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Adria. Ferran - With Ferran Adria's signature.
elBulli - 1998-2002.
Ferran Adria / Juli Soler / Albert Adria. Also accompanied by a concertina hard page folder called 'Auxiliary Tools' & CD.
Large 4to. 320 x 245 x 43mm 1fep. Half title. 6p b/w Photographs. [1] Title page with Adria's signature; 'Pour Bobby' 22.11.11. 1 double page with Catalogue Index and Analysis Index. [1] p13 Presentation. p14 Introduction. Double page 1998... p18-81 Catalogue. p82-117 Evolutionary Analytics. Double page 1999... p120-195 Catalogue. p196-226 - 1p b/w photograph. Evolutionary Analytics. Double page 2000.... p230-305 Catalogue. p306-341 Evolutionary Analytics. Double page 2001... p344-428 Catalogue. p428-473 Evolutionary Analytics. p 474 Retrospective 1998-2001. 2002... [1] 477-483 Catalogue. [1] 485-489 Evolutionary Analytics. 490-493 b/w Photographs. [1] A hand Drawing. [1] 1fep. Thick hardcovers. Decorated like black marble. A strongly built book. The accompanying AUXILIARY FOLDER. 20 pages "guide to the Book". 1 CD. Both items fitted into a strong slip-case also decorated like black marble. As new.
- Quoting from the Book; "From 1998 to 2002 the elBulli tasting menu acquired an almost definitive structure providing the ideal vehicle for serving diners of multiple elaborations that enabled them to appreciate the whole gastronomic offering every season. The Catalogue details 371 dishes and presents an evolutionary analysis during those five years". To put this important book into a context, it's necessary to know something of Ferran Adria's background and how He and elBulli came about, and why the culinary influence and impact was so important and far-reaching. On the elbulli Foundation website online, a potted biography can be seen that is worth repeating here verbatim:- Ferran Adrià Acosta, born May 14th, 1962, in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain, attends the local Casal dels Àngels School and then goes to San Isidro School in Barcelona, while living with his parents, Ginés, a plasterer, and Josefa, a housewife, and his brother Albert. His passion is football, and he plays with the Juventud de l’Hospitalet club until 1974 and with Santa Eulàlia F.C. until 1980. At this moment he has almost no interest in cooking, typical of a boy of his age. In 1977 he enters Instituto Politécnico de la Merced to take administrative studies, as a prelude to a degree in Business Studies. In 1980, he decides to give up his studies, preferring to make some money so that he can go on holiday to Ibiza. With this aim, by chance he begins his culinary career modestly, going to work as a dishwasher at the Playafels Hotel in Castelldefels, near L’Hospitalet. There, chef Miquel Moy, a close friend of his father, helps him to become familiar with basic culinary techniques. A few months later, in 1981, he starts work at the Club Cala Leña, in Es Canà, Ibiza. After four months, he returns to Barcelona, performing varied tasks in establishments such as El Suquet, Castell Arnau and Martinique. In 1982 he finds a job in the prestigious Finisterre restaurant, staying there until he leaves to do military service, on July 2nd, 1982. From mid-1982 until the end of 1983, Ferran does his military service in Cartagena, forming part of the team working in the Admiral’s kitchen. Here, for the first time, he takes charge of the kitchen. Assuming