Le Repertoire de la Cuisine

Standard edition.  This compactly presented edition is undated but appears to be from the early 1970s. xii, 240pp, lightly illustrated. Deep red cloth-covered boards with gilt titles front and spine, with a cut away thumb index  with gilt lettering on the fore edge. 12mo.  Boards are heavily marked, spotted  and stained, rounded corners, rubbed on corners and around spine.  Gilt titles dull and blurry.  Previous owner’s name penned on the lower text block edge.   Some browning on endpapers, with a previous owner’s name and address inked on the front free endpaper, on the base of the title page and on the last page of text.  Recipe for Christmas Pudding written on one of the rear blank pages.  There are signs of use and mild marks throughout, well-thumbed.   Square, firmly bound and complete so a good working, reference copy.  

Le Repertoire de la Cuisine is a reference cookbook by Theodore Gringoire and Louis Saulnier 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 is a standard reference for classical French haute cuisine. 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.