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Copley. Esther
THE COOK'S COMPLETE GUIDE,
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF Frugality, Comfort, and Elegance INCLUDING THE ART OF CARVING, AND THE MOST APPROVED METHOD OF SETTING OUT A TABLE EXPLAINED BY NUMEROUS COPPER-PLATE ENGRAVINGS, INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRESERVING HEALTH, AND ATTAINING OLD AGE; WITH DIRECTIONS FOR BREEDING AND FATTENING ALL SORTS OF POULTRY, AND FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BEES, RABBITS, PIGS &c. &c. RULES FOR CULTIVATING A GARDEN, AND NUMEROUS USEFUL MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. a line. BY A LADY, AUTHORESS OF "COTTAGE COMFORTS" a line. London: GEORGE VIRTUE, 26, IVY LANE, PATERNOSTER ROW.
FIRST EDITION. n/d Circa 1827. Thick 8vo. 222 x 148 x 50mm. 2 feps. 1p with ink Inscription from an aunt dated 1843. Frontispiece of a lady displaying meat, fish and vegetables. An first elaborate Title Page (The New London Cookery by a Lady). [1] Title Page. [1] 2p Contents. (1)-iv Preface. (3)4 - 812. 813 Addenda. (1)815 - 838 Index. 1fep. 5 Engraved plates in Text. Title page slightly age browned. Both title pages with small smudge not affecting text. Text Block very clean. Nicely bound with 1/4 light tan calf. Spine with raised bands and gilt lines. Dark brown label with gilt lettering. Boards with marbled paper and tan calf corners. Overall well preserved.
- This is a very comprehensive thick book with a huge 38 page Index. It is one of the many thick books of the time, all produced with similar layouts and abundant details. When they are all seen together, one is struck by how Beeton's Household Management of 1861, although some-what similar to the others, broke the mould with colour plates and better designed formatting. Hence its huge popularity. This book's title page proclaims the un-named Authoress (Esther Copley) to be the same as for the relatively small 'Cottage Comforts' (see item 10930 above). She also wrote one other small book titled 'Cottage Cookery' (see item 11016 below). Published and printed by Gorge Virtue this was a contracted work "by a Lady" that was subtly attributed to Copley to increase sales. We can be sure of this because the two "Cottage" books previously mentioned are clearly declared on the title pages as written by her. I'm sure she would wish the attribution of this book to her was also stated just as clearly.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11258

