First published in 1825, this book is a brilliant treatise on the pleasures of eating and the rich arts of food, wine, and philosophy, written by a famed French gastronome. This edition includes recipes.

Excerpt from The Physiology of Taste, Vol. 1: Harder's Book of Practical American Cookery "What!" - the reader may exclaim - "Another book on cookery! Have we not Careme and Francatelli, Vatel and Soyer, Ude and Gouffe, Miss Acton and Mrs. Beeton, Meg Dodds and Mrs. Hale, and scores of other authorities on the same subject?" Must every cook be an author, and we be asked to read his book, as well as to eat of the dishes he prepares?" Gentle reader, it is to anticipate this possible state of mind, and to answer these probable questions, that this explanatory preface is submitted. Many a dish is cooked that is not worth the time and trouble, even by an ordinarily educated palate, given to its discussion, and many a book written - especially on the subject of Cookery - the reading of which is worse than time wasted. There have been innumerable Cook Books for popular use published, I grant you; but if you ask nine out of ten persons who consult them, they will tell you they become more and more perplexed as they attempt to follow their guidance. The housekeeper will confess she has been led into errors by their vague recipes, injurious to the family health, and, at the same time, expensive to the family purse. It is to dissipate this fog enveloping the literature of the kitchen that the publication of the Book Of American Practical Cookery is undertaken. The author claims that the work is the result of a lifetime of study, constant observation, and practical experience in the best culinary establishments of both Continents. He, therefore, brings to his task a thorough knowledge of the subject, and asserts, fearless of successful contradiction, that the result of his labors will be the only competent, treatise - applying culinary science especially to the material conditions of this country - ever written. He intends it for a trustworthy guide to all what to eat and drink, and what to avoid. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755 – 1826) has been credited with founding the genre of the gastronomic essay, together with Grimod. A French lawyer and politician, Brillat-Savarin believed that all food, no matter how simple, should be prepared and consumed with great artistry. Though prosaic, his meditations on food are still considered important, and should be read in the leisurely, artistic way he approached food: "Those persons who suffer from indigestion, or who become drunk, are utterly ignorant of the true principles of eating and drinking."

The Physiology of Taste