such responsibilities serves as an important experience for him. Following a suggestion from Fermí Puig, another Catalan recruit, who works at elBulli, Ferran spends his month’s leave in the summer of 1983 at the restaurant in Cala Montjoi. At the end of his military service, he works at the San Marcos restaurant in Seville from January to March 1984. Then, in April 1984, he joins the team of elBulli occupying the position of Chef de Partie. On November 1st, following the departure of Head Chef, Jean-Paul Vinay, Juli Soler, elBulli’s Director, offers Ferran and Christian Lutaud the position of joint Head Chefs. Juli Soler encourages Ferran to travel around France and learn more about the world of Haute Cuisine. Ferran undertakes two stages in the kitchens of Georges Blanc and Jacques Pic. In October 1986, Christian Lutaud leaves elBulli and Ferran assumes sole responsibility. From 1987 Ferran decides to pursue his own ideas in the kitchen, leaving aside the Nouvelle Cuisine style of the restaurant. He begins by using ingredients, techniques, and local and regional elaborations, interpreting them through his vision of Haute Cuisine. Up until 1993 this “Mediterranean style” defines the cuisine of elBulli and exerts an important influence on the Catalan and Spanish cuisine of this period. In 1990 elBulli S.L. is created, a company founded by Juli Soler and Ferran Adrià, developing different lines and models of business. elBulli S.L. reinvests 20% of its turnover in pursuing creativity. elBullirestaurante functions as the R & D department of a company that manages consultancy and assessment for catering companies and the food industry, whilst always placing its commitment to avant-garde cuisine as its foremost concern. This model enables the radical nature of elBulli to be maintained. In the early 90s a change in the cooking of Ferran and elBullirestaurante begins to take place, and a series of new concepts, elaborations, techniques and service formats appear alongside the “Mediterranean” dishes, reaching their full expression in 1994. From that time on, a series of constants characterizes the style of elBulli, outlined in the 23-point synthesis of elBulli’s cooking. At the end of 1987 Ferran and Juli decide to make an organisational change, dividing the restaurant season into two parts: six months of restaurant service and six months of closure. Throughout the 90s, the team seek a successful formula for creating a workshop during the six months of restaurant closure, and after trying several locations, elBullitaller is opened in 2000, in Carrer Portaferrissa, Barcelona, becoming the first in the history of haute cuisine. Developing this blueprint, a model of creativity is established that is perfected little by little. In place of creating a dish based on an idea, hundreds of ideas for concepts, techniques and elaborations are introduced during the closed season in elBullitaller, which lead to finished recipes and menus in elBullirestaurante. At the same time all the variables and resources of the process are subjected to a creative audit offering a high level of efficiency and effectiveness, which is key to determining elBulli’s creative longevity. Ferran marries Isabel Pérez in 2002. They do not have any children. 'elBullirestaurante' closes its doors to become 'elBullifoundation'. A fascinating, very unusually formatted, game-changing cookery book.

