Francatelli, Charles Elmé - The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant - 1872

Francatelli, Charles Elmé - The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant - A Practical Treatise on English & Foreign Cookery in All Its Branches, Containing Plain Instructions for Pickling & Preserving Vegetables, Fruits, Game, &c., The Curing of Hams and Bacon, the Art of Confectionery and Ice-making, and the Arrangement of Desserts: With Valuable Directions for the Preparation of Proper Diet for Invalids, also for a Variety of Wine-cups and Epicurean Salads, American Drinks, and Summer Beverages.

London, Richard Bentley. 1872. 8vo (18 x 12 cms) pp. xx, 524. 12 publisher’s illustrated catalogue. Upwards of 40 engraved illustrations. Bound in publisher’s original illustrated blue cloth covered hard boards. Plain endpapers. Engraved frontis of the author.

Francatelli was born in London, of Italian descent, in 1805. He was educated in France, where he studied the art of cookery under Marie-Antoine Carême Returning to England, he was employed successively by various noblemen, subsequently becoming chief chef of the St James's Club, popularly known as Crockford’s Club. He left Crockford's to become chief cook to Queen Victoria from 9 March 1840 to 31 March 1842.

The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant, which became a book of reference for any well-managed household. Described as a practical treatise on English and foreign cookery. As well as over a thousand recipes of the day the book contains instructions for the service of wines, directions for the preparation of diets for invalids, epicurean salads, medicinal drinks, and American drinks and beverages.

Condition: Good. All pages clean and bright. Spine heavily sunned and rubbed, front inner hinge cracked, binding tight.