small ambitions for innovation, the practice degenerating,
as Dumas says, into faniaisies cle saucer, de victtre sur Ic
gril, et da faire rdtir nos grands hommes* A number of
names are quite natural by the fact that the dishes which
they indicate are derived from certain countries, nation-
alities, provinces or towns, such as d VAnglaise, a la Fran-
qaisc, d la Provenqale, or d la Boniaine ; there were also the
names of a few patrons of the culinary art, under whose
influence certain products had been invented, such as d la
Bdchamel or d la Richelieu. In all these names the ex-
pression is really the result of an ellipse, meaning originally
d la mam'ere Anglaise, or d la maniere patronises par M. le
Margxus de Bdchamel, or le Mardchal de Richelieu. Such a
nomenclature has its conveniences, and becomes very useful
when it is accepted as the symbol of typical preparations,
and adhered to by convention as unchangeable. But when
the names are abused in the manner in which we shall
show below that the expression cotelattes d la Maintenon is
abused or misused by French cooks, of whom almost each
has his own formula for a dish of that name, which differs
greatly as regards external features from the formulae of his
neighbours, they lose all significance, and had better be
omitted. It is therefore necessary to make a selection from
the great number of such names occurring in literature, and
to retain only those which are symbols of typical forms of
dishes, and on the other hand to reject all those which are
neither attached to typical preparations nor recognised by
convention over a large area. Many apparent names of
dishes are mere adjectives derived from sauces, with which
the dishes are to be graced, and have no reference to the
joint or piece of meat to which they are attached ; these
also, if derived from standard saxices, should be retained.
* Vide Fantaides de saucer, etc., D.D. 734 ; A la Boimjuignolls,
Francatelli 1071 ; prunes d V Allemande, D. D. 612 ; venuon sauce, D. D. 61 ;
quenelles, D.D. 702 ; d la Flamande, ineaning the presence of Brussels-
sprouts, D.D. 718. (D.D., abbreviation for Dumas’ ‘ Dictiounaire de la
Cuisine.’)
CULINARY PROCESSES
8i
We will now review a number of culinary names which
have something hke general circulation, and can be used
for generalization in such a mode that many different
materials when prepared in the typical manner may bear
the same surname. This kind of nomenclature has the
additional advantage that it aids in the classification of
dishes and of the recipes for them, which would otherwise
be, as in cookery-books they always were, mere items in an
incoherent unorganized collection.
A I’Anglaise generally implies that the dish is roast or
boiled in the plainest manner, or is prepared in a manner
peculiar to this country without necessarily being plain ;
thus, hare sou;p is specifically English, and in French
cookery-books bears the surname as properly as does the
roast sirloin.
A Vltalimne generally implies that the dish is made of,
or garnished with, savoitry 7nacaroni, or paste of that kind,
or with ravioli, or is made savoury with Parma cheese. Of
this wide expression, the surnames derived from Italian
towns, such as a la Milanaise, d la Florentine, a la Napo-
litaine, etc., are mere subordinate variations of no particular
significance.
Page 63
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
small ambitions for innovation, the practice degenerating, as Dumas says, into fantaisies de saucer, de vicître sur le gril, et de faire rôtir nos grands hommes* A number of names are quite natural by the fact that the dishes which they indicate are derived from certain countries, nationalities, provinces or towns, such as à l'Anglaise, à la Française, à la Provençale, or à la Romaine ; there were also the names of a few patrons of the culinary art, under whose influence certain products had been invented, such as à la Béchamel or à la Richelieu. In all these names the expression is really the result of an ellipse, meaning originally à la manière Anglaise, or à la manière patronisée par M. le Marquis de Béchamel, or le Maréchal de Richelieu. Such a nomenclature has its conveniences, and becomes very useful when it is accepted as the symbol of typical preparations, and adhered to by convention as unchangeable. But when the names are abused in the manner in which we shall show below that the expression côtelettes à la Maintenon is abused or misused by French cooks, of whom almost each has his own formula for a dish of that name, which differs greatly as regards external features from the formulae of his neighbours, they lose all significance, and had better be omitted. It is therefore necessary to make a selection from the great number of such names occurring in literature, and to retain only those which are symbols of typical forms of dishes, and on the other hand to reject all those which are neither attached to typical preparations nor recognised by convention over a large area. Many apparent names of dishes are mere adjectives derived from sauces, with which the dishes are to be graced, and have no reference to the joint or piece of meat to which they are attached ; these also, if derived from standard sauces, should be retained.
* Vide Fantaisies de saucer, etc., D.D. 734 ; À la Bourguignonne, Francatelli 1071 ; prunes à l'Allemande, D. D. 612 ; venison sauce, D. D. 61 ; quenelles, D.D. 702 ; à la Flamande, meaning the presence of Brussels sprouts, D.D. 718. (D.D., abbreviation for Dumas' 'Dictionnaire de la
Cuisine.’)
We will now review a number of culinary names which have something hke general circulation, and can be used for generalization in such a mode that many different materials when prepared in the typical manner may bear the same surname. This kind of nomenclature has the additional advantage that it aids in the classification of dishes and of the recipes for them, which would otherwise be, as in cookery-books they always were, mere items in an incoherent unorganized collection.
À l'Anglaise generally implies that the dish is roast or boiled in the plainest manner, or is prepared in a manner peculiar to this country without necessarily being plain ; thus, hare soup is specifically English, and in French cookery-books bears the surname as properly as does the roast sirloin.
À l'Italienne generally implies that the dish is made of, or garnished with, savoury macaroni, or paste of that kind, or with ravioli, or is made savoury with Parma cheese. Of this wide expression, the surnames derived from Italian towns, such as à la Milanaise, à la Florentine, à la Napolitaine, etc., are mere subordinate variations of no particular significance.