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Modern category

ref number: 11327

Ningon. Edouard Signed by Nignon in his beautiful handwriting.
E. NIGNON ELOGES DE LA CUISINE FRANCAISE
PRESENTATION DE SACHA GUITRY (A small illustration of game, fish, casserole and wine bottle) PARIS L'EDITION D'ART H. PIAZZA 19, RUE BONAPARTE. With an elaborate ornate illustrated blue/green border.
FIRST EDITION 1933. 241 x7. 3feps. Original Cover. 1fep. Author's signature and dedication; 'Hommages respectueux de P. Cluteur a Madame Mourry qui sait si lieu apprecier L'art gastronomique E. Nignon. Paris le 7 Novembre 1933.' [1] Half Title. [1] Title page. [1] p1 & 2 Presentation by Sacha Guitry. Dedication page to Robert de Flers. [1] 1p with large illustration in blue/green. [1] 11-426. 427-441- Index Alphabetique. [1]443-444 Index. Many beautiful illustrations though-out. 1p Ouverges de Meme Auteur. [1] 2 original feps. Original back cover. First three pages (signed and presentation) foxed. Text block in fine clean condition with many fine illustrations. Everything as originally issued and clearly legible. The whole original book bound into a quarter burgundy leather binding and burgundy marbled boards. The spine with raised bands and gilt text. In wonderful condition.
- From the 'fnac' website online in an interesting article translated from French, we see how they express a panegyric to one of their own. Edouard Nignon (1865 - 1934), cook of Kings, the Tsar and celebrities of his time. Everyone recognizes in him one of the great masters of the French kitchen. Written by Édouard Nignon and published in 1933, this book 'Eloges de la Cuisine Francaise', presents all aspects of French cuisine, from menus to recipes, all sprinkled with the author's tasty anecdotes. Divided into three parts, the book proposes to discover traditional recipes of French cuisine and classified by theme and culinary precepts. The second part lays the foundations of the essential and basic know-how in the kitchen: soups, sauces, ice creams, spices, marinades. Lastly, come the "formulas" (a term preferred to that of "recipes"), extracted from lunches and dinners that took place during the year 1876. A description of these meals is recounted by Nignon, a testimony that instantly immerses us in the atmosphere of the time. Édouard Nignon trained very early in prestigious Parisian restaurants and, at the age of 27, even organized the dinners of Emperor Franz Joseph in Vienna. His career then took place abroad: Claridges Hotel in London, the Hermitage in Moscow, the banquets of a thousand covers for Tsar Nicholas II in the Kremlin. In 1908, he returned to France to fulfil his dream by becoming the owner of the famous restaurant Larue, which he ran for more than 13 years. One menu from the book at the Champs Elysees on the 31 December 1876 starts with / Oysters and Caviar with blinis by Smolensk. POTAGES / Crème Nerval Consumed Leczinska Friandises: Dauphines de Volaille, Palermitains. POISSONS / Trout Salmon at the Villars. / Lobster Tails Villemain. ENTREES / National Poularde Countess. Rosette d'Agneau de Bordeaux. Supreme of Woodcocks and their Essence. ROTS / Royal chilled Foie Gras Surprise Salad Gauloise. Legumes / Collection of Artichokes Soufflés. ENTREMETS / Madeleine of Pineapple Palphis Sultane with Punch Fruits. VINS / Chablis-Moutonnes 1842 / Château-Margaux 1855 / Musigny 1848 / Champagne.

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Modern category

ref number: 11332

Copley. Esther - A very rare book.
Cottage Cookery
THE COMPLETE COTTAGE COOKERY, BY ESTHER COPLEY, AUTHOR OF "COTTAGE COMFORTS," "CATECHISM OF DOMESTIC ECONOMY," ETC, ETC. WITH PREFATORY CHAPTER BY HER DAUGHTER, AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR, Eleventh Edition. LONDON: GROOMBRIDGE AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW. MDCCCLIX.
1859. 12mo. Marbled paste-downs and end-papers, both ends. 1fep. [1] Frontis piece, engraved portrait of Esther Copley. Title page. [1] v-x Biographical Sketch. xi-xx Prefatory Chapter. 2p Contents. 3-127. [1] 4pp Advertisements. 1fep. Modern quarter black calf with black cloth boards and black calf corners. Lightly age browned throughout. A small water stain to the top corner of the last 8 pages. Overall a very nice copy.
- Although the first edition was printed in 1849 in book form (it originally appeared in the Family Economist) an advertisement for a tenth edition (cost 1 penny) appeared in the first of Beeton's 'Household Management' 24 monthly booklets on November 1st, 1859 (Mrs Beeton's famous book was printed in 24 monthly parts before being published in total as the first edition of 1861). A seventh edition also was advertised in an 1854 book; then this, the eleventh edition of 1859 would make one think there must be many copies, but the opposite is true; 'Cottage Cookery' is unmentioned in Bitting, Oxford, Axford, Driver, Attar, Cagle and the STC of Pollard & Redgrave. COPAC lists five copies: The BL, one copy - circa 1855. London University, one copy undated. Leeds University, three copies - 1858, 1859 & 1862. Only five recorded copies; one must attribute rarity. This can be accounted for when we see that Beeton's monthly booklets with their thin and delicate paper covers, easily damaged, lost or torn was sold for only three pence, then Copley's small booklet, sold for one pence must have been even less protected. Luckily this copy has lasted well.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11016

