Quentin Crewe's International pocket food book

by Quentin Crewe

From the back-cover:

“Menu decoder, dictionary, meal planner and travel guide all in one pocket vade-mecum, Quentin Crewe’s International Pocket Food Book is a complete guide to the art of eating well.

With over 10,000 entries, organised alphabetically by cuisine, Quentin Crewe (‘a man whose knowledge, love and understanding of the subject shine through every line’ as Bernard Levin said, reviewing in his ‘Great Chefs of France’) covers every important detail of every major cuisine. As well as describing and analysing the characteristic achievements of each he gives tips on choosing a good restaurant and ordering wisely; explains all the local mores; and personally recommends exceptional gastronomic experiences.”

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[^ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is an extremely useful and very portable phrase book for food, printed in black and rust-brown type. Thirty-three years on from its first publication in 1980, this remains a book that I keep in my handbag when abroad and a bookcase when at home (it takes up very little space).

This book will greatly assist its reader, whether shopping for individual ingredients in a foreign land, or seeking to elucidate those unidentified main ingredients, or style, of a dish on the menu. However, on occasion a little prior knowledge is essential. For example, the entry for Balmoral tripe does not explain exactly what part of which animal tripe is obtained from. The entry for Tripe and onions merely and unhelpfully refers back to Balmoral tripe!

The section on Chinese food bears slight comparison to the nomenclature found in the average fast-food Chinese takeaway in Britain. But perhaps that is an unfair demand to make on a book such as this, which clearly expects its reader to patronise those restaurants who proudly and ably seek to introduce their customer to the best in cooking of their native land; whether it be Lombo de porco à camponesa (Portugal; ‘loin of pork marinated in wine, herbs and spices and roasted with potatoes and onions.’) or Brunswick stew (USA: ‘a thick chicken and veal stew with lots of vegetables. Originally containing squirrel.’)

‘Must eat’ dishes are starred. That’s just one of the little extras that make this book rather fun; along with introductions to the cooking of each country, wine & beers, such esoteric knowledge as Polish alphabetical order, quotes from gastronomes, and maps.

What this book doesn’t do is give a list of restaurants serving a particular dish, say, such as Eel pie. Perhaps there lies an opportunity for a website; always assuming that the information could be kept absolutely bang up to date. Eel, like oysters, used to be a plentiful food for the British working classes; today they are very rarely seen on a menu.

I suppose that I really ought to get around to looking to see if this book has been recently revised …

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time was when these little pocket books were very popular.
There were ones on wine, beer, cheese and alcoholic drinks in general.
In addition some were personalised, for example I have this in the original print, and one with Hatchards name on the front.
The cheese one was a giveaway on Concorde, why I can't imagine!
Some were updated, wine obviously, but this on Food doesn't really need it, so buy it if you see a secondhand copy.
If you're in a foreign country unable to read or speak the language, surrounded by non English speakers, you can fall back on this and not starve.
Or order roast elephant foot instead of pork chops !