Nevertheless the 1906 Mrs Beeton was a wonderful and beautiful book and is still greatly beloved by any one lucky enough to possess it. And any cook or housewife who wanted traditional English household cookery and sound, reliable cakes and pies and puddings could still needle out a certain number of the good old recipes from the mass of frills and fantasies supplied by Herman Senn.
Because, for all his faults – and today it is easy enough to pick holes – Senn was a fine editor. The 1906 edition may not have been Mrs Beeton, but it added up to a coherent whole. And it completely established the legend of Mrs Beeton’s omnipotence in kitchen matters. Right on into the nineteen-thirties, by which time scarcely anything of the original work remained, it was still possible for the publishers to let the reader infer that Mrs Beeton was still alive and co-operating with the revision of her work. The note by Sam Beeton (he himself died in 1877) appended to the prefaces of the 1869 and 1888 editions in which he referred to ‘my late wife’ was expunged from the 1906, never again to re-appear.
Not in the skilfully-worded prefaces, not in the publisher’s notes, not in the quotes from famous writers, not even in a comment by Sir Mayson Beeton (the son after whose birth she died) about his mother’s work, was she ever referred to as ‘the late’ Mrs Beeton. The image of a formidable old dragon in black silk and white bonnet, still telling us to be up betimes, to wash up as we go along and not to chatter about trivial household affairs, still presided over thousands of English kitchens.
A century has passed since the first appearance of Household Management. The publishers have had no alternative but to admit that Mrs Beeton herself has now been replaced by fifty-five trained and experienced domestic experts.
It was scarcely to be expected that the work turned out by such a team, lacking one master guiding spirit, would have anything like the personality and vitality of that produced by one young woman possessed of a burning conviction of what should be said and the ability to say it in clear and unmistakable terms.
I do not propose here to write the obituary of Household Management. The editors and publishers have done that for themselves.
In vain one looks for some small sign of the historical sense which might have infused life into this mammoth volume. But the publishing house which so largely created the Mrs Beeton legend have utterly muffed their chance of showing the public and more especially students of cookery and domestic history how that legend originated and grew.
In their 1960 volume of one thousand three hundred and forty-four 9½ by 6½ inch pages the publishers who have found Mrs Beeton’s name such a steady source of income for ninety-three years have not even thought to reproduce one single one of those original recipes which, whether we, or they, or the editors like them or not, belong irrevocably to the history of English cookery. The omission is hard to forgive.
Wine and Food. Spring 1961
The above article was written at André Simon’s request, to celebrate the centenary of the publication in book form of Household Management. At the time, as I complained, Mrs Beeton’s original recipes were out of reach of the general public. About four years later, however, Messrs. Jonathan Cape, more imaginative than Messrs. Ward Lock brought out a facsimile edition of the 1861 Household Management which then became cheaply available to all. Copies may still be bought from Prospect Books of 45 Lamont Road London SW 10.
Index
Page numbers in bold type refer to recipes, or to passages in which recipes occur
Acton, Eliza
English Bread Book, 136
Modern Cookery for Private Familes, 10, 35–6, 245, 303, 305
Adair, Robin, 165–6, 170–74 passim
Adrian, Leslie, 10
aïoli, 259–60
Alba, truffles of, 14, 280–83
albóndigas, 95
Alexandria, 23, 159
Alfarella, La, 94–5, 97
Ali Baba, 184–5
almond and mulberry dish, 248
shortbread, 245–6
alose à l’oseille, 64
American food, 137–9, 145–6, 159, 231
Amory, G., 112
Anacapri, 113, 214
anchovies, 99–100, 128
anchovy butter, 168
Andrieu, Pierre: Fine Bouche (review), 143, 145
anisette liqueur, with fish, 190–92
Apicius, 183, 184
Appert, François 275
apples
baked, 34, 36
Bramley, 34–7
codlings, 242
Cox’s orange pippins, 34–5, 105
with game, 34–5
with honey and cumin, 184, 185
with lemon and cinnamon, 105
purée, 35–6, 37
sauce, 35–6, 37
trifle, 240
varieties for cooking, 34–7
apricot fool, 244
apricots, dried, 244
Arbroath smokies, 217–18
artichauts Escoffier, 61
artichokes (globe), 61–2, 71
Asher, Gerald, 84–5, 93
asparagus, 209n.