Gouffe. Jules - A compliment to Gouffe's Royal Cookey Book
THE BOOK OF PRESERVES
(LE LIVRE DE CONSERVES) CONTAINING INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRESERVING MEAT, FISH, VEGETABLES, AND FRUIT AND FOR THE PREPARATION OF TERRINES, GALATINES, LIQUERS, SYRUPS, PETITS-FOURS, &C. BY JULES GOUFFE CHEF OF THE PARIS JOCKEY CLUB; AUTHOR OF 'THE ROYAL COOKERY BOOK' TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BY ALPHONSE GOUFFE HEAD PASTRYCOOK TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN Illustrated with 34 Woodcuts LONDON SAMPSON LOW, SON, AND MARSTON CROWN BUILDING, 188 FLEET STREET 1871 (All rights resrved)
FIRST AND SOLE EDITION. 224 X 146 mm. 3feps. [1] Frontispiece portrait of Jules Gouffe. Title page. [1] 1+vi Preface. 1+vii Contents. 1+2-322. 1+324-333. [1] Index to Woodcuts. [1] 3feps. Beautiful modern binding in half dark calf and corners with marbled boards. Spine with raised bands with elaborate gilt and blind tooling, a red and a green label with gilt lettering. Gilt edges to the text block. Externally and internally very clean. A wonderfully handsome copy.
- This book is very scarce and uncommon. Originally published in French under the title 'Le Livre des Conserves' Paris. 1869. Gouffe states in the preface that "The present volume lays no claim to being a complete Cookery book: it is rather the continuation or complement of the one I recently published under the name of the 'Livre de Cuisine' Paris. 1867." (The Royal Cookery Book. First edition in English published London. 1871) Gouffe also published another complimentary book, titled 'The Royal Book of Pastry and Confectionary' London. 1874. (see the previous item #11040). This book has some nice woodcut illustrations throughout the text but none of the wonderful coloured chromo-lithograph plates of the other two books. Contrary to Gouffe's own admission it appears quite complete.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11041

