The Escoffier Cookbook

Takes a while to get used to the format and style of writing, but it is worth it.At first glance it comes across as quite outdated. It didn’t look like something one can pull off at home. But now I realise it gives you a thorough grounding of what good looks like, and a lot of it is actually quite doable at home. Eg The cantaloup with Marsala wine/ port wine is not only easily doable at home, but the presentation tips change the tone and bring about the difference between a meal and an experience to remember.Remember that the book is from an era when everything was either extremely fresh, or it was tinned/ preserved.