wild, 107–8, 111, 112
Aurillac cheese market, 271–2
Australian food, 307
Austrian food, Norman Douglas on, 132–3
authenticity, 158–60, 189–90, 209, 217
of Boulestin, 174
English disregard for, 11, 25–7, 39–40, 158
French disregard for, 158
Avignon, 51–2, 79–80
Azzalin, Ugo: Di Alcune Minestre Venete, 108n.
Babinski, Henri, 175
Baillie, Lady Grisell: Household Book of, 1692–1733, 236–7
Barattero, Mme Rose, 53–63
Barnett, Isobel, 47
basil, 33
Beaujolais, 42, 101
Beaumes de Venise, 83–5
Bedford, Sybille, 126
beef
grillade des mariniers du Rhône, 252, 273
roast, stewed, 153
salt, 222
spiced, 288–90
stews, 153, 252, 273
Beerbohm, Max, 162, 229
Beeton, Isabella, 10n., 300–303, 303–9
Beeton’s Penny Cookery Book, 305
Book of Household Management, 26–7, 300–309
Mrs Beeton’s Every Day Cookery and Housekeeping Book, 305
Beeton, Sir Mayson, 308
Beeton, Sam, 300, 304, 308
The Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine, 300, 304
beetroot, Dr de Pomiane’s suggestions, 178, 180, 182
Benton, Peggie, 181
Berenson, Bernard, 117
Bernard, Mme, 66
Best of Boulestin, The, 167, 171–2
Big Ben, 293
Bini, Giorgio: Catalogue of the Names of Mediterranean Fish, 141
Bird’s custard, 229–30
Bishop, Frederick: The Wife’s Own Book of Cookery, 245
black fruit fool (’black tart stuff), 242–4
blackberry fool, 239
Blencowe, Anne: Receipt Book, 201
blettes (chard), 58, 77, 268
à la crème, 273–4
bogue (boops boops), 141
Boni, Ada
La Cucina Romana, 108, 110–11
Il Talismano della Felicita, 111
book reviews, 134–47, 150–51
Borrow, George: Wild Wales, 219
Boulestin, X. Marcel, 162–74, 213
authenticity of, 174
The Best of, 167, 172–3
The Conduct of the Kitchen, 165–6, 169
Ease and Endurance (A Londres Naguère), 172–3
Eggs 165
Evening Standard Book of Menus, 166
The Finer Cooking, 171
Les Fréquentations de Maurice, 164
Having Crossed the Channel, 165, 170
Herbs, Salads and Seasonings, 165
menus and recipes, 167–74
Myself, My Two Countries, 172, 174
Potatoes, 16
5
restaurant, 165, 166–7, 171–2, 174
Savouries and Hors d’Œuvre, 165
A Second Helping, 164–5
Simple French Cooking for English Homes, 164
What Shall We Have Today?, 165
Bozzi, O.P.: Vecchia Brianza in Cucina, 112
brandy, 187, 188–9
Brazier, La Mère, 61–2, 70–72
bread
in England, 74, 76, 136–7, 219, 248
in France, 74, 76, 78, 203
breadcrumbs, 37–9
breadmaking, 136–7
breakfasts, 91, 219
bream, 142
Briand, Aristide, 172
Brianza, 108, 112
Brien, Alan, 10
brill, 141, 191
Brillat-Savarin, J. A. de, 157, 178
Brisse, Baron, 192
Britain, see England; Scottish food; Welsh food
Brown, Helen Evans: West Coast Cook Book (review), 137–9
bruscandolilbrucelandi (hop shoots), 106–13
Bryson, Bill: Penguin Dictionary of Troublesome Words, 14n.