Ude. Louis Eustache - A nice copy in the original state.
The French Cook.
A SYSTEM OF FASHIONABLE AND ECONOMICAL COOKERY, FOR THE USE OF ENGLISH FAMILIES. "True taste is an excellent economist." - Rogers. BY LOUIS EUSTACHE UDE. CO-DEVANT COOK TO LOUIS XVI. AND THE EARL OF SEFTON, AND LATE STEWARD TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF YORK. NINTH EDITION, ENLARGED. LONDON W.H. AINSWORTH, 23, OLD BOND-STREET; SOLD ALSO BY HURST AND CO., ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD; SHERWOOD AND CO., PA-TERNOSTER-ROW; SIMPKIN AND MARSHALL, STATIONERS-HALL-COURT; J. ANDREWS, NEW BOND-STREET; AND W. SAMS, ST JAMES'S-STREET; WILSON AND SONS, YORK; H. MOZELY, DERBY; W. AND W. CLARKE, MANCHESTER; G. AND J. ROBINSON, LIVERPOOL; OLIVER AND BOYD, EDINBURGH; AND WESTLEY AND TYRRELL, DUBLIN. 1827.
210x130 mm. 12p Advertisments. 1fep. (1)Frontispiece portrait of Ude. (drawn from life by Albert Hoffay). Title page. [1] (1)4 Reviews of Ude's book. (1)vi-xxiv Preface. xxv-xxxviii Advice to Cooks. Eight plates numbered 1-8. (1)2-480. (1)482-496 INDEX. 4p Advertisements (2 pages are an Advertisement of Jarrin's 'Italian Confectioner'). 1fep. Original slightly soiled blue cardboard boards and browned paper spine with printed label. Original untrimmed wide margined pages. Feps and frontis very lightly browned, but internally quite clean and bright. The spine is split but still holding. The back board is almost loose but holding. Housed in a beautiful clam-shell case with modern dark brown half calf and marbled boards. Raised bands to spine with gilt dentelles in the compartments. With a red label with gilt lettering. Overall a very nice copy in its original state. Hence the clam-shell box.
- The vain and extravagant Louis Eustache Ude – born in France circa 1769 died 10th April, 1846. He first published in 1813 his important cookbook ‘The French Cook’. Eustache's career in the Kitchen started with his father who had worked in the kitchens of Louis XVI, where he also got Eustache work as an apprentice.". Ude also worked for Napoleon's mother for 2 years. After arriving in England, he was firstly employed by William Philip Molyneux, the 2nd Earl of Sefton at Croxteth Hall. He stayed in service to the Earl, a well-known gourmet, for almost 20 years. Next, for the Duke of York, George III's second son. After the Duke's passing, Ude was taken on as Maitre d’ Hotel at Crockford's famous gaming club for a starting salary of 1200 pounds a year. The owner and founder, William Crockford, had a very interesting and colourful past. Online information has him as a fishmonger in Fleet Street with a sideline in bookmaking and such small-scale swindles as the three-card trick. He mastered whist, piquet, and cribbage, which consequentially made him rich. He also backed horses, and by 1809 he was a familiar figure at the races, which also brought into contact with the rich and famous. In 1816 he bought a quarter-share in a gambling tavern in St. Jame's, but Crockford realized that this tavern could only have a limited success. He knew that the most popular clubs were so because they were selective, and that if he wanted to compete with them he would have to plan on a much grander scale, and go all out to get the top people as members. So after winning a large sum of money (£100,000, according to one story) either at cards or just by running the gambling establishment, he built in 1827 a luxuriously decorated gambling house at 50 St. James's Street in London, also buying four adjoining houses around the corner. To ensure its social exclusiveness, he organized the place as a club with a regular membership. Crockford's Club, as it was called, quickly became the rage; almost every English celebrity from the Duke of Wellington on down hastened to become a member, as did many ambassadors and other distinguished foreigners. Into this refined atmosphere Ude was brought as maitre'd of the club's exquisite restaurant, where he stayed until 1839. His reputation was made. He offered the best food and the best wines, all provided gratis to the clients. Ude was eventually earning a huge salary of £4000 annually for his services – (the equivalent of £371,000 using the GDP deflator up to 2016). On quitting Crockfords, ironically in a dispute over his pay, he was succeeded by the equally famous chef Charles Elme Francatelli. Gambling houses were illegal at this time. Crockford was regularly charged with operating an illegal club but due to his protection in high circles he was never convicted. As a result of these and other investigations in 1844 by a Parliamentary Select Committee, the Gaming Act 1845 came into being, the principle provision of which was to deem a wager unenforceable as a legal contract. This remained in force until 1 September 2007. Crockford made a series of very poor investments and died on 24 May 1844 leaving little of his considerable fortune to his wife Sarah. The fortunes of Crockfords Club also went downhill immediately after his death; the building went through several hands before emerging with a cleansed reputation as the Devonshire Club. Ude’s vanity was so well known he may have been tickled to know that Mrs Beeton (who in her famous book, tried to offer cost effective recipes put together by over 2000 recipe researcher’s) offered only one recipe herself – Ude’s wildly expensive Turtle Soup recipe. It is assumed that the first recipe for soufflé appeared in Vincent La Chapelle’s book ‘Le Cuisinier Moderne, 1742. Actually the word soufflé first appeared in English in Ude’s ‘The French Cook’ 1813. The PRB&M Co. informs us - "Byron swiped the names of many of Ude's dishes for use in canto 15, stanzas 62–74 of “Don Juan,” and indeed two of Ude's suggested course progressions for stanza 63 (see p. 426)" - Fascinating ! He was buried at General Cemetery of All Souls, Kensal Green amongst princes and paupers, the great and the good, the famous and the infamous with over 1500 notable personalities -- including over 550 with entries in the Dictionary of National Biography as well as his great compatriot Alexis Soyer. No doubt he would feel at home.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11055

