Chapter 1

The Project Gutenberg eBook of A guide to modern cookery This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title: A guide to modern cookery Author: A. Escoffier Release date: August 12, 2023 [eBook #71395] Language: English Original publication: London: William Neinemann, 1907 Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/71395 Credits: ellinora, Fox in the Stars, David Wilson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A GUIDE TO MODERN COOKERY *** A GUIDE TO MODERN COOKERY A GUIDE TO MODERN COOKERY. _SOME PRESS OPINIONS._ “This is probably one of the most important cookery books issued this century, and will, it may be presumed, eventually take its place alongside the familiar culinary classics of former days. It is especially interesting as marking the inauguration of an entirely new style of living. M. Escoffier’s book is a culinary education in itself, and should take rank as a standard, be studied by all housekeepers who have either large households or gourmets to cater for, and should most certainly be placed in the hands of all persons training for high-class cookery teachers.”—_Queen._ “His book is comprehensive. It begins at the beginning and explains the principles, so that a lady who reads it may talk learnedly to her cook; it deals fully with all the old-established dishes of different countries; but its main feature is the number of delightful novelties which it introduces to notice. There are plenty of recipes which may be applied with advantage in the middle-class household where the lady in the kitchen has nobody under her, for M. Escoffier’s directions deal alike with humble and elaborate preparations.”—_Outlook._ “It is a big book written by a great cook, and it will be useful not only to accomplished cooks and experienced housekeepers, but also to beginners in the kitchen and the housekeeper’s room, for M. Escoffier takes nothing for granted and explains very patiently all the groundwork of the art of cookery before he discussed the _haute cuisine_. It contains much that is interesting to the _gourmet_ as well as much that is useful to the cook, for he has little tales to tell concerning some of the dishes; and now and again a scrap of history crops up.”—_Tatler._ “Even as you take up the volume a sense of pleasurable anticipation takes possession of you, so pleasing is the cover, so clear and bold is the type, and so delightful to the touch is the paper on which is printed the garnered wisdom of the famous _chef_. A little reading will soon show you that it is as full of sound wisdom, and of fresh and interesting information, as Brillat-Savarin’s “Physiologie du Goût”.”—_The Westminster Gazette._ “The ordinary good plain British cook will discover something worth the learning on every page; the worried mistresses of small establishments will cherish the book as a treasure-house of new ideas; the man who likes a good dinner but has no special knowledge of the art of the kitchen will find the preface and the introductions to the chapters capital reading; and every English-speaking gourmet will have a well thumbed copy of this very modern “Guide” upon his book-shelf. The book is a comprehensive one, and at the same time a simple one. It is a book that should be in every house.”—_Pall Mall Gazette._ [Illustration: _A. Escoffier_] A GUIDE TO MODERN COOKERY BY A. ESCOFFIER OF THE CARLTON HOTEL _WITH PORTRAIT_ NEW AND REVISED EDITION [Logo: Windmill, 1920] LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN _Printed in Great Britain._ _First Printed, May 1907 Second Impression, December 1907 New and Revised Edition, January 1909 New Impressions, August 1911, May 1913, March 1916, January 1920._ _Copyright 1907 by William Heinemann._ PREFACE If the art of Cookery in all its branches were not undergoing a process of evolution, and if its canons could be once and for ever fixed, as are those of certain scientific operations and mathematical procedures, the present work would have no _raison d’être_; inasmuch as there already exist several excellent culinary text-books in the English language. But everything is so unstable in these times of progress at any cost, and social customs and methods of life alter so rapidly, that a few years now suffice to change completely the face of usages which at their inception bade fair to outlive the age—so enthusiastically were they welcomed by the public. In regard to the traditions of the festal board, it is but twenty years ago since the ancestral English customs began to make way before the newer methods, and we must look to the great impetus given to travelling by steam traction and navigation, in order to account for the gradual but unquestionable revolution. In the wake of the demand came the supply. Palatial hotels were built, sumptuous restaurants were opened, both of which offered their customers luxuries undreamt of theretofore in such establishments. Modern society contracted the habit of partaking of light suppers in these places, after the theatres of the Metropolis had closed; and the well-to-do began to flock to them on Sundays, in order to give their servants the required weekly rest. And, since restaurants allow of observing and of being observed, since they are eminently adapted to the exhibiting of magnificent dresses, it was not long before they entered into the life of Fortune’s favourites. But these new-fangled