A dictionary of food, cookbook and more. Published posthumously. See also Petit Dictionnaire de Cuisine. Dumas was a much-admired chef. "The truffles themselves have been interrogated, and have answered simply: eat us and praise the Lord."
From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: For many years before his death Dumas had desired to produce a large work on cookery. He had written not a few articles on this science, and was an expert practical cook much interested in the national dishes of any country which he visited. All his general works were already contracted for by MM. Calmann-Lévy, but for this one he had reserved to himself complete liberty. It is an immense work, and apparently a thoroughly practical one, since the copy acquired for the Reed Dumas Collection came from the kitchen of a French lady, who was putting it to active use.
Owing to the war of 1870-71 the work was not printed until more than two years after Dumas' death.
Original edition: Paris, Lemerre, 1878, 2 portraits, pp. viii., 1155 plus 24 of advertisements, super royal 8vo.
Contents :—
Alexandre Dumas et le Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine, pp. iii. to vi. Signed : "L. T."
À M. D.-T. Vuillemot (acknowledging his great assistance in the production of the work), p. vii. Signed : "A. Lemerre."
Quelques Mots au Lecteur. Pp. 1 to 33. Signed : "Alexandre Dumas."
Une Cuisine Modèle. Pp. 34-35.
À Jules Janin. Pp. 36-97. Signed: "Alexandre Dumas."
Calendrier Gastronomique, par Grimod de la Reynière. Pp. 98 to 103.
Encore un Mot au Public. Pp. 104-06. Signed: "A. D."
The "Dictionnaire" proper, beginning with "Abaisse" and ending with "Zuchetti." At the commencement one reads this epigraph : "L'homme ne vit pas de ce qu'il mange, mais de ce qu'il digère." ("Man lives, not by what he eats, but by what he digests.") Pp. 107-1138.
Menus. Pp. 1139 to 1155.
Annexe au Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine. Pp. 1 to 24. These are in reality advertisements, but the first nine pages comprise "Étude sur la Moutarde, par Alexandre Dumas." ("A Study on Mustard.")
References :—
Pifteau: "A. Dumas en Manches de Chemise," pp. 38-39. Lecomte: "Alexandre Dumas," pp. 101-02.
