Paris, Guillyn, 1755.
4 volumes 12mo [161 x 93 mm] of : I/ xii pp., xxii pp., (1) l., 404 pp.; II/ (1) l., xxii pp., 460 pp.; III/ (1) l., xxii pp., 298 pp. misnumbered 300; IV/ (1) l., 367 pp.
Full marbled sheepskin, blind-stamped fillet around the covers, ribbed decorated spines, red and green morocco lettering pieces, red edges. Contemporary binding.
Very rare first edition, the most precious and sought-after work of Menon, valued by vicaire five times higher than the price of the very rare original edition of 1746 of his famous “Cuisinière bourgeoise”.
Cagle, A Matter of Taste, New York, 1990, n° 344.
« This is the most celebrated of Menon’s works and one of the most important among the culinary works of the 18th century, consequently has become rare and difficult to obtain in complete form.» (Katerine Golden Bitting, Gastronomy bibliography).
“The Soupers de la Cour are rare ; we meet them only with great difficulty. These four volumes are very valued and reach a fairly high price at auctions. Thus, at the sale of Béhague, in 1880, a copy of this edition, in 19th century blue morocco (Bels-Niédrée) was sold for 107 fr.” (Vicaire 591)
“Reading the books he has signed, we can state that Menon was a great gastronome, an active witness involved in the transformations that the cuisine of the 18th century underwent. Anxious to record the changes, he details the principles by specifying the recipes as no one before him had done.
The techniques proposed to reproduce his recipes reinforce the idea that he was himself an excellent cook, representative of a cuisine that fascinated him, this new cuisine will be the prelude of the culinary splendors of the 19th century…”
The work of Menon is very representative of this new cuisine. The desire to improve funds and sauces is constantly expressed in his works. Like the masters of his time, he speaks an almost alchemical language, of indisputable precision and thus defines his work as a writer in the introduction of his book: “I have tried to be concise without obscurity, so that those who wish to use this work to learn the culinary art of the modern cuisine, are not put off by the length of the speech, nor embarrassed to grasp my idea. Simple style being the only one that suited to use.” (Marc Thivet).
Precious and beautiful copy in its attractive contemporary binding, enriched with Menon’s autograph signature in the lower margin at the recto of the first leaf of the address of the first part.
Beautiful copies in contemporary bindings of these celebrated culinary treatises, often consulted and manipulated, are extremely rare. Vicaire, as mentioned above, values this first edition five times higher than the price of the one of “la Cuisinière bourgeoise” of 1746 of which the beautiful copies, very rare, reach 10 000 €.
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