Who Put the Beef in Wellington?: 50 culinary classics, who invented them, when and why

by James W. Winter, James Martin (Foreword)

Ever wondered why some of our dishes have the names they do? Where does Caesar Salad comes from? Who was Benedict and what s he got to do with combining poached eggs with ham and hollandaise sauce? In this fascinating journey into culinary history James Winter provides the answers to these questions and explores the origins of classic dishes from around the world. Who came up with them? When and what inspired chefs to combine certain ingredients? And why have they endured to become classics that we turn to again and again? With a total of 50 famous recipes, including 10 iconic cocktails, James covers some of the most well-known salads, suppers, and desserts from restaurants around the world including Battenberg Cake, Peach Melba, Sole Veronique, Chicken Kiev and Tom Collins. Including the quintessential version of each recipe plus hints and tips from top chefs, this book will inform and inspire in equal measure. You ll also find the answers to: Why is a Tarte Tatin upside-down? Where does the name Tortellini come from? What has meringue with ice cream got to do with Alaska? Who invented Oysters Rockefeller? Does Chicken Kiev really come from Kiev? Why is the Bellini named after a famous Italian painter? Accompanied by a recipe for each dish to inspire you to cook these classics at home, this a book for your kitchen shelf as well as your bedside table.

Genres: Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Cooking

192 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2013

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

As this is a cookbook, I haven't read it cover to cover yet. I think it's witty and clever. I am planning on hosting a dinner party where everyone picks a recipe from the book. Fun facts are great at a gathering.

[Frankie Macaulay · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun book; nicely designed with good photos; well written short stories that attempt to trace the history and names of recipes; recipes included

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

more of a cookbook than a real book about the subject. Lots of contradictory origin stories too. Not really what I wanted.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

informative and interesting read on how and why certain foods are names what they are. Recipes too!

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