THE LITERARY GOURMET

by Linda- Ed. Wolfe ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 21, 1962

An aptly titled anthology to tease the palate or challenge the culinary talents of the reader who enjoys eating and cooking. Linda Wolfe has drawn entrees from thirty-five literary sources from Apicius' Roman cookbook to John Steinbeck's casual but hearty breakfast, first regaling with the excerpt that deals with or mentions the dishes, then enlarging upon their contents in recipe form with the ingredients listed, their measures as accurately taken as possible for the modern day American cook. The Bible provides us with the red pottage of lentil that caused so much anguish to Esau; the Arabian Nights delicacies come from the Baghdad Cookery Book of 1226; Shakespeare yields up neat's foot among other in The Taming of the Shrew. Chaucer, Ben Jonson, Tolstoy, Virginia Woolf are among the great writers represented, and such surprising sources as Fiaubert (Emma Bovary's table) and the Pecameton render up fancy dining fare. The New World from 1700 to the present is represented by such authors as Washington Irving and Thomas Wolfe. A cook's divertiment, more likely to be looked at than acted upon, but, for the expert, with sufficient detail to be so used.

Pub Date: Nov. 21, 1962

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1962

Categories: NONFICTION