Buckland, Anne: Our Viands, 211
Burgundy, white, 16, 52
Bute, John, 4th Marquis of: Moorish Recipes (review), 143
butter, clarified, 218, 220–21
butter in France, 262
butters, 168–9, 227–8
Cairo, 23
Calvados, 189
Camargue, 267–70
Cameron, Ida, 26
canned/packaged food, 22, 27–9, 40–41, 212, 214, 275–9
Cantal cheese, 272
capers, 260
Capri, 123–4, 129–30
Carrier, Robert, 36
Carter, Ernestine, 10, 15
Catalonia, 91–3
cauliflower cheese, ‘perfected’, 41
Cavaillon market, 225–7
Cecil, David: Max, A Biography, 229
Cecil Hotel, 174, 192, 197
cenci, 117
Chablis, 101
char, 225
charcuterie, 61, 264–5
chard (blettes), 58, 77, 268, 273–4
Chardin, Jean-Baptiste, 267
Charvillat, M., 64
Chase, Joanna, 16
cheeses
British, 160–62, 298–9
and Guinness fondue, 160
Welsh toasted, 298–9
cream/milk, 203–7
cottage, 205
cream, 205
cream cheese croûtons, 207
ewes’ milk, 77, 298–9
fresh milk, 205–7
frontage normand, 253
junket rennet, 206
Osborne, 205
French, 70, 77, 156–8, 160–61, 261–2, 271–3
fondue de Franche-Comté, 157–8
omelette Molière, 52
Welsh rabbit, French-style, 161
German, 158–9
green, 204–5
Gruyère
‘ creamy threads of’, 118, 158, 161
sauce for riso ricco, 117–18
tranches au frontage, 180
Italian, 118, 206, 281
fonduta, 14, 157, 281, 283
Swiss, 157
wines with, 52
chefs
new-style, 13, 113, 181–5
old-style, 17–18, 176, 179–80, 182–3, 249–50
chestnuts, 292
chicken
livers
crostini, 116–17
potted, 222–3
with spaghetti, 115–16
potted with ham, 222–3
poularde de Bresse, 59–60, 71
poularde en vessie, 59–60
poulet rôti, 62
chick pea salad, 259
Child, Julia: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, 169
chocolate, 66
choucroûte, 184, 263
Christmas, 102
hampers, 284–6
recipes, 288–93
Christopher’s, 286
Cidonio, Bernardo, 280
Cipriani’s, Torcello, 106–7
clams
Coos Bay Clam Cakes, 138
tinned, 29
clarified butters and fats, 218, 220–21
Clark, Lady, of Tillypronie: Cookery Book of, 205
Claverton Manor, 159
cocktail party food, 207, 220
cod’s roe paste, smoked, 228
Cognac, 187, 188–90
Colette, 162
Colin, Joseph, 275, 278
Collingwood, Francis, and John Woollams: The Universal Cook, 240–41
Compleat Imbiber, 9, 14, 66, 187–92, 280–83
Connolly, Cyril, 15
Connolly, Major Matthew, 216–19
conserva di peperoni, 114–15
Cordon Bleu School, 34, 88
Cornas, 82
Cornish fairings, 30
Côte Rôtie, 82
cottage cheese, 205
coulis de tomates à la moutarde, 260
Courchamps, Comte de, 192
courgette and rice, gratin of, 47–8
crabs
cooking of, 32–3
digestibility of, 226
potted, 226
cream cheese, see cheese
creams, 237, 238, 242, 290
crème brûlée, 239
crème vichyssoise, 40
Croft-Cooke, Rupert: Exotic Food, 109
crostini, 116–17
croûtons
cream cheese, 207
à la marinière, 87
Croze, Count Austin de, 250–51
Cuisine et la Pâtisserie Bourgeoises, La, 109–10