Beeton. Isabella Mary - The first 'Big Beeton' of 1888.
The Book of Household Management
COMPRISING INFORMATION FOR MISTRESS, HOUSEKEEPER, COOK, KITCHEN-MAID, BUTLER, FOOTMAN, COACHMAN, VALET, UPPER AND UNDER HOUSE-MAIDS, LADY'S MAID, MAID-OF-ALL-WORK, LAUNDRY-MAID, NURSE AND NURSE-MAID, MONTHLY, WET AND SICK NURSES, GOVERNESS. Also Sanitary, Medical, and Legal Memoranda; with a History of the Origin, Properties, and Uses of All Things connected with Home Life and Comfort. BY MRS ISABELLA BEETON. (a single horizontal line) REVISED AND CORRECTED AND GREATLY ENLARGED, (a single small horizontal line) New Coloured Plates and Numerous Full-Page and Other Engraving; SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF NEW RECEIPTS For English, French, German, Italian, American, Australian, and Indian Cookery, New Menus for Breakfasts, Luncheons, Dinners, Teas and Suppers. With much Valuable Information upon Household and Domestic Matters. SEVEN HUNDREDTH THOUSAND. LONDON: WARD, LOCK, AND CO. LIMITED: WARWICK HOUSE, SALISBURY SQUARE, E.C. NEW YORK AND MELBOURNE.
Very thick 8vo. Paste-down and end-paper with Advertisements and on the verso. Half title. [1] Advertisements. Frontispiece folding colour plate of a Dinner Table. Title page.[1] (1)Vi-Viii Preface to the new edition dated 1888. (1)x Preface to the first and second editions. (1)xii General Contents. (1)xiv-xli Analytical Index. xlii-xlvi Index to Illustrations. (1)List of Coloured Plates. (1)List of Full-Page Illustrations. 4p Advertisements. I Folding Colour Plate of a Supper Table. (1)2-1644. 42p Advertisements and on the back paste-down. Original, well preserved ornate gilt lettering and devices on a 1/4 red morocco spine and clean dark green cloth boards. With 13 full page coloured plates and 68 full page illustrations, countless in-text illustrations, this copy is very good, and internally and externally, very clean.
- Ward, Lock & Tyler took over the second edition of 1869 from Samuel Beeton. They knew full well the popularity of Isabella's literary legacy. By 1890 over half a million copies of Beeton's 'The Book of Household Management' had sold with no sign of demand abating, assuring its reputation as the publishing phenomenon of the nineteenth century. From the quintessential Englishness of the early editions, this edition has grown quite universal, with added recipes for French, German, Italian, American, Australian, and Indian Cookery. Also Messrs. Tyler has been dropped from the company name and it is now the famous company 'Ward Lock'. This 1888 volume, considerably thicker than any 'Beeton' published before, is the first of the commonly called 'Big Beetons'. At nearly 3 inches thick it is 3/4 inch thicker than the 1869 edition. As with the second edition, it is also packed with advertisements. One wonders what Isabella, if she had still been alive, would have made of this very different volume from those of the 4 issues of the 1861 first edition that she herself had revised. Never the less, a very handsome copy of a cookery book of continuous interest and high reputation.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11070