Francatelli. Charles Elme - The rare first edition
The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant;
A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON ENGLISH AND FOREIGN COOKERY IN ALL ITS BRANCHES; CONTAINING PLAIN DIRECTIONS FOR PICKLING AND PRESERVING VEGETABLES, FRUITS, GAME, &C, The Curing of Hams and Bacon; THE ART OF CONFECTIONARY AND ICE-MAKING, AND THE ARRANGEMENT OF DESSERTS. WITH VALUABLE DIRECTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF PROPER DIET FOR INVALIDS; ALSO FOR A VARIETY OF WINE-CUPS; AND EPICUREAN SALADS,AMERICAN DRINKS, AND SUMMER BEVERAGES. BY CHARLES ELME FRANCATELLI. PUPIL OF THE CELEBRATED CAREME, AND MAITRE-D'HOTEL AND CHIEF COOK TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. AUTHOR OF "THE MODERN COOK" WITH UPWARDS OF FORTY ILLUSTRATIONS. LONDON; RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1861. (Right of Translation is Reserved)
FIRST EDITION. 1861. 1fep. Frontispiece with light water stains and slight foxing. Title page.[1] 1+iv-vi Preface. a2 Postscript.[1] 1+viii Illustrations. 1+x-xx Contents. 1+2-452. 1+454-484 Bills of Fare. 1+486-488 Glossary. 1+490-512 Index. p22 of very interesting Advertisements on pink paper. 1fep. Two plates of Appetisers facing pages 114 and 130 . Original bottle green cloth boards with blind tooling and a neatly relaid and slightly darkened original cloth spine with blind tooling and gilt writing. The guttering has been strengthened. With twenty nine in-text and two full page illustrations. A very nice copy in the original state.
- Despite his name and his French training, Charles Elmé Francatelli was English by nationality. He wrote several important cookbooks, and held in succession three of the most prestigious cooking positions in England at that time. Francatelli, of Italian ancestry, was born in London in 1805, but grew up in France. There, he learnt cooking, getting a diploma from the Parisian College of Cooking, and working under the great French chef Marie Antonin Carême. (Some sense of Careme's grand influence can be seen in this book from p197 where in-text illustrations, of Pates, Timbales, Chartreuses, Mazarines and Croustades etc. enhance the recipes.) Upon his return to England, he worked for various places and people of distinction; such as Rossie Priory and Chesterfield House; As 'Chef de Cuisine' for the Earl of Chesterfield; At Chislehurst in Kent for Sir Herbert Jenner-Fust; At the Coventry House Club; He also cooked for the Earl of Errol. On February 4th 1839, he started as 'Chef de Cuisine' at Crockford's Club in London, taking over from the previous chef Louis Eustache Ude, who had just quit in a salary dispute at the start of February. (Disraeli didn't think much of Francatelli's chances at following in Ude's footsteps, but time was to prove him wrong.) He didn't stay at Crockford's long, though; by 1840 or 1841, he started work for Queen Victoria as Maitre d'Hotel and 'Chief Cook in Ordinary' at Windsor, staying there for four years. In 1845, he published his book "The Modern Cook." in England and in America the following year. The book sold well on both sides of the Atlantic. In it, he advocated two courses for meals -- a savoury followed by dessert, which is still mostly the norm today. In 1850, he then became 'Chef de Cuisine' at the Reform Club, taking over from Alexis Soyer, who had resigned in May of that year. Francatelli worked there with distinction for seven years. In 1852, he got the food company Brown and Polson to be a sponsor of his very rare little book, "A Plain Cookery-Book for the Working Classes". In return, he gave Brown and Polson space for a large advertisement at the back of the book, and mentioned their products by name in several of his recipes. In 1861 he published this book, "The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant", which became the book of reference for any well-managed household. His last job was at the Freemasons' Tavern in London. He died on 10 August 1876 at Eastbourne, England. The Times ran an obituary for him on 19 August 1876 titled "An Illustrious Chef" (page 4 of that day's paper.) As a small footnote, it is known that a younger cousin of his, whom he never met, Laura Mabel Francatelli (c. 1880 or 1881 - 2 June 1967), survived the Titanic. She was travelling as secretary to Lady (Lucy) Duff-Gordon, a fashion designer at the time, who also used a sister of Laura, Phyllis Francatelli, as a model.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11028

