Perhaps the first celebrity chef, Alexis Soyer (1810-58) was a flamboyant, larger-than-life character who nonetheless took his profession very seriously. As the chef of London's Reform Club, he modernised its kitchens, installing refrigerators and gas cookers. They became something of a showpiece, even opening for tours. In contrast, Soyer also organised soup kitchens during the Great Famine in Ireland and volunteered his services in the Crimea in 1855 to improve military catering. He was also a prolific inventor of kitchen gadgets, notably promoting the Magic Stove, used for cooking food at the table. This work, first published in 1849, was aimed at the middle classes. Conceived as a dialogue between two housewives, it contains hundreds of recipes and tips, giving modern readers a rich insight into household management of the time. Also reissued in this series are Soyer's Gastronomic Regenerator (1846) and Culinary Campaign (1857).
- ISBN10 5519140715
- ISBN13 9785519140713
- Publish Date 5 November 2014 (first published 27 June 2013)
- Publish Status Unknown
- Imprint Book on Demand Ltd.
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 490
- Language English