CAIRD. JOHN - Caird's progresssive cookery book.
THE COMPLETE CONFECTIONER and FAMILY COOK;
including MANY VALUABLE RECEIPTS, and ample directions for MARKETING, TRUSSING CARVING, &C. the whole being the result of MANY YEARS EXPERIENCE. (a double horizontal line) By J. CAIRD. (a double horizontal line) Illustrated with copperplates and woodcuts. Edinburgh: PRINTED FOR JOHN ANDERSON; AND SOLD BY LONGMAN, HURST, REES, & ORMEE, LONDON and WOGAN & CUMMING, DUBLIN. 1809.
FIRST EDITION: Octavo. 204mm x 120mm. 2 feps. [1] Engraved frontispiece on verso. Tittle page. Verso printer's details. (1)iv-vi Preface. (1)2-445. (1)447-454 Index. 2feps. Text block slightly dusted with original rough paper edges. Some pages have light foxing. Overall in good condition. 7 engraved plates. in-text illustrations. 1/4 size brown leather spine with gilt text and lines. Original paper boards with nice dark brown patina.
- In the Preface, Caird informs that the book is in three parts; the first is Confectionary, the second to Pastry, Baking and Pickling and the third relates to Cookery. It includes many recipes for still popular Scottish sweets, oat cakes, bannocks, shortbread, barley sugar, apple dumplings, and apple fritters, as well as recipes such as macaroni and cheese. John Caird was a grocer and confectioner based in Edinburgh, known for his internationally imported fruits and spices. This work is notable for containing the first known recipe for marmalade ice cream. Also, Caird shows his professionalism by having a separate and precise ingredient list attached to recipess, albeit in large quantities, which no doubt reflects his shop production rather than being geared just for the housewife. A good copy of a very scarce book.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11104

Soyer. Alexis Benoit
The Pantropheon
OR, HISTORY OF FOOD, And its Preparation, FROM THE EARLIEST AGES OF THE WORLD. BY A. SOYER, AUTHOR OF " The Gastronomic Regenerator" and the " Modern Housewife, or Menagere, " &c. EMBELLISHED WITH FORTY-TWO STEEL PLATES, ILLUSTRATING THE GREATEST GASTRONOMIC MARVELS OF ANTIQUITY. LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, &CO., STATIONERS' HALL COURT. MDCCCLIII. The Author reserves his right of Translating this Work.
FIRST & SOLE EDITION of 1853. 8vo. Frontispiece of Soyer. Title Page with some gilt lettering and gilt borders. (vii-xvi) Contents. [1-3] 4-474. p1. 'Advertisements' p1. 'Authors Note' 1 fep. 39 full page plus 2 double page Illustrations. The pastedown and end-papers are marbled. Bound in dark brown half calf with marble boards. Spine with raised bands, blind tooled square compartments, gilt lettering directly onto the spine. Very clean internally however very slight foxing, particularly to p.406-407. Overall a very nice copy of a very scarce book.
- There are serious doubts about the true author of 'The Panthropheon.' In Petits Propos Culinaires Vol: 29, p18. the late Mike McKirdy (a very knowledgeable antiquarian cookery book dealer, and co-owner with his wife Tess of 'Cooks Books') puts forward a compelling case for Adolphe Duhart-Fauvet to be awarded posthumous credit as the author. In the online Food Encyclopedia 'Practically Edible' it states -- "The Pantropheon is credited to Alexis, but it was in fact mostly written by a M. Adolphe Duhart-Fauvet. Soyer allowed his name to be used as the author, though he wrote only the last chapter." Mike McKirdy rightly suggests, Soyer's reputation does not rest alone on the Pantropheon, but due to his numerous and varied activities by which his huge fame grew, it is an interesting sidenote.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 10955