Francatelli. Charles Elme - In amazing original condition.
The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant;
A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON ENGLISH AND FOREIGN COOKERY IN ALL ITS BRANCHES; CONTAINING PLAIN INSTRUCTIONS FOR PICKLING AND PRESERVING VEGETABLES, FRUITS, GAME, &C, The Curing of Hams and Bacon; THE ART OF CONFECTIONARY AND ICE-MAKING, AND THE ARRANGEMENT OF DESSERTS. WITH VALUABLE DIRECTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF PROPER DIET FOR INVALIDS; ALSO FOR A VARIETY OF WINE-CUPS; AND EPICUREAN SALADS, AMERICAN DRINKS, AND SUMMER BEVERAGES. BY CHARLES ELME FRANCATELLI. PUPIL OF THE CELEBRATED CAREME, SEVEN YEARS CHEF DE CUISINE TO THE REFORM CLUB, AND MAITRE-D'HOTEL AND CHIEF COOK TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. AUTHOR OF "THE MODERN COOK" WITH UPWARDS OF FORTY ILLUSTRATIONS. FIFTY-THIRD THOUSAND. LONDON; RICHARD BENTLEY & SON, NEW BURLINGTON STREET, PUBLISHERS IN ORDINARY TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. 1884. (ALL Right Reserved)
175x125mm. 1fep. [1] Frontispiece. Title page with tissue guard. [1] (1)iv-vi Preface. (1)viii Illustrations.(1)x-xx Contents. (1)2-463. [1] 465-496 Bills of Fare. 497-500 Glossary. 501-524 Index. 1fep. Fully bound in pristine original chocolate brown cloth with ornamental black tooling all over and bright gilt writing on the spine. Speckled edges. In extra fine condition, almost as new, with very slight foxing on the frontis.
- Charles Elmé Francatelli was English by nationality. He wrote several important cookbooks, and held one of the most prestigious cooking positions in England at that time. In 1840 or 1841, he started work for Queen Victoria as Maitre d'Hotel and 'Chief Cook in Ordinary' at Windsor, staying there for four years. This is a late edition of Francatelli's 'Cook's Guide' which are not uncommon. What makes this copy so desirable is the remarkable original condition. What one wonders when seeing this book, is where has it been kept for the last 125 years. A fine collector's item or very nice present.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11145

Kitchiner. William - Very handsome copy with Kitchiner letter.
THE COOK'S ORACLE:
CONTAINING RECEIPTS FOR PLAIN COOKERY ON THE MOST ECONOMICAL PLAN FOR PRIVATE FAMILIES, ALSO THE ART OF COMPOSING THE MOST SIMPLE, AND MOST HIGHLY FINISHED Broths, Gravies, Soups, Sauces, Store Sauces, AND FLAVOURING ESSENCES: opy.The Quantity of each Article is ACCURATELY STATED BY WEIGHT AND MEASURE: THE WHOLE BEING THE RESULT OF Actual Experiments INSTITUTED IN THE KITCHEN OF A PHYSICIAN. “Miscuit utile dulci.” The Fourth Edition. TO WHICH ARE ADDED, ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY NEW RECEIPTS, FOR PASTRY, PRESERVES, PUDDINGS, AND An Easy, Certain, and Economical, Process for preparing PICKLES, By which they will be ready in a Fortnight, and remain good for years. THE WHOLE REVISED BY THE AUTHOR OF “THE ART OF INVIGORATING LIFE BY FOOD, &c.” LONDON; PRINTED FOR A.CONSTABLE & Co. CHEAPSIDE. And sold also by all Booksellers in Town and Country. 1822. 2nd ITEM: 127 X 187mm. Autograph Letter signed By Kitchiner. Folded and addressed and written in a light ink cursive script. Dated DEcember 20th 1824
ITEM 1: 8vo. 2fep. Title page. [1] 1p Contents. Verso Advertisement for ‘The Art of Prolonging Life’. (1)vi-xviii Preface to the third and fourth editions. (1)2-36 Introduction. (1)39-526. (1)528-544 Index. 545 Farewell to the reader. [1] 2fep. Modern French binding. Half light fawn calf with marbled boards. Raised bands with very good intricate gilt tooling in the compartments and raised bands. A dark blue morocco label with gilt lettering. All edges yellow. Internally exceptionally clean. ITEM 2: A personal letter 1.5 pages with folds and conjugate blank and address panel. A very handsome desirable copy especially with the signed Kitchiner letter.
- Various editions of Kitchiner's classic are fairly common. Exceptional copies such as this one are very uncommon. The letter is for Kitchiners son's tutor Hasting Robinson of St.Johns College, Cambridge, on the care of his only son and mentioning his cookery book, 'The Cook's Oracle'.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11129