habits had to be met by novel methods of Cookery—better adapted to the particular environment in which they were to be practised. The admirable productions popularised by the old Masters of the Culinary Art of the preceding Century did not become the light and more frivolous atmosphere of restaurants; were, in fact, ill-suited to the brisk waiters, and their customers who only had eyes for one another. The pompous splendour of those bygone dinners, served in the majestic dining-halls of Manors and Palaces, by liveried footmen, was part and parcel of the etiquette of Courts and lordly mansions. It is eminently suited to State dinners, which are in sooth veritable ceremonies, possessing their ritual, traditions, and—one might even say—their high priests; but it is a mere hindrance to the modern, rapid service. The complicated and sometimes heavy menus would be unwelcome to the hypercritical appetites so common nowadays; hence the need of a radical change not only in the culinary preparations themselves, but in the arrangements of the menus, and the service. Circumstances ordained that I should be one of the movers in this revolution, and that I should manage the kitchens of two establishments which have done most to bring it about. I therefore venture to suppose that a book containing a record of all the changes which have come into being in kitchen work—changes whereof I am in a great part author—may have some chance of a good reception at the hands of the public, _i.e._, at the hands of those very members of it who have profited by the changes I refer to. For it was only with the view of meeting the many and persistent demands for such a record that the present volume was written. I had at first contemplated the possibility of including only new recipes in this formulary. But it should be borne in mind that the changes that have transformed kitchen procedure during the last twenty-five years could not all be classed under the head of new recipes; for, apart from the fundamental principles of the science, which we owe to Carême, and which will last as long as Cooking itself, scarcely one old-fashioned method has escaped the necessary new moulding required by modern demands. For fear of giving my work an incomplete appearance, therefore, I had to refer to these old-fashioned practices and to include among my new recipes those of the former which most deserved to survive. But it should not be forgotten that in a few years, judging from the rate at which things are going, the publication of a fresh selection of recipes may become necessary; I hope to live long enough to see this accomplished, in order that I may follow the evolution, started in my time, and add a few more original creations to those I have already had the pleasure of seeing adopted; despite the fact that the discovery of new dishes grows daily more difficult. But novelty is the universal cry—novelty by hook or by crook! It is an exceedingly common mania among people of inordinate wealth to exact incessantly new or so-called new dishes. Sometimes the demand comes from a host whose luxurious table has exhausted all the resources of the modern cook’s repertory, and who, having partaken of every delicacy, and often had too much of good things, anxiously seeks new sensations for his _blasé_ palate. Anon, we have a hostess, anxious to outshine friends with whom she has been invited to dine, and whom she afterwards invites to dine with her. Novelty! It is the prevailing cry; it is imperiously demanded by everyone. For all that, the number of alimentary substances is comparatively small, the number of their combinations is not infinite, and the amount of raw material placed either by art or by nature at the disposal of a cook does not grow in proportion to the whims of the public. What feats of ingenuity have we not been forced to perform, at times, in order to meet our customers’ wishes? Those only who have had charge of a large, modern kitchen can tell the tale. Personally, I have ceased counting the nights spent in the attempt to discover new combinations, when, completely broken with the fatigue of a heavy day, my body ought to have been at rest. Yet, the Chef who has had the felicity to succeed in turning out an original and skilful preparation approved by his public and producing a vogue, cannot, even for a time, claim the monopoly of his secret discovery, or derive any profit therefrom. The painter, sculptor, writer and musician are protected by law. So are inventors. But the chef has absolutely no redress for plagiarism on his work; on the contrary, the more the latter is liked and appreciated, the more will people clamour for his recipes. Many hours of hard work perhaps underlie his latest creation, if it have reached the desired degree of perfection. He may have forfeited his recreation and even his night’s rest, and have laboured without a break over his combination; and, as a reward, he finds himself compelled, morally at least, to convey the result of his study to the first person who asks, and who, very often, subsequently claims the invention of the recipe—to the detriment of the real author’s chances and reputation. This frantic love of novelty is also responsible for many of the difficulties attending the arrangement of menus; for very few people know what an arduous task the composing of a perfect menu represents. The majority—even of those