THE VIENNESE COOKBOOK

One has the feeling on finishing this cookbook, that most of the famed Viennese cooking was derived from the neighbors, France, Italy, Hungary, Poland, with a great deal of German and some measure of Russian influence thrown in. The order is, perhaps, characteristic of the country's interest in food, starting as it does with coffee and its accompaniments, tortes, cakes, cookies, pastries, strudel. Then before the mainstays of meals are mentioned there is a chapter on desserts (such a sweet-tooth the Viennese must have had in the days of their grandeur), stewed fruits with sweet aspics, various kinds of punches and drinks, hors d'oeuvres (many more appropriate we would think for luncheon dishes than for service with drinks or as first course for dinner). The bread and rolls are strictly Viennese; the soups, the noodles (instead of neighbor Italy's pasta), the egg dishes and pancakes, the salads (borrowed here from Scandinavia); special ways of treating fish; meats (with various predominating) and poultry. This- for all its eccentricity of lineup- is the general outline of content. Again a specialty cookbook, not intended as a basic one. Not too general in interest.