Meat cookery for the 18th century female household cook: An unrecognized influence of Menon's La Cuisiniere Bourgeoise (1746)

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In mid-18th Century France, the cooking and serving of meat dishes had been in decline for many years. Household cooks were invariably male and were experienced professionals serving those who could afford their expertise. In 1746, Menon, a prolific food writer, published a cook-book, “La Cuisiniere Bourgeiose”, which was specifically written for the female cook, What has not been noticed or addressed by previous authors, is the fact that the majority of recipes in this book are devoted to the cooking of meat and poultry. Within a few years of publication of the first edition, all subsequent editions carried this emphasis on meat cookery on the title pages. The book went though multiple editions attesting to its relevance and usefulness to the cooks to which it was directed. It is argued that this publication may have had a substantial influence on household meat cookery of the time.