American Gastronomy by Louis Szathmary - 1974 First Edition

American Gastronomy 

by Louis Szathmary

Pre-Owned Hardcover

1974 First Edition

185 Pages

Condition:  Very Fine/Fine - See Photos, Some scratches/scuffing on book jacket back

Truly a collector's piece, American Gastronomy is for anyone who wants to prepare and serve dishes that have been especially adapted for today from authentic old recipes and to learn more about the history and lore of American cookery. To prepare American Gastronomy, Louis Szathmáry, chef, restaurateur, and author of the best-selling Chef's Secret Cook Book, has researched American foods, methods, eating habits, famous chets, cooks, restaurants, and dishes.  The result is the first book to define and explain American Cookery. 

An introduction to American cookery, American Gastronomy is illustrated with over 90 etchings, woodcuts, prints, and photographs that together offer a fascinating look into the kitchens and dining rooms of yesteryear. Also included are reproductions of old advertisements of American food products and bills of fare from famous restaurants.  The recipes have been judiciously selected and adapted from cookbooks the titles of which are known only by octogenarians and American history buffs: the famous Miss Leslie's Directions for Cookery in Its Various Branches; Mrs. Chadwick's Home Cookery: A Collection of Tested Receipts; The Presbyterian Cook Book; and Library Ann's Cook Book. Preparing the recipes will give the reader some idea of the scope of American cookery. Hearty dishes such as Brunswick stew, hamburger pie, wild onions and eggs, chili, and oyster shortcake obviously had their origins over an open fire. Other dishes are reminiscent of ladies' teas and long afternoons in the front parlor: crullers, burnt sugar cake, butter scotch cake pudding, and salada dressing cocoa cake. Place of origin is indicated by the names of such dishes as Mississippi corn bread, Mexican eggs, and jumballaya. 

All the recipes have been adapted by Chef Louis, who has carefully and ingeniously preserved the historical character of each one. For example, he suggests serving an "Americana" buffet of homemade sausages, roast beef with peach sauce, hashed little-neck clams on toast, grapefruit and lobster salad, and sweet potato buns.  A potpourri of good things to eat, read, smile over, and look at-the period illustrations are superb-American Gastronomy will prove enjoyable not just to the cook.  Guests, too, will enjoy perusing American Gastronomy, reading about foods.