Cumberland sauce, 154 Curnonsky (Maurice-Edmond Saillon), 250–51
custard, 229–30
David, Elizabeth
booklets, 229, 246–7
English Bread and Yeast Cookery, 246, 299
French Country Cooking, 91, 93
French Provincial Cooking, 9, 15, 17, 55, 62, 66, 70, 182
Italian Food, 32, 214
Mediterranean Food, 21–2
Spices, Salt and Aromatics in the English kitchen, 212–13, 246
Summer Cooking, 135
Davidson, Alan, 15, 278–9
Seafish of Tunisia and the Central Mediterranean (Mediterranean Seafood), 10, 140–42
What is a Sardine, 278–9
dentice, 141
Diat, Louis, 40
Digby, Sir Kenelm, 232
The Closet… Opened, 162, 231, 232, 235, 294
Dix Livres de Cuisine d’Apicius, 183
Dods, Meg (Mrs C.I. Johnstone):
The Cook’s and Housewife’s Manual, 219, 220, 226, 234–5
Dominic, Peter: Wine Mine, 9
Dorset Dishes of the 17th Century, 242
Dorset Dishes of the 18th Century, 234
‘double’ (boiler), 294–6
Douglas, Norman 13, 120–33, 139–40
Alone, 123, 128
Birds and Beasts of the Greek Anthology, 133
Late Harvest, 123, 129
Old Calabria, 120, 123
Siren Land, 123, 129
South Wind, 123
Together, 123, 133
Venus in the Kitchen, 124–8, 132
dried fruit, 242–4
Drummond, J.C., and Ann Wilbraham:
The Englishman’s Food (review), 134–5
duck, Welsh salt, 294, 296–7
ducklings, frozen, 297
Duclair, 261
Dumas, Alexandre, 192
Dupin, Pierre: Les Secrets de la Cuisine Comtoise, 157–8
Durrell, Lawrence, 78
Eales, Mary: Receipts, 240n.
editors, 9–10, 15–17, 36, 53, 167
Edwardian menus, 194–7
eggs
œufs à la neige, 80
pipérade, 170
with potted pastes, 220
scrambled, with smoked haddock, 169
and wine, 51
See also omelettes
/> Egypt, 23–4
Elizabeth David Ltd, 15, 246
Encyclopedia of Practical Cookery, 212
endive, Belgian, 181
England, food in
adaptations of French dishes, 251–3
appropriation and debasement of recipes, 11, 25–7, 39–40, 58, 92, 155
attitudes compared with French, 47–9, 91, 208–10, 263–7
dislike of olive oil, 26–7
hotels and restaurants, 24, 41–4, 148–9
poor quality of bread, 74, 76, 136, 219, 248
poor quality of potatoes and tomatoes, 47, 77, 208–9
‘traditional’ food, 287–8
epergnes, 237
Epulario (Maestro Martino), 248
Escoffier, George Auguste, 154, 179, 195–6, 212, 250, 287
and the canned tomato industry, 214–16
everlasting syllabub, 231, 235
ewes’ milk cheese, 77, 298–9
Family Magazine, The (1741), 242
Farley, John: The London Art of Cookery, 221
fennel, 103–4, 191
with Parmesan, 104–5
seeds, 127
Fieldhouse, Harry, 17
Fields, Gracie, 124
‘first’ or ‘firstly’, 14
fish
anchovies, 99–100, 128, 168
anisette liqueur with, 190–92
haddock, Arbroath smoked, 217–18
of the Mediterranean, 13 9–42
Norman Douglas on, 123, 128–9
fish, cont’d
mullet, red, 133
paste, 216–17, 225–8
potted, 225–8
sardines, 168–9, 227, 275–9
shad with sorrel, 64–5
sole
An Omelette and a Glass of Wine Page 36
