THE DUMAS DICTIONARY OF CUISINE

Alexandre Dumas' accomplishments as a novelist are well known but his extraordinary accomplishments as a cook remain in comparative obscurity today. In this edition it is hoped that Dumas will receive the double recognition he deserves. Charming anecdotes, historical comments on changing trends in the preparation and eating of food, and Gallic bits of wisdom garnish the main bill of fare here, an extravagantly complete and elaborate recipe book. Edited carefully, an attempt has been made to include only such ingredients as one can find today. The recipes given vary from most plausible Boiled to more forbidding items such as Young Shark Stomach: Arranged alphabetically, no aspect of dining is overlooked by the sagacious Dumas -- dinner, elephant, parsley, toast--all receive their definitions and are accompanied with instructions for their proper preparation. A literary tour de force, a culinary delight.