Dolby Richard - The best edition.
THE COOK’S DICTIONARY, AND HOUSEKEEPER’S DIRECTORY:
A NEW FAMILY MANUAL OF COOKERY AND CONFECTIONARY, ON A PLAN OF READY REFERENCE NEVER HITHERTO ATTEMPTED. BY RICHARD DOLBY, LATE COOK AT THE THACHED HOUSE TAVERN, ST. JAMES’S STREET. NEW EDITION, CARFULLY REVISED; INCLUDING NUMEROUS NEW RECIEPTS, THE MOST APPROVED MODERN BILLS OF FARE, AND FASHIONABLE PLANS FOR LAYING OUT THE TABLE. LONDON: HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. [a small single line] 1833.
223 x 143 mm. 3rd Edition. 1fep. [1] Frontispiece. Title page. Half-title. [3] [1] 2p Advertisement to first and second editions. [1] 7p. Table layouts in Green. 4p. Bills of Fare. (1)2-552. 2p. Explanation. 7 p. Articles in Season. [1] 2p. Opinions of the press. 2feps. Frontispiece and title page slightly dusty. Text block slightly age browned. Half crimson calf with crimson tips and marbled paper. Spine with raised bands, gilt text and dentelles in the compartments.
- An interesting and alphabetically arranged presentation of early nineteenth century English domestic cuisine, compiled by chef Richard Dolby of the Thatched-House Tavern on St. James Street. At the time his book was a popular domestic reference. It contains several thousand entries and many recipes for cooking, baking, and brewing that had never before appeared in print. Featuring a glossary of cooking terms, and a number of alphabetical tables listing fish, crustaceans, fowl, fruit and vegetables when in season. First published in 1830 with a second edition appearing in 1832 and this last one printed in 1833 and also being the fullest and best edition. In researching the book, I came across a site online called ‘Grammerphobia’, described as Grammar, etymology, usage, and more, brought to you by Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman. It had an article entitled “Who put the Duck in Duck Sauce”. Following the logic of the question from Chinese recipes to Chinese American Cuisine to the classic French cooking, the question of the classic Duck Sauce Bigerade came about. It went on to explain; “One recipe for roast duckling appears under three names; Usually known as Duckling with Orange sauce or Duckling à l’Orange or Duckling à la Bigarade. Bigarade originally meant the orange itself, but in the 19th century it also came to mean a sauce made with bigarade oranges, served particularly with Roast Duck. Oxford’s first citation for the word used in this sense is from an 1833 edition of The Cook’s Dictionary, and House-Keeper’s Directory, by Richard Dolby. A recipe in the book for fillets of wild duck à l’orange advises; Arrange them in a dish, and serve with bigarade sauce under them. The sauce calls for the rind of a Seville orange. It also says that wild ducks should be fresh. If not fresh, on opening the beak they will smell disagreeable”. In researching Carrot Cake as well, I discovered the recipe in Richard Dolby’s book is an almost exact copy of the recipe ‘Gateaux de Carottes’ from ‘The Art of French Cookery’ written in 1827 by the famous French Chef A.B. Beauvillier’s. One wonders how many other recipes in Dolby’s book have been plagiarised. Further research is needed. --- Axford p.98. Bitting p.126. Oxford p. 164. Cagle p. 457.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11240

