OP: Traite de Patisserie Moderne

Bureaux de La Cuisine Française et Étrangère, 1920. Hardcover. Very Good. Third edition.

With the addition of co-author Émile Darenne, this 1909 follow up and companion to Émile Duval’s first book, Traite General de Confiserie Moderne (1905), mirrors the meticulous and exhaustive format of the original.

Expanding beyond the scope of confectionery, the Émiles tackle the rest of the pastry world: entremets, puddings, crêpes, timbales, tarts, petits fours, conserves, ices, and doughs—a broad category stretching from brioche and babas to pâte à choux, gnocchi, cookies, and cakes.

Additionally, more than 100 pages are dedicated to catering and savory fare—everything from sauces, terrines, and timbales to jambon en croûte—and menus fit for the most elegant and elaborate occasions. 

The book remained in print into the early 1990s, evidence of its long-standing utility to professional chefs.

Despite the broad availability of various editions of the book, the earliest printings are scarce. In fact, this 1920 third edition may be of particular interest to food historians as it includes a brief chapter on pastry making during WWI. It acknowledges that the era of culinary grandeur had ended and one of austerity had begun. 

Our copy is in Very Good condition, though bearing the signs of handling in a kitchen. Discoloration and some soiling—particularly to the bottom edge where, in some cases, greasy finger and palm prints appear—can be found throughout. We note some damages and previous repairs made within the index, and a manufacturing error caused odd trim sizes to the first signature. In French. 

This copy comes from the Sontheimer Foundation Library, bearing a bookplate on the front paste down, stating “This book is a gift from The Sontheimer Foundation, Greenwich, Connecticut.” Carl Sontheimer (1914–1998) invented the original Cuisinart food processor.