Excerpt

Excerpt from The Cook's Decameron, by Mrs. W. G. Waters

Preface

Montaigne in one of his essays* mentions the high excellence Italian
cookery had attained in his day. "I have entered into this Discourse
upon the Occasion of an Italian I lately receiv'd into my Service,
and who was Clerk of the Kitchen to the late Cardinal Caraffa till his
Death. I put this Fellow upon an Account of his office: Where he fell
to Discourse of this Palate-Science, with such a settled Countenance and
Magisterial Gravity, as if he had been handling some profound Point
of Divinity. He made a Learned Distinction of the several sorts of
Appetites, of that of a Man before he begins to eat, and of those after
the second and third Service: The Means simply to satisfy the first, and
then to raise and acute the other two: The ordering of the Sauces, first
in general, and then proceeded to the Qualities of the Ingredients, and
their Effects: The Differences of Sallets, according to their seasons,
which ought to be serv'd up hot, and which cold: The Manner of their
Garnishment and Decoration, to render them yet more acceptable to the
Eye after which he entered upon the Order of the whole Service, full of
weighty and important Considerations."

It is consistent with Montaigne's large-minded habit thus to applaud the
gifts of this master of his art who happened not to be a Frenchman. It
is a canon of belief with the modern Englishman that the French alone
can achieve excellence in the art of cookery, and when once a notion of
this sort shall have found a lodgment in an Englishman's brain, the task
of removing it will be a hard one. Not for a moment is it suggested
that Englishmen or any one else should cease to recognise the sovereign
merits of French cookery; all that is entreated is toleration, and
perchance approval, of cookery of other schools. But the favourable
consideration of any plea of this sort is hindered by the fact that the
vast majority of Englishmen when they go abroad find no other school
of cookery by the testing of which they may form a comparison. This
universal prevalence of French cookery may be held to be a proof of
its supreme excellence--that it is first, and the rest nowhere; but the
victory is not so complete as it seems, and the facts would bring grief
and humiliation rather than patriotic pride to the heart of a Frenchman
like Brillat-Savarin. For the cookery we meet in the hotels of the great
European cities, though it may be based on French traditions, is not the
genuine thing, but a bastard, cosmopolitan growth, the same everywhere,
and generally vapid and uninteresting. French cookery of the grand
school suffers by being associated with such commonplace achievements.
It is noted in the following pages how rarely English people on their
travels penetrate where true Italian cookery may be tasted, wherefore it
has seemed worth while to place within the reach of English housewives
some Italian recipes which are especially fitted for the presentation of
English fare to English palates under a different and not unappetising
guise. Most of them will be found simple and inexpensive, and special
care has been taken to include those recipes which enable the less
esteemed portions of meat and the cheaper vegetables and fish to be
treated more elaborately than they have hitherto been treated by English
cooks.

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Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Cook’s Decameron by Mrs. W. G. Waters

1. Context of the Source

The Cook’s Decameron: A Study in Taste (1901) by Mrs. W. G. Waters (pseudonym of Emily Waters) is a cookbook that blends culinary instruction with literary and cultural commentary. The title references Boccaccio’s Decameron (14th century), a collection of tales framed by a group of storytellers escaping the Black Death—suggesting that food, like storytelling, is a vital and civilized art.

The Preface opens with a quotation from Michel de Montaigne’s Essays (16th century), where the French philosopher praises Italian cuisine through the expertise of a former kitchen clerk to Cardinal Caraffa. Waters uses Montaigne’s anecdote to challenge the Anglo-French culinary bias of her time, arguing that Italian cookery deserves recognition alongside (or even above) French haute cuisine.

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2. Themes in the Excerpt

A. Culinary Nationalism & Cultural Bias

• The passage critiques the English assumption that French cookery is universally superior, a belief Waters attributes to limited exposure—most English travelers only encounter "bastard, cosmopolitan" hotel food, not authentic regional cuisines.
• She contrasts this with Montaigne’s open-mindedness, who, despite being French, admires Italian culinary artistry. This reflects Renaissance humanism, where intellectuals valued cross-cultural exchange.
• The mention of Brillat-Savarin (19th-century French gastronome) implies that even the French would be disappointed by the diluted, globalized versions of their cuisine served abroad.

B. The Artistry of Cooking

• Montaigne’s Italian cook is portrayed as a scholar of gastronomy, treating cooking with the gravity of theology. His "Learned Distinction" of appetites, sauces, and seasonal dishes elevates cookery to an intellectual and sensory discipline.
  • "Palate-Science": A term suggesting cooking is both scientific (precision in ingredients, techniques) and artistic (aesthetic presentation).
  • "Magisterial Gravity": The cook’s demeanor mirrors a Renaissance philosopher, reinforcing the idea that culinary expertise is a serious, respected craft.
• Waters later emphasizes that Italian cooking is not just elaborate but adaptable, capable of transforming "less esteemed" ingredients (cheaper cuts of meat, humble vegetables) into elegant dishes.

C. Class, Accessibility, and Practicality

• The Preface has a democratic impulse: Waters aims to make Italian techniques accessible to English housewives, not just professional chefs.
• She highlights cost-effective recipes, suggesting that Italian methods can elevate simple, affordable ingredients—a contrast to the extravagance often associated with French cuisine.
• The focus on "English palates" implies a cultural translation: she is not asking the English to abandon their tastes but to expand them through Italian influences.

D. Authenticity vs. Globalization

• Waters laments that French cuisine’s dominance has led to a homogenized, watered-down version in international hotels—"the same everywhere, and generally vapid."
• She argues that true culinary excellence is regional and specific, not mass-produced. This foreshadows modern critiques of globalized food culture, where local traditions are lost to standardized menus.

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3. Literary Devices & Rhetorical Strategies

Device	Example	Effect
Anecdote	Montaigne’s