Le Hardy. William - A fascinating account of Royal Coronations, Pagentry and Banquet.
THE CORONATION BOOK.
THE HISTORY AND MEANING OF THE CEREMONIES AT THE CROWNING OF THE KING AND QUEEN. by William Le Hardy M.C., B.A., F.S.A. HARDY & RECKITT 3 Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn. London W.C.2. 1937.
SOLE EDITION. 250 x 190 mm. Inside cover & opposite fep - Illustrations of ceremonial Swords, Sceptres and Rods. Verso of fep Contents and Illustrations. [1] 2 page each with Photograph of George V1 and Queen Elizabeth in Coronation Robes. [1] Title page. Verso. 7- 10 Introduction. 11 -23 The Officers. 24 - 30 The Processions. 31 - 38 The Regalia. 39 - 51 The Service 52 - 61 The Banquet. Opposite page fep & Inside cover - Illustrations of ceremonial Swords, Sceptres and Rods. There are 11 large Illustrations in total. The others are: George 1V's Proclamation. 1820. The procession of Charles 11 from the Tower. 1661. The procession of Edward V1. 1547. The procession of George 1V to Westminster Abbey. 1821. The Regalia. The Procession of James 11 to Westminster Abbey. 1686. The Crowning of James 11. 1685. Queen Victoria Receiving Holy Communion. The Banquet. The entry of the King's Champion. Full binding of cream coloured cloth with black writing. The duct-wrapper cream coloured thick paper. The front cover with small half stain at the bottom and very slight age browned. ITEM # 2. Enclosed is a folded four page strong paper programme issued by the Reform Club, Pall Mall for the Royal Procession commemoration of the sixtieth year of the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. 22nd June 1897.
- This book is fascinating even if your interest is not culinary. Going as far back as 1547 with the Procession of Edward the 1V, this book provides a large insight into the incredible protocols that have become embedded over the centuries into Royal Pageantry. The attached pamphlet for Queen Victoria's Royal Procession detailing the huge numbers of VIPs, officers of state, institutions, army personnel, Palace Carriages, Landaus, staff, & bands is staggering. Leaving Victoria Embankment at 8.45 am via the Mall & Constitution Hill, the organisation needed to keep the procession up to the absolute standard required, and befitting the Queen's status, demanded that everyone involved responded equally. This was not difficult. Centuries of privilege and position within the Royal circles and because of the strong blue thread running through the fabric of the highest levels of the English aristocracy. The great families and estates, the Knights, Earls and Dukes and the absolute fealty to the Monarchy, handed down from one generation to another, keeping the Royal Crown intact and also those who served it steadfastly. The gastronomic interest is the absorbing chapter 5 in the book. It starts at the end of chapter 4, where we learn that the last great Royal Coronation Banquet at Westminster Hall was the Coronation of William 1V on 26th June 1830. Thereafter the Royal Banquets took place at Buckingham Palace. The coronation banquet highlighted in the book is that held for James 11 1685. (see pic. 5 below and item # 11024 on this site for the original commemoration book, published by Francis Sandford; 1687). We are informed of the astounding amount of dishes consumed, composing of all edible game birds, fowl, meats, fish and shellfish. One small snippet amazes; for 334 guests at the banquet for George 1V, 7000 lb Beef, 20,000 lb of Mutton and 1610 Chickens. that does not include the fish, shellfish and vegetables. To wash it down 920 dozen bottles of wine plus 100 barrels of beer. No wonder a huge fast before such a banquet was 'de rigueur'. This wonderful book will surprise and amaze.

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Modern category

ref number: 11272

Bradley. Richard
THE Country Housewife
AND LADY’S DIRECTOR, For every Month of the Year, BOTH IN THE Frugal Management of a House, and in the Delights and Profits of a FARM. CONTAINING The Whole Art of Cookery, LAID DOWN IN A great Variety of the Best and Cheapest Receipts for Dressing all Sorts of Flesh, Fish, Fowl, Fruits, and Herbs, which are the Productions of a Farm, or any foreign Parts. LIKEWISE The best Methods to be observed in Brewing Malt Liquors, and Making the several Sorts of English Wines. THE Arts of Pickling, Preserving, Confectionary, Pastry, &c. &c. Together with a few of the Most approved and efficacious Medicines, proper to be kept in every private Family. Published for the Good of the Public. By R. BRADLEY. Professor of Botany in the University of Cambridge, and Fellow of the Royal Society. The Sixth Edition. With great Additions and Improvements. LONDON: Printed for W.Bristow, the West-End of St.Paul's Cathederal, and C.Ethrington, at York. 1762.
12mo. 1fep. Title page.[1] 4p Introduction 'To the Ladies' 1+2-328. Monthly Dishes 329-343. Index 344-352. 1fep. Fully bound in original dark tan tree calf. With a re-laid spine with gilt lines and red and green labels with gilt lettering. With a nice patina. Internally nice and clean.
- Richard Bradley. 1688 – 1732, was a Professor of Botany at Cambridge. He was a prolific writer and his book ‘The Country Housewife’ is an eclectic mix of subjects, besides the usual chapters found in an eighteenth century cookery book. There is even an interesting section on the drying of Saffron. Bradley’s reputation in academic circles was severely besmirched in a very acrimonious and public dispute with Patrick Blair, an ambitious Scottish physician and fellow of the Royal Society. Whenever any bibliographical reference to Bradley is brought up, the dispute is part of his file. Whatever Bradley's reputation, his book ‘The Country Housewife’ is a very scarce and uncommon item, much sought after by collectors

