From Taillevent to Escoffier
Here are the European and American chefs who, across the past six centuries, have raised western civilisation's culinary skills to the highest degree. Apart from such recent authorities as Mrs Beeton, Fannie Farmer and Escoffier, also included are cooks whose names have largely been forgotten: Taillevent, Scappi, Martino and Robert May amongst them.
This book, a virtual history of cooking seen through the lives and times of the cooks themselves, tells the story of their backgrounds, techniques and innovations and there are some 100 recipes illustrating the special delights of each cook. Every recipe appears translated or transcribed in its original form alongside a modern version that is easily achievable in today's kitchen.
