Stefan Schuster Schuster itibaren Texas itibaren Texas

Have been reading this book for two years... but have loved every moment of it.

The real story of the greatest chef of the Napoleonic era isn't much of a story. Though Antonin Careme published many volumes on cuisine, only the high points of his life are known, so this short book is mostly involved with the historical background of Careme's time. You get brief sketches of Careme's first major employer, the statesman Tallyrand, George IV of England, Alexander I of Russia, the Rothchilds, and various Bonapartes. At times the author tries to elevate Careme through his assocation with these starry notables and the way they courted Careme's talent, but I felt that just as often their power dwarfs Careme's celebrity. The merits of this book are that it is short, very beautifully designed, and full of historical tidbits. For instance, the practice of serving on individual plates was known as service a la russe and was popularized by Careme in France, where service a la Francese--sort of like family style today--was popular. The recipes are fascinating in that they show how far food has evolved. The typical soup recipe calls for boiling meat and vegetables for half a day and then passing it through a sieve. This is a nice book to have on your shelf, just don't take it into the kitchen!