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11039

Ellis. W. [William]
The Country Housewife's Family Companion:
Profitable Directions for whatever relates to the Management and good Economy of the Domestick Concerns of a Country Life, According to the Present Practice of the Country Gentlemen's, the Yeoman's, the Farmer's. &c. Wives, in the Counties of Hereford, Bucks, and other parts of England: SHEWING How great Savings may be made in Housekeeping: And wherein, among many others, The following Heads are particularly treated of and explained: 1. The Preservation and Improve-ments of Wheat, Barley, Rye, Oats, and other Meals; with Directions for making several Sorts of Bread, Cakes, Puddings, Pies, &c. 11. Frugal Management of Meats, Fruits, Roots, and all Sorts of Herbs; best Methods of Cookery; and a cheap Way to make Soups, Sauces, Gruels, &c. 111. Directions for the Farm Yard; with the best Method of increasing all Sorts of Poultry, as Turkies, Geese, Ducks, Fowls, &c. 1V. The best Way to breed and fatten Hogs; sundry curious an dcheap Methods of preparing Hogs Meat; Directions for curing Bacon, Brawn, pickled Pork, Hams, &c. with the Management of Sows and Pigs. V. The best Method of making Butter and Cheese, with several curious Particulars containing the whole Management of the Dairy. V1. The several Ways of making good Malt; with Directions for brewing good Beer, Ale, &c. With variety of Curious Matters, Wherein are contained frugal Method for victualling Harvest-men, Ways to destroy all Sorts of Vermin, the best Manner of suckling and fattening Calves, Prescriptions for curing all Sorts of Distempers in Cattle, with Variety of curious Receits for Pickling, Preserving, Distilling, &c. The Whole founded on near thirty years Experience by W. Ellis, Farmer, at Little Gaddesden, near Hempsted, Hertfords. LONDON: Printed for James Hodges, at the Looking-glass, facing St. Magnus Church, London-Bridge; and B. Collins, Bookseller, at Salisbury. 1750.
FIRST & SOLE EDITION: 8vo. 200x134mm. 1fep. [1] Frontispiece of rural farmyard. Title page. [1] (1)ii Preface. (1)iv-x Introduction.(1)2-379. 19p Contents. 2p Advertisements. 1fep. 4 pages of the contents with the bottom corner missing with no loss. It appears that it may have been bound as is. It has the original full brown calf with a lovely patina. The spine with raised bands with gilt lines and a double gilt line bordering the boards. With a red label and gilt lettering. With the bookplate of Mary Chadsey. Internally very clean. A wonderful copy.
- This is a very interesting and unusually well written book of recipes, many unusual country anecdotes and advice about farm animals. There are also long sections on brewing and distilling, and more about bread and grain cookery. Oxford also mentions the medical receipts, "many of the usual filthy nature". MacLean states it is of "special interest, namely the fact it is firmly based on experience in a given region - Essex and the country round about. It is one of the eighteenth-century books which convey a feeling of direct communication and of confidence that the author invariably knew what he was talking about". William Ellis lived and farmed at Little Gaddesden in Hertfordshire, although he was originally a London brewer. (His only other book on domestic economy was indeed about brewing.) He wrote several books of husbandry - and was famous enough to be visited by the Swedish traveller Per KaIm, who was shocked to find that Hertfordshire menfolk looked after the cattle and the women did very little indeed except prepare food, 'which they commonly do very well, though roast beef and puddings form nearly all an Englishman's eatables'. He obviously had not read this book by Ellis. Cagle, p469; Axford, p102; Bitting, p143; Oxford, p79; MacLean, p43; Simon BG, p588.

