Among the promoters of the gastric science, the
name of a simple amateur makes a distinguished figure--it is Grisnod
de la Reyniere, whose almanac the late Duke of York called the most
delightful book that ever issued from the press. We may affirm, that the
_Almanach des Gourmands_ made a complete revolution in the language and
usages of the country.
We are yet too near the restoration to determine the degree of influence
it had on cookery in France. The restoration has introduced into
monarchy the representative forms friendly to epicurism, and in this
respect it is a true blessing--a new era opened _to those_ who are
hungry.
M. Jarrin's fourth edition contains upwards of 500 receipts in Italian
confectionery, with plates of improvements, &c. like a cyclopaedian
treatise on mechanics; and when our readers know there are "seven
essential degrees of boiling sugar," they will pardon the details of the
business of this volume. The "degrees" are--1. _Le lisse_, or thread,
large or small; 2. _Le perle_, or pearl, _le soufflet_, or blow; 4. _La
plume_, the feather; 5. _Le boulet_, the ball, large or small; 6. _Le
casse_, the crack; and, 7. the _caramel_. So complete is M. Jarrin's
system of confectionery, that he is "independent of every other artist;"
for he even explains engraving on steel and on wood. What a host of
disappointments this must prevent!
If we look further into, or "drink deep" of the art of confectionery,
we shall find it to be a perfect Microcosm--a little creation; for our
artist talks familiarly of "producing picturesque scenery, with trees,
lakes, rocks, &c.
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