In May of 1857 soldiers of the Bengal Army shot their British officers and marched on Delhi. The mutiny encouraged several other parts of India to rebel as well and soon the British presence in India was considerably reduced until forces were able to launch offenses that helped restore Imperial power in 1858. The Indians rebelled in large part because their way of life, customs, and religions were all largely being disregarded by their British rulers which they found depply offensive.

In 1861 the Book of Household Management was published by Isabella Beeton. This book was ultimately and precisely used as a cookbook and a guide for the middle-class domestic housewife. This cookbook was both a book full of recipes along with guidelines on how to manage "servants, children, dinner parties, clothing and furnighings" (Zlotnick). This book was perfect for your every day middle-class house wife in the Victorian Era. In regard to its publication, Susan Zlotnick wrote an essay in which she talked about this esteemed book.