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11082

Borella. Mr - Very scarce.
THE COURT AND COUNTRY CONFECTIONER:
OR, THE House-Keeper’s Guide; to a more speedy, plain, and familiar method of understanding the whole art of confectionary, pastry, distilling, and the making of fine flavoured English wines from all kinds of fruits, herbs, flowers; comprehending near four hundred and fifty easy receipts, never before made known. PARTICULARY, Preserving. Carving. Icing Transparent Marmalade, Orange, Pine-Apple, Pistachio, and other Rich Creams. Caramel. Pastils. Bomboons. Puff, Spun, and Fruit –Pastes. Light Biscuits. Puffs. Rich Seed-Cakes. Custards. Flummeries. Trifles. Whips. Fruits. and other Jellies. -- Pickles, &c. ALSO New and easy directions for clarifying the different degrees of sugar, together with several bills of fare of deserts for private gentlemen’s families. To which is added, A dissertation on the different special of fruits, and the art of distilling simple waters, cordials, perfumed oils, essences. By an Mr Borella, now head confectioner to the Spanish Ambassador in England. LONDON. Printed for G. RILEY, at his Circulating Library, Curzon-street, Mayfair; J. BELL in the Strand; J. Wheble, Pater-noster-row; and C. Etherington, at York. M.DCC.LXXII.
8vo. 2fep. Title Page. [1] (1)ii Dedication. (1)2-3 Author's Address. [1] (1)ii-xxiii(1) Contents. (1}2-271. [1] [1]2-46 Distillery. 1fep. A pleasing copy lightly age-browned throughout. Full contemporary calf with a nice patina. Double blind-tooled lines around the boards. The spine with single gilt lines and a red label. With the bookplate of Mary Chadsey on the front paste-down. An extremely scarce cookery book that rarely shows up on the market.
- This is the 2nd issue of the second edition with a different title page. The first issue has "A New Edition" added on the title page. Apparently this is the edition that first identifies Borella as the author. From Ivan Day's very interesting web-site 'Historical Food' I have copied the following extract --"Although they had been known in England since the 1670's, ices were popularised by French and Italian confectioners who set up shops in London and a few other cities in the 1760's. Some varieties that are fashionable in modern times, such as brown bread and pistachio, actually date from this period. The first English recipes for these two flavours appear in a confectionery text of 1770. In the same book are recipes for ices made with elderflowers, jasmine, white coffee, tea, pineapple, barberries and a host of other tempting and unusual flavours. Although this book was published anonymously, we only learn from the second edition of 1772 that the author was called Mr. Borella, and that he was confectioner to the Spanish ambassador. His little work The Court and Country Confectioner was aimed at instructing English housekeepers in the mysteries of making the sort of high class confectionery that was fashionable in court circles on the continent. Although there had been earlier English cookery books that offered a few ice cream recipes, Borella's work was the first to give really clear instructions on making these novel and prestigious delicacies. One example was the recipe for elder-flavoured muscadine ice. Borella also suggests a variant on this recipe, which is made with white currant ice rather than lemon water ice. This unusual combination is actually one of the most spectacular ices of all time and demonstrates just how inventive the eighteenth century confectioner could be". ---- Mr Borella's book of confectionery is quite a comprehensive list of contemporary recipes similar to those of Frederick Nutt, 'The Complete Confectioner' 1789, and Hannah Glasse's 'Compleat Confectioner' of the same date as Borella's book. A check of the recipes show a lot of similarity but three unusual recipes catch the attention. First from Borella p188, comes a confusing recipe called "Burgundy Wine Ice cream". that starts with spices and milk boiled with rice to thicken and then added again to more milk and then to thicken with beaten egg white, strew with sugar and browned under the salamander: No wine and hot as well - Hmmm !!. Next from Hannah Glasse a very intriguing recipe for "Preserved Samphire" p73, that calls for the sea vegetable to be boiled in syrup and then dried with more sugar strewn on top and allowed to dry completely. I imagine quite an odd taste sensation similar to the astringency of Japanese Omeboshi plums, albeit, with the naturally salty samphire probably a little sweeter. The most unlikely recipe has to go to Frederick Nutt. p125, He tries to entice us with a basic ice cream recipe similar to 'Creme Anglaise' (a cooked egg custard sauce) to which Parmesan Cheese is added before freezing. One feels a prudent need to comment rather than volunteer to taste. Simon, Cagle and Bitting all record a first edition. Maclean has this copy for G. Riley [&c.].

