The Professed Cook
OR, THE MODERN ART OF Cookery, Pastry, and Confectionary, MADE PLAIN AND EASY. Consisting of the most approved Methods in the FRENCH as well as ENGLISH COOKERY. IN WHICH The French Names of all the different Dishes are given and explained, whereby every Bill of Fare becomes intelligible and familiar. CONTAINING --- [Chapters I. to XXII] INCLUDING A TRANSLATION OF LES SOUPERS DE LA COUR; WITH THE Addition of the best Receipts which have ever appeared in the French or English Languages, and adapted to the London Markets. BY B. CLERMONT. Who has been many Years Clerk of the Kitchen in someof the first Families of this Kingdom, and lately to the Right Hon. the Earl of ABINGDON. The THIRD EDITION, revised and much enlarged. LONDON: Printed for W. DAVIS, in Picadilly; T CASLON, opposite Stationer's Hall: G. ROBINSON, in Paternoster-Row; F. NEWBERY, the Corner of St. Paul's Church-Yard; and the AUTHOR, in Princes-Street, Cavendish-Square. M.DCC.LXXVI.
8vo. Pp. Title Page. (i-x) 48pp 'Contents' (1-610) Fully bound in dark brown calf with blind tooled borders. Spine with raised bands, gilt lines and lettering and a red label. Internally quite clean and tight, however some slight foxing to first part of contents page and the title page is browned and slightly worn.
- The English translation of Menon's two works 'Les Soupers de la Cour' and 'La Cuisine Reformee'. 'Les Soupers de la Cour' was first published in 1755 and deals with dining at its most lavish, not only the grand banquets but also the smaller dinner party for twenty or thirty people, at which over a hundred dishes might be served in five courses. "Menon's book covers menus, hors d'oeuvres, entrees, and some desserts. An entire chapter is devoted to sherbets or ices and ice cream. Like Marin that other great contemporary of Menon's, both placed emphasis on their sauces. Menon's recipes were surprisingly varied, coming not only from France but Italy, Germany, Ceylon, and Flanders and used in everything from hors d'oeuvres to desserts."-- (Harrison, 'Une Affaire du Gout' 1983.) Bernard Clermont first published his English translation in 1767 under the title of 'The Art of Modern Cookery Displayed' The second English edition of 1769 had the same contents as the first but the title was changed to 'The Professed Cook'. For this third edition, however, Clermont added a considerable amount of material of his own with Menon's original work taking less of a prominent place on the title-page even though the complete text is still present. (James Burmester - Abebooks.) Of interest is the large number of ice cream recipes, such as; Cinnamon Ice, Ices of Coriander Seed, Aniseed and Junpiper Berries as well as a very unusual selection of Iced Cheeses. A fine translation of two of the great early French culinary classics.
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Antiquarian category
ref number:
10944