Wednesday, January 02, 2008
The many Books already publish'd on the Subject of Cookery, may seem, in the Opinions of some People, to render useless the present Undertaking: And indeed, were the Number of Books which treat of this Noble Art and Mystery, the Consideration, rather than the Worth and Excellency of the Matter, sufficient Reason would not be wanting to countenance that Opinion.
But when 'tis consider'd, that Variety and Novelty are no small Parts of the Cook's Art, and that no Occupation in the World is more oblig'd to Invention; every Year, and every ingenious Artist constantly produceing New Experiments to gratify the Taste of that Part of Manking, whose splendid Circumstances make them emulous to excel in the Delicacies of the Mystery, especially when they exert their Wealth and their Magnificence to entertain their Friends with grand and sumptuous Repasts; it will be allow'd, that no Art can be said less to have reach'd Perfection than this, and that none is more capable of Improvement; and, of Consequence, that none can, with more Justice, challenge a Right to a king Reception than Treatises of this Nature, which shall be found to be drawn up with Art and Judgement, and the Rules whereof shall be reduceable to the true Standard of Practice and Experience.
from the foreword to
Carter, Charles. The complete practical cook: or, a new system of the whole art and mystery of cookery. Being a select collection of above five hundred recipes ... London, 1730.
- posted by Jesse @ 5:45 PM