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Antiquarian category

ref number: 11151

Massialot. Francois - The very rare 1st English edition.
THe Court and Country Cook:
GIVING New and Plain Directions How to Order all manner of ENTERTAINMENTS, And the best sort of the Most exquisite a-la-mode Ragoo's Yogether with NEW INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONFECTIONERS: SHEWING How to Preserve all sorts of Fruits, as well dry as liquid: Also, How to make divers Sugar-works, and other fine Pieces of Curiosity; How to set out a Desert, or Banquet of Sweet-meats to the best advantage; And, How to prepare several sorts of Liquors, that are proper for every Season of the Year. A WORK more especially necessary for Stewards, Clerks of the Kitchen, Confectioners, Butlers and other Officers, and also of great use in private Families. Faithfully translated out of French into English by J.K. London: Printed by W.Onley, for A. and J.Churchill, at the Black Swan in Pater-noster-row, and M.Gillyflower in Westminster-hall. 1702.
FIRST ENGLISH EDITION. 12mo. 1fep. Title page with double lined border. [1] 5p Preface. 3p Table of Entertainments. 7p A Table. 14p A General Table. [1] 4p Preface to the Reader. 2p Contents of instructions to Confectioners. 1p Contents of instructions for Liquors. 8p A Table. [1] 8 Engraved plates of set tables. 1-276. 1-130 New Instructions for Confectioners (with 2 in-text engravings on P126 & 128). 1-20 New Instructions for Liquors. 2feps. Original full dark calf boards with fillet design very slightly rubbed on corners. Sympathetically re-backed with dark brown calf, gilt lines with brown label with gilt writing. In good condition with some worming up to the end of the tables. Overall a good copy of the very rare first edition.
- This is a translation into English of Massialot’s two famous books. Firstly his best; 'Nouveau cuisinier royal et bourgeois' first appeared in French, anonymously, as a single volume in 1691, and was expanded to two in 1712, then three volumes in a revised edition of 1733-34. His lesser cookbook, 'Nouvelle instruction pour les confitures', also appeared anonymously in French, in 1692. In an article online by Douglas Muster titled ‘The Origins and History of Meringue’, he informs – “François Massialot, the first chef of Louis XIV (1638 - 1715), published the recipe for a beaten and baked egg white and sugar confection he called meringue in a cook book published in 1692. In his book, Massialot dubs, what he calls “... a little sugar-work, very pretty and very easy ... can be made in a moment ...”. As Massialot’s book was translated and published into English by 1702, strangely, the citation in the Oxford English Dictionary for the first use of the term meringue in English is 1706. Although Massialot’s recipe for a baked beaten egg white and sugar confection was not the earliest, it appears it is embedded firmly in French and English and phonetic variations in other languages; Spain: merengue. Germany: meringe. Italy: meringa” - 8th century. Massialot also had the first printed recipe for Burnt Cream (Creme Brulee). This translation of Massialot's important books is among the scarcest and hardest to find. There are no translated copies recorded in any of the great collections that have come up for auction.

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Antiquarian category

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