TURIN · 1766 · PRIMARY SOURCE
Il Cuoco piemontese perfezionato a Parigi
The anonymous cookbook that placed Turin in dialogue with the new French cuisine and opened a decisive phase in Piedmontese gastronomic literature.
Why it marks a turning point
First published in Turin in 1766, the book largely reworks and adapts Menon’s La Cuisinière bourgeoise, published in Paris in 1746, within a Savoy and Piedmontese context.
Paris as a model, Piedmont as a filter
It is not a simple copy. French techniques, terminology and culinary organisation are transferred and adapted to local ingredients, availability and taste.
A new language of cooking
Many French culinary terms enter Italian usage through works such as this one: entrée, hors-d’œuvre, entremets, remoulade, ravigotte, escalope, purée, brioche, caramel, meringue and soufflé.
Much more than a recipe collection
The first edition includes duties of the household steward, explanations of kitchen utensils, seasonal instructions, service and carving techniques, as well as hundreds of recipes.
An author without a name
The title page does not identify an author. Its importance lies less in an individual biography than in its role as a mediator between French culinary culture and a Piedmontese readership.