A Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy

by André L. Simon (Editor)

PRE-ISBNA book of Gastronomy, planned in 1938.For Bibliographical Notes, see additional photograph attached.This edition , the first in one volume, contains the full text of the separate parts individually published between 1939 and 1949, revised and reprinted in 1956 (twice) and 1960.

Genres: Food, Cookbooks, Food and Drink, Reference

832 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1939

Reviews

[Suzy Espersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are rather a lot of recipes that I will never use - if for no other reason than the ingredients will be somewhat hard to get my hands on, such as slow cooked elephant foot, squirrel casserole, gazelle steaks and so on. However, it also contains some very fine classic recipes for instance Mrs. Beeton's Yorkshire Puddings and much else besides. And it is rather entertaining to browse through it and read the author's moral recommendations as to why you should never kill a hedgehog - EVEN though it IS very tasty, and should you come across a road kill or similar, here's a gypsy recipe for a very tasty stew.

"The Giraffe is not very often killed now; it has become too rare, but it is quite fit to eat ... " "Giraffe is splendid eating, and in good condition and fat are a luxury that no one can properly appreciate till he has lived for a time on nothing but the dry meat of the smaller antelopes."

The book was first published in England in 1939 and is really a quaint relic from the Empire - and from before threatened species, conservation plans etc. This is the American edition and so contains notes with e.g. conversion tables of measures etc.