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The Art of Cooking - The First Modern Cookery Book

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The Art of Cooking - The First Modern Cookery Book
By the Eminent Maestro Martino of Como. Edited and with an Introduction by Luigi Ballerini. Translated and Annotated by Jeremy Parzen. With 50 Modernized Recipes by Stefania Barzini. (Berkeley, University of California Press: 2005. Pg. 208.) ISBN: 0-520-23271-2.
Reviewed by Simone Bonim - February 14, 2005

Cookbooks have long fascinated me, both as a source of culinary inspiration, but also because they offer insights into the social and cultural history of the community from which the recipes were derived. While modern cookbooks provide much 'food for thought' it is historical cookbooks that offer the most telling insights into a community. Not only do the recipes provide clues to what products were commonly available, but also insights in the cooking utensils and cooking techniques available during a given period. The Italian cookbook, The Art of Cooking - The First Modern Cookery Book by the Eminent Maestro Martino of Como is one such 'historical' cookbook that is as much fun to read as it is to study.

The Art of Cooking was first published in 1400's and it is the first example of a modern cookbook in which ingredients, cooking times, and preparation techniques are clearly delineated. It is also one of the first cookbooks to divide the recipes into food groups such as meats, broths, pastas, eggs, fish, and the like. The recipes in this cookbook run the gamut from Stuffed Veal Belly and White Garlic Sauce to Lenten Caviar Pottage and Spinach Torte in the Genoese Style.

The captivating cookbook is enhanced by the inclusion of a detailed introduction by Luigi Ballerini that examines the historical and culinary significance of this text, as well as what biographical information is known about Martino. In addition, notes are found throughout the text that expound upon the recipes. Best of all, you'll also find fifty recipes in this book that have been modernized by Stefania Barzini. These are modernized versions of some of Martino's original recipes and include: These modernized recipes not only enable cooks to add to their repertoire, but also allow them to add an extra sense of realism to their Italian dishes.

This magisterial edition The Art of Cooking will delight both cooks and historians, and anyone who simply enjoys reading cookbooks. Historians and culinary scholars will be particularly interested in Ballerini's introduction to the text and Jeremy Parzen's textual notes found at the end of the text. Parzen is also responsible for the fine translation of the book into English. A short bibliography is also included that compliments the references found in Ballerini's introduction. This is volume 14 in the California Studies in Food and Culture series.

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History in Review - The Sorrows of Young Werther, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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History in Review


The Sorrows of Young Werther The Sorrows of Young Werther
By Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Dover Thrift Editions. Translation by Thomas Carlyle and R. D. Boylan. (Dover Publications, Mineola, New York: 2002. Pg. 88.) ISBN: 0-486-42455-3.
Reviewed by Simone Bonim - February 14, 2005

The Sorrows of Young Werther is a tragic story written by the literary genius Johann Wolfgang von Goethe whose best known work is perhaps, Faust. First published in 1774, this book became an instant 'bestseller' bringing fame and notoriety to the author when it became known that several readers committed suicide after reading this book. Originally written in German, this edition of The Sorrows of Young Werther is based upon the translations of the text by Thomas Carlyle and R. D. Boylan. Carlyle's 1827 introduction to the text is also included in this edition.

In brief, Werther is a sensitive young man who is in love with a married woman who rejects him. This romantic tragedy follows Werther's internal struggle to come to terms with his obsessive feelings of love for this girl, and the depression that he spiraled down into after being rejected by her. The story is told primarily through letters written by Werther to his friend, with a few scenes told from the viewpoint of other characters.

This haunting story shadows the musing of a young artist as he tackles the age old issues of what is the meaning of life, death, and most importantly - love. It is a story of the need for redemption and the pain of unrequited love. It is also a story about how unreciprocated love can have a destructive effect. This is a very short book, only 88 pages in this edition, yet within this short space Goethe has created an unforgettable, heart wrenching story that will haunt you for days to come - and then draw you back to reread this oft overlooked masterpiece.

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Questions or Comments? Send an email to:
TheAthenaeum@largeprintreviews.com




Copyright © History in Review 2005 - All Rights Reserved