Found this while digging around in an box of "old" books:
by: Raymond Oliver
La Cuisine"Secrets of Modern French Cooking"
Here's the info from Wikipedia:
Raymond Oliver (1909 - 1990) was chef and owner of LeGrand Vefour restaurant in Paris, one of France's great restaurants. The three star restaurant had been a favorite of the nation's leaders and artists. Napoleon, Voltaire, Colette, Sartre and Victor Hugo all ate there, some regularly. Olivier also hosted a popular cooking show on television.From another site:
Grand Véfour History
In 1784, the chic and trendy Café de Chartres opened in the Palais Royal gardens. In 1820, Jean Véfour took over as the new owner; the café was renamed Grand Véfour and it became a sumptuous restaurant and the best place to eat in Paris. For almost a century, Grand Véfour has been a meeting point for famous French politicians and artists. Thiers, Mac Mahon, Victor Hugo, Lamartine and Georges Sand frequently ate there. The restaurant closed from 1905 to 1947, but by the end of 1948, with the new owner and Chef Raymond Oliver, Grand Véfour again became the restaurant for the who’s who of Paris. Cocteau (who made drawings for the menu), Colette, Jean Giraudoux, Sacha Guitry, Louis Aragon, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and André Malraux were all regulars. As early as 1953, Raymond Oliver received 3 Michelin stars, which he maintained for 30 years.This book, including index, is 894 pages long--and the dustcover is pretty much intact! It was originally published in 1967; this is the second printing, from 1969.
It covers everything...from what to wear as a guest, to what to wear as a host/hostess. It shows (if you are a meat eater) the animals and the cuts of the meat from their bodies. Also, how to set a table, what table shape suits the number of guests one would have at dinner--it is just an amazing glimpse into quality living.
Now to the cooking--French and continental at it's finest, but explained in very easy terms.
Ahhhh, such old world elegance! I will wear my faux Chanel when I am cooking my "salde de moules au riz"
PS: thirty-five cents out the door
