This cookbook is many things rolled into one, but four themes stand out: forgotten gems, a gathering of time travellers, culture appreciation, and sheer joy. There are cooks among us who would like to please an audience with a dish that they haven't had before, and that is surprisingly tasty. For that purpose, an excellent place to look for ideas is among the classic dishes of another century. It is time for some of those forgotten gems to roll around as "new." This cookbook grew out of research for my seven historical novels, Winthrope, Poppy, The Arrangement, Bobbin's Journal, The Spinster, Sophie & Juliet, and Holybourne. The characters in those novels have very definite preferences and favourite dishes. To create a narrative for this cookbook, about two dozen characters are brought to the same table to describe what they like. There are over 325 recipes for their favourite dishes that are included in the back two-thirds of this book. Note that the characters did not live contemporaneously, but are brought together anyway, as a gathering of time travellers, to compare notes. It is well recognised that our culinary history is a very important part of our culture. This cookbook is a contribution to our culture appreciation, awareness, and preservation. Recipes presented here are fully authentic from the period, complete with the old original spelling and phrasing. Sheer joy. There is a great deal of fun and good-natured humour to be had by comparing the way we think, speak, and eat to our ancestors of the 18th and 19th centuries. Yes, much of it is laughable, but don't be surprised to occasionally catch an insight from the past that is fully apropos to the present. This is a beautiful Coffee-Table cookbook to be cherished and passed down like the "forgotten gems" inside. It is quite unique and different from the typical cookbook-nothing else of its type is in existence. Along with delicious recipes, there is gossip and folklore of the day. Proper English etiquette is followed. Recipes were chosen from culturally important cookbooks written by Farley, Raffald, Mason, Johnstone (aka) Meg Dods, Jarrin, Acton and Beeton, to name a few. Also included are brief biographies of chefs Marie-Antoine Carême, Charles Elmé Francatelli, Alexis Soyer, and Auguste Escoffier. The categories of recipes are varied, diverse, and encompass an entire array of food choices regularly available in those times. They include sections dedicated to Soup, Breads & Rolls, Poultry & Feathered Game, Meats & Furred Game, Hors d'oeuvres, Beverages, Cakes & Desserts, Seafood & Fresh Water Fish, Vegetables, Preserves, Spices & Seasonings, Sauces, and lastly Butter, Milk & Eggs. There are never-before-published paintings by the author; over 200 pictures of food dishes and meals as well as meal planning and unusual and humorous kitchen lore. Included is a unique chapter on "contributory recipes" from the author's friends whose relatives passed on their cherished recipes from Victoria's England. The author has included a brief history of her friends as they share remarkable and loving stories from those long-departed relatives. A detailed index to help you quickly locate what you're looking for along with terms to help you navigate those tricky French cooking terms.
