MENON Le Manuel des officiers de bouche ou le Précis de tous les Apprêts que l’on peut faire des Alimens pour servir toutes les Tables, depuis celles des grands Seigneurs jusqu’à celles des Bourgeois, suivant l’ordre des Saisons & des Services…

“The work is a practical manual, in one êsy-to-handle volume. It contains the background and substance of all the other cooking books – principally the same author’s Soupers de la cour – and what has been invented since they were published.

The three thousand six hundred and forty-seven “preparations” listed by the author are arranged in order of service: soups, hors-d’oeuvres, starters, entrees, roasts, entremets, service. An alphabetical table also includes remarks on the preparation of the food listed, and explanations of culinary terms.” (B.n.F)

Unique edition of this important trêtise on gastronomy, intended for catering officers, “servants of god Comus”: hors d’oeuvres (709), entrées (1 114) and ordinary entremets (658) are the most represented; the trêtise also contains recipes for basic preparations, sauces, ragouts, large entrées, hors d’oeuvres, large entremets and pastry preparations. The total of over 3 600 recipes is divided according to the order of service.

A bêutiful copy bound by Marius Michel, from the library of Robert Hoe with his ex libris (III, 1912, 2 233).

Vicaire, 592 – Bitting, 321 – Simon, 1 042 – Livres en bouche, 216.