Soyer. Alexis Benoit Very rare.
A Handwritten Letter signed by Soyer.
Headed Reform Club. Wed 4th. 1949. With a small cut-out of Soyer's portrait tipped in. The letter states -- Dr Sir In accordance with your wishes I beg to enclose the [??] taken from my Gastronomic Regenerator. Yours Sincerely A. Soyer.
The letter is one sheet of paper folded in half. The beautiful cursive script (not in Soyer's hand but probably by one of his secretaries, although signed by Soyer) is on the outside fold and on the inside is a tipped-in clip from a newspaper describing an illustrious dinner provided by Soyer for five or six hundred guests at the Chancellor-House, Hammersmith. (It provides a very flattering account of some grand dishes served. Knowing Soyer's famous penchant for self-promotion, there is a good possibility the newspaper article was attached by Soyer himself.) The letter is housed in a neat marbled, cardboard folder with a handwritten label on the front cover. A very rare item
- Alexis Soyer 1810 - 1858. The great chef of the Reform Club, Pall Mall, London. Author of eight major books on Cookery and Gastronomy, an inventor, especially of the magic and field stoves, a manufacturer of his range of sauces and relishes, and unceasing self-publicist. He led an extremely productive professional life and was famous for his newly designed Kitchens at the Reform Club, also noted for his work in the Crimea in the hospitals at Scutari and his soup kitchens in Ireland during the great famine. Refusing the urgings of his friends to rest, it was small wonder when he died burnt out at the age of 48. Despite what should have been a lucrative arrangement with Messrs Crosse and Blackwell, he left only £1500 at his death. A rum distiller called David Hart succeeded in taking all the cash and Soyer's personal papers in lieu of an unpaid debt. He destroyed all the papers and notes. Because of that short-sighted and selfish action, any signed or manuscript notes in Soyer's hand are exremely rare.

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Ephemera category

ref number: 10990

Senn C. Herman - The best edition.
Practical Gastronomy
AND CULINARY DICTIONARY WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED 'RECHERCHE COOKERY" UP-TO-DATE DESCRIPTIONS of the FOLLOWING BRANCHES -- HORS-D'OEUVRES, SOUPS, DRESSED FISH, ENTREES, REMOVES, SAUCES, ROASTS, SECOND COURSE DISHES, VEGETABLES, SALADS, SWEETS, AND SAVOURIES. Sketches and Quotations of Culinary Literature. A COMPLETE MENU COMPILER AND REGISTER OF MOST KNOWN DISHES IN ENGLISH AND FRENCH. WITH PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE SAME. THIRD EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED BY CHARLES HERMAN SENN. INSPECTING AND CONSULTING CHEF DU CUISINE, NATIONAL TRAINING SCHOOL OF COOKERY, DISTINGUISHED WITH THE GRAND DECORATION OF "LE CORDON ROUGE" GOLD MEDALLIST AND MEMBER OF THE ACADEMIE DE CUISINE, PARIS. Published by SPOTTISWOODE & CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE, LONDON. [1895]
Very thick 8vo. 17.5 X 11.5cm. Black paste-downs and end-papers. 1fep. Half Title with illustration on verso of 'Cornet of Nougat' [1] Frontispiece printed in brown. Title page with top illustration of 4 fairies working in a kitchen. (The punctuation on the title page is inconsistent: a single quotation-mark precedes, and double marks follow 'Recherche Cookery') [1] 3-6 Preface. 7-10 Contents. 11-916. 917-926 Index. 1-9 Advertisements. 9 plates printed in brown. Many in text illustrations. Modern half black calf with marbled boards and calf corners. Raised bands with beautiful gilt lines, dots and dentelles. With two calf labels, red and green with gilt writing. A pristine copy with very slight foxing on the half title and back of frontispiece.
- Charles Herman Senn, born in Lirstal, Switzerland,1864, died at his desk at 110 Victoria Street, London on 18th October 1934. He was a prolific writer of cookery books. Driver lists thirty two separate titles with one hundred and forty three various editions. Driver states; "Considering Senn's stature in the culinary world and his remarkable output of cookery books, it is odd that there is no authoritative biography or evaluation of the man and his work. The richest source of information is LCoF which owns Senn's library. Most significant in the collection are Senn's working copies of his own books marked up with changes for subsequent editions. Also in the collection are review copies signed by their authors and sent to Senn for his comments, which as a group present a picture of the cookery-book publishing world of the time with an immediacy not found in the copyright libraries." This third edition of Senn's 'Practical Gastronomy' is considered the best and the scarcest and the most appreciated by collectors and chefs. This edition had the chapter 'Recherche cookery' added. This increased the book to 806 numbered recipes, in turn creating a very thick tome and a fascinating read.

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Antiquarian category

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