Mimsy Review: The New Larousse Gastronomique
Around the net
Review of the Larousse Gastronomique, with a recipe for Zabaglione á la kola.
| Author | Prosper Montagné |
|---|---|
| Year | 1961 |
| Length | 1,064 pages |
| Book Rating | 9 |
This is a monster tome. It boasts 8,500 recipes and 1,000 illustrations. It contains a wide selection of definitions and recipes. Opening it up at random, I can find Chicha (“alcoholic beverage, from the fermentation of maize flour”), Flamingo (“The Romans considered it a delicacy though it is now less highly prized.”), Jalousies (“Little cakes made of flaky pastry”, includes recipes), and Stocks (including a wide variety of stock preparations). If it’s European, and you can’t find it in the Larousse Gastronomique, you’re spelling it wrong. The topics covered are either food, beverages, or the history of food.
The Larousse was originally written by Prosper Montagné in French, and each term is mentioned in French as well as English. There are at least two versions of this tome in English. The one you want to look for is the unexpurgated version. Look up “zabaglione” in the back. Under “Z”, natch. If there’s a recipe for zabaglione à la kola you’ve got the right one. Otherwise, keep looking, unless it’s really cheap. Like less than ten bucks. Note that the Amazon.Com choice linked within this article is for those of you who really need this now. It is most likely the sanitized version without the embarassing entries.
Sample: Zabaglione à la kola
Prepare some zabaglione using port wine. When the mixture begins to set, add 2 teaspoons of the following mixture: equal quantities of liquid cola extract and liquid coca extract flavoured with a little syrup made from the rind of bitter oranges.
This zabaglione, which should be eaten very hot, is not only a very tasty dessert, but also an excellent medicine.
The New Larousse Gastronomique
My cost: $25.00
Recommendation: When you can find it
- Prosper Montagné (Wikipedia)
- “Prosper Montagné was a chef and author of many books and articles on food, cooking, and gastronomy, notably the Larousse Gastronomique. He apprenticed at the Grand Hûtel of Paris and the Hotel d’Angleterre of Cauterets, then worked at various restaurants in Paris and San Remo, and the Hûtel de Paris of Monte Carlo. In 1900, he returned to Paris and was chef of the Pavillon d’Armenonville, the Pavillon Ledoyen, and finally the Grand Hotel where he stayed for 10 years. Later, he had his own restaurant, the Montagné, and was a consultant to La Reine Pédauque.”
- Larousse Gastronomique: Prosper Montagné at The New Larousse Gastronomique
- Occultists have their Necronomicon, and chefs have their Larousse. This expurgated version of the Larousse Gastronomique includes most of what the older version contained, without the strange entries that may cause you to doubt your—or your culture’s— santity.
- The Larousse Gastronomique (Crown)
- It is hard to tell without images, but the description of this 1961 version matches the best version I’ve seen in bookstores (and the one that I own a copy of).
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