Mary Johnson Bailey Lincoln was an instructor at the Boston Cooking School, where she influenced a generation of cooking professionals, including Fannie Farmer, with her methods based in the, chemistry and philosophy of food. The Boston Cook Book, published in 1883, became a standard in American kitchens and was also widely used in cooking classrooms. Specific instruction in the basics of technique, kitchen set-up, and preparation insured that young and/or inexperienced cooks would have great success with Mrs. Lincoln's recipes.