detail is strictly factual.

That mix of storytelling and household knowledge helps explain the book's lasting appeal. Rather than offering recipes alone, it preserves a picture of regional food traditions and everyday culture in Pennsylvania German communities.