Larousse for the Soiree

 For recipes, food history, ideas, and techniques, Larousse Gastronomique: Encyclopedia of Food, Wine, and Cooking has is all, and then some. First published in France in 1938 by Librairie Larousse, it was edited by chef Prosper Montagne, with the collaboration of Dr. Gottschalk (poor Dr. Gottschalk often is forgetten in discussions of the Gastronomique!).

French, classic cooking master Auguste Escoffier wrote a preface, as did Phileas Gilbert. Escoffier's grand reference Le Guide Culinaire is still in use today

 in cooking schools throughout the world.

Larousse has gone through several editions and reprints, both in French and other languages; it first appeared in English in 1961.

There is a new 2009 English edition, the first since 1988.

  

The Gastronomer's Bookshelf has a wonderful article on the history and evolution of the Larousse.

As many others do, I love to open the Larousse at any page and browse.

The encyclopedia offers over 32 pages of hors-d'oeuvre, both hot and cold - perfect for a soiree. Some are light finger foods, like canapes with anchovy or Bayonne ham and parsley. More substantial and needing a fork are timbales and  sardines in oil.

Serving wine at a soiree? Larousse has an extensive section on wine, wine regions, and charts outlining the serving of which wines with which foods. Maybe a nice Sauternes or Montrachet with those canapes!

Chocolate, cognac, coffee - Larousse has them.




Bon Appetite!

He's a Cocktail Wizard

Every soiree needs exciting drinks - trendy and traditional recipes excellently prepared. Even better would be an expert on cocktails who can discuss the history, making, and drinking of said cocktails.

Enter David Wondrich, one of six instructors and partners in the Beverage Alcohol Resource of NYC, a company that offers

A Program for the Appreciation, Understanding
and Responsible Service of Adult Beverages.

 The company's mission:

to propagate the healthy and responsible use of beverage alcohol products through innovative and comprehensive training programs and seminars.

Wondrich is also a historian of cocktails and has published books on the subject, mosy recently Imbibe! (2008). The book won the "Best Book About Wine and Spirits" for 2008 from the James Beard Foundation.


I discovered an interview  by Laren Spirer with Wondrich on Serious Eats New York - a fabulous site (I joined!).


I would like to invite Dave Wondrich to my soiree.