Scherger (Cobourg).
The Honorable General Mead.
The Honorable Captain Vivian, M.P.
Daniel O’Connell, Esq., M.P.
Maurice O’Connell, Esq., M.P.
John O’Connell, Esq., M.P.
George Duncan, Esq., M.P.
Edward Ellice, Esq., M.P.
Robert Archbold, Esq., M.P.
The Rev. Charles Turnor, D.D.
Captain Wemyss.
Alston, Rowland, Esq.
Basevi, George, Esq.
Bryane, W. C. Esq. (America).

Bavin Christopher, Esq.
Boyd, W. Esq.
Buckland, James, Esq.
Hawes, B. Esq.
M. Dusillion, Architect, Paris.
Barry, Charles, Esq.
Bonverie, Edward Pleydell, Esq.
Collins, William, M.D.
Clumy, Thomas, Esq.
Clayton, John, Lloyd, Esq.
Diwett, Thomas, Esq.
Dardel, Monsieur de.
Dann, Henry, Esq.
Faraday, Professor.
Gully, John, Esq.
Gunston, John, Esq.
Gordon, Robert, Esq.
Hoare, Charles, Esq.
Harmer, James, Esq.
Hope, ——, Esq
Hovenden, J. E. Esq.
Humphrey, John, Alderman, M.P.
Melik, A. Esq., (Turkey).
Montefiore, N. Esq.
Murphy, Mr. Sergeant.
Oliviera, Benjamin, Esq.
O’Brien, Stafford, Esq.
Perkins, Frederic, Esq.
Philips, Mark, Esq., M.P.
Prescott, H. Esq.
Rushton, E. A. Esq.
Strutt, Edward, Esq., M.P.
Sampayo, O. H. Esq.
F. A. Sarg, Esq.
Wolfe, J. L. Esq.

PREFACE.

AT the request of several persons of distinction, who have visited the Reform Club,—particularly the ladies, to whom I have always made it a rule never to refuse anything in my power, for indeed it must have been the fair sex who have had the majority in this domestic argument to gain this gastronomical election,—Why do you not write and publish a Cookery-book? was a question continually put to me. For a considerable time this scientific word caused a thrill of horror to pervade my frame, and brought back to my mind that one day, being in a most superb library in the midst of a splendid baronial hall, by chance I met with one of Milton’s allegorical works, the profound ideas of Locke, and several chefs-d’œuvre of one of the noblest champions of literature, Shakspeare; when all at once my attention was attracted by the nineteenth edition of a voluminous work: such an immense success of publication caused me to say, “Oh! you celebrated man, posterity counts every hour of fame upon your regretted ashes!” Opening this work with intense curiosity, to my great disappointment what did I see,—a receipt for Ox-tail Soup! The terrifying effect produced upon me by this succulent volume made me determine that my few ideas, whether culinary or domestic, should never encumber a sanctuary which should be entirely devoted to works worthy of a place in the Temple of the Muses.

But you must acknowledge, respected readers, how changeable and uncertain are our feeble ideas through life; to keep the promise above mentioned, I have been drawn into a thousand gastronomic reflections, which have involved me in the necessity of deviating entirely from my former opinion, and have induced me to bring before the public the present volume, under the title of ‘The Gastronomic Regenerator,’ throughout which I have closely followed the plain rules of simplicity, so that every receipt can not only clearly be understood, but easily executed.

I now sincerely hope, Ladies, that I have not only kept my promise, but to your satisfaction paid tribute to your wishes.

You have not forgotten, dear reader, the effect that monstrous volume, the said nineteenth edition, produced upon me, therefore I now sincerely beg of you to put my book in a place suited to its little merit, and not with Milton’s sublime Paradise, for there it certainly would be doubly lost.

PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION.

THE sale of three editions of the Gastronomic Regenerator in less than nine months, is so gratifying to my feelings, that I should be wanting in courtesy, were I not publicly to express, at this present moment, how grateful I am for the very flattering testimonials I have been honoured with by the press, through whom I have received such great encouragement from the public, who so handsomely repaid the laborious work which I have devoted to the gastronomic art.

In this the Fourth Edition, I have increased and improved the receipts, and corrected those errors which unavoidably occur in so voluminous a work.

The first improvement is a most essential one, being an abbreviated table of contents, referring from number to number or article to article, and giving in a few pages the translation of every comestible, which will much facilitate the making of bills of fare.

The second and still more important improvement is my new Tendon Separator, demonstrated by a scientific woodcut, with full explanations of its valuable use in preparing poultry and game for the table.

I have added several new receipts, communicated by amateurs, which are not deficient in good taste.

There will likewise be found a correct engraving of my Bouquet de Gibier, which met with so much success in London and Paris last Christmas, and offers to noblemen and gentlemen a new and pleasing mode of making presents of game.

The one I presented to His Majesty Louis Philippe, with a copy of this work, met with the highest approbation from the court of France, and was most handsomely acknowledged by his Majesty.

I now most humbly return thanks to the public for their kind encouragement, and trust that the success I have hitherto had may still be continued.

ALEXIS SOYER.

DUBLIN;
St. Patrick’s Day, 1847.

IMPORTANT.
DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPOSITION OF THIS WORK.

To sustain and deserve the title of “Gastronomic Regenerator,” nothing but an entire change from the system of any other publication on the art of Cookery would be admissible, it is now in the hands of my readers to judge for themselves, and to stamp its character according to its merits, either as an original or a copy; to avoid the last, however, I have closely studied to introduce the greatest novelty in every department, and have entirely omitted all unnecessary confusion, which, in many previous works, have rendered them unintelligible to the uninitiated, and almost impracticable to the initiated; however, many old and useful receipts, too good to be omitted, will be found much simplified—to reduce them to a practical point.

I have also minutely studied the disposing and arranging of the building of all sized kitchens, from the one of the Reform Club and the Kitchen of the Wealthy to the humble one of the cottage, which cannot fail to prove useful when closely followed, as six years of experience in the kitchen of the Reform Club