The Epicurean: A Complete Treatise of Analytical and Practical Studies on the Culinary Art Including Table and Wine Service, how to prepare and cook dishes, an index for marketing, a great variety of Bills of Fare for Breakfasts, Luncheons, Dinners, Suppers, Ambigus, Buffets, etc., and a selection of interesting Bills of Fare of Delmonico's from 1862-1894. Making a Franco-American Culinary Encyclopedia -
Charles Ranhofer
1894 - Charles Ranhofer, New York - First Edition
Inscribed by Ranhofer to Monsieur Louis Bouchard as a ‘Souvenir de bonne amitié’.
Rare, majestic, and fine copy of ‘one of the most important books in modern cooking - a treasure trove of culinary information and a fascinating look at elite restaurant cooking from the Civil War to the turn of the last century.’ [Los Angeles Times 2005].
‘The turn-of-the-century Delmonico's chef spills everything he knows about cooking. Ranhofer's work was unprecedented - and was considered high treason by his peers at the time. A fascinating and imposing tome and an important piece of culinary history.’ - Anthony Bourdain.
Delmonico’s was one of the famous restaurant in New York in the 19th century; his clients included the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia, Charles-Louis Napoleon, Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens, amongst many others. Ranhofer himself ‘was the greatest cook America ever knew, "one who moved among the great chefs of France as peer and equal"’. [O’Connell. Thomas 86].
This massive volume contains over 3,500 recipes, illustrated throughout with more than 800 plates from woodcuts, accompanied by hundreds of menus, a history of table settings and instructions for American, French and Russian service. Ranhofer (1836-99) was sent to Paris at the age of 12 to begin his training by studying pastry-making, and at 16 became the private chef for the prince d'Hénin, comte d'Alsace. In 1856 he moved to New York to become the chef for the Russian consul, and later worked in Washington, D.C. and New Orleans. He returned to France in 1860 for a short time, where he arranged balls for the court of Napoleon III at the Tuileries Palace, but then came back to New York to work at what was then a fashionable location, Maison Dorée. In 1862, Lorenzo Delmonico hired him for Delmonico's, and it was there that Ranhofer made his real fame, though others say that he made the fame of the restaurant as well. At that time, Delmonico's was considered the finest restaurant in the United States. He was the chef at Delmonico's until his retirement in 1896, except for a short hiatus from 1876 and 1879 when he owned the "Hotel American" at Enghien-les-Bains.
Provenance: Inscribed from Ranhofer ‘À Monsieur Louis Bouchard, Souvenir de bonne amitié, Ch. Ranhofer. New York 17 juillet 1894‘.
Reference: Bitting, Gastronomic Bibliography, 388.
Thick Quarto (binding size 29.3x22cm), pp. viii [2] 1183 [3]. Bound in the publisher s brown pebbled morocco, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, stylised gilt lettering to the upper boards, additional decoration stamped in blind, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Condition: Fine Ref: 111818 Price: HK$ 30,000
Rare, majestic, and fine copy of ‘one of the most important books in modern cooking - a treasure trove of culinary information and a fascinating look at elite restaurant cooking from the Civil War to the turn of the last century.’ [Los Angeles Times 2005].
‘The turn-of-the-century Delmonico's chef spills everything he knows about cooking. Ranhofer's work was unprecedented - and was considered high treason by his peers at the time. A fascinating and imposing tome and an important piece of culinary history.’ - Anthony Bourdain.
Delmonico’s was one of the famous restaurant in New York in the 19th century; his clients included the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia, Charles-Louis Napoleon, Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens, amongst many others. Ranhofer himself ‘was the greatest cook America ever knew, "one who moved among the great chefs of France as peer and equal"’. [O’Connell. Thomas 86].
This massive volume contains over 3,500 recipes, illustrated throughout with more than 800 plates from woodcuts, accompanied by hundreds of menus, a history of table settings and instructions for American, French and Russian service. Ranhofer (1836-99) was sent to Paris at the age of 12 to begin his training by studying pastry-making, and at 16 became the private chef for the prince d'Hénin, comte d'Alsace. In 1856 he moved to New York to become the chef for the Russian consul, and later worked in Washington, D.C. and New Orleans. He returned to France in 1860 for a short time, where he arranged balls for the court of Napoleon III at the Tuileries Palace, but then came back to New York to work at what was then a fashionable location, Maison Dorée. In 1862, Lorenzo Delmonico hired him for Delmonico's, and it was there that Ranhofer made his real fame, though others say that he made the fame of the restaurant as well. At that time, Delmonico's was considered the finest restaurant in the United States. He was the chef at Delmonico's until his retirement in 1896, except for a short hiatus from 1876 and 1879 when he owned the "Hotel American" at Enghien-les-Bains.
Provenance: Inscribed from Ranhofer ‘À Monsieur Louis Bouchard, Souvenir de bonne amitié, Ch. Ranhofer. New York 17 juillet 1894‘.
Reference: Bitting, Gastronomic Bibliography, 388.
Thick Quarto (binding size 29.3x22cm), pp. viii [2] 1183 [3]. Bound in the publisher s brown pebbled morocco, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, stylised gilt lettering to the upper boards, additional decoration stamped in blind, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Condition: Fine Ref: 111818 Price: HK$ 30,000