Le Repertoire de la Cuisine

Standard edition. This compactly presented English language edition is undated but appears to date from the mid 1970s. viii, 208pp, lightly illustrated. Deep reddish-brown cloth-covered boards with gilt titles front and spine. 12mo.  Cloth just a little pushed in at spine ends. A previous owner’s name has been written on the upper text block edge, and all the text block edges are a little dust darkened. Internally neat, clean, bright and tight throughout.  Please note that this edition has a printed thumb index, not a cut-away index as is present in some other editions.  In it original glossy dust wrapper, rubbed and bumped on extreme edges,  significantly shelf worn, a little soiled and perhaps darkened (the dust wrapper appears darker than that which we have seen on other copies, but it could be a different paper was used for this printing). 

A very good,  presentable copy which retains its original dust wrapper.  Le Repertoire de la Cuisine is a reference cookbook, aimed at practitioners,  by Theodore Gringoire and Louis Saulnier.  It as first published in 1914, and first translated into English in 1924, it was intended as a addition to Le Guide Culinaire by Saulnier’s mentor, Auguste Escoffier but adds much of Saulnier’s own material. It has become a standard reference for classical French haute cuisine, containing some 6,000 dishes, explanations of French culinary terms and instructions for haute cuisine techniques. Culinary Institute of America instructor, Uwe Hestnar called it, alongside Larousse Gastronomique and the works of Escoffier, required reading for anyone interested in classical French cookery.