who are accustomed to receptions and the giving of dinners—suppose that a certain routine alone is necessary, together with some culinary practice, in order to write a menu; and few imagine that a good deal more is needed than the mere inscription of Courses upon a slip of pasteboard. In reality the planning of these alimentary programmes is among the most difficult problems of our art, and it is in this very matter that perfection is so rarely reached. In the course of more than forty years’ experience as a chef, I have been responsible for thousands of menus, some of which have since become classical and have ranked among the finest served in modern times; and I can safely say, that in spite of the familiarity such a period of time ought to give one with the work, the setting-up of a presentable menu is rarely accomplished without lengthy labour and much thought, and for all that the result is not always to my satisfaction. From this it may be seen how slender are the claims of those who, without any knowledge of our art, and quite unaware of the various properties belonging to the substances we use, pretend to arrange a proper menu. However difficult the elaboration of a menu may be, it is but the first and by no means the only difficulty which results from the rapidity with which meals are served nowadays. The number of dishes set before the diners being considerably reduced, and the dishes themselves having been deprived of all the advantages which their sumptuous decorations formerly lent them, they must recover, by means of perfection and delicacy, sufficient in the way of quality to compensate for their diminished bulk and reduced splendour. They must be faultless in regard to quality; they must be savoury and light. The choice of the raw material, therefore, is a matter demanding vast experience on the part of the chef; for the old French adage which says that “_La sauce fait passer le poisson_” has long since ceased to be true, and if one do not wish to court disapprobation—often well earned—the fish should not be in the slightest degree inferior to its accompanying sauce. While on the subject of raw material, I should like, _en passant_, to call attention to a misguided policy which seems to be spreading in private houses and even in some commercial establishments; I refer to the custom which, arising as it doubtless does from a mistaken idea of economy, consists of entrusting the choice of kitchen provisions to people unacquainted with the profession, and who, never having used the goods which they have to buy, are able to judge only very superficially of their quality or real value, and cannot form any estimate of their probable worth after the cooking process. If economy were verily the result of such a policy none would object to it. But the case is exactly the reverse; for, in the matter of provisions, as in all commercial matters, the cheapest is the dearest in the end. To obtain good results, good material in a sufficient quantity must be used, and, in order to obtain good material, the latter should be selected by the person who is going to use it, and who knows its qualities and properties. Amphitryons who set aside these essential principles may hope in vain to found a reputation for their tables. It will be seen that the greater part of the titles in this work have been left in French. I introduced, or rather promulgated this system, because, since it is growing every day more customary to write menus in French, it will allow those who are unacquainted with the language to accomplish the task with greater ease. Moreover, many of the titles—especially those of recent creations—are quite untranslatable. As the index, however, is in English, and in every case the order number of each recipe accompanies the number of the page where it is to be found, no confusion can possibly arise. I have also allowed certain French technical terms, for which there exist no English equivalents, to remain in their original form, and these will be found explained in a glossary at the end of the book. I preferred to do this rather than strain the meaning of certain English words, in order to fit them to a slightly unusual application; and in so doing I only followed a precedent which has been established on a more or less large scale by such authors of English books on French cooking as Francatelli, Gouffé, Ranhoffer, etc. But the example for such verbal adoptions was set long ago in France, where sporting and other terms, for which no suitable native words could be found, were borrowed wholesale from the English language, and gallicised. It is therefore not unreasonable to apply the principle to terms in cookery which, though plentiful and varied in France, are scarce in this country. To facilitate the reading of the recipes, all words which are not in common use, and of which the explanation will be found in the Glossary, are italicised in the text. In concluding this preface, which, I fear, has already overreached the bounds I intended for it, I should like to thank those of my lady clients as well as many English epicures whose kind appreciation has been conducive to the writing of this work. I trust they will favour the latter with the generous consideration of which they have so frequently given the author valuable proofs, and for which he is glad of an opportunity of expressing his deep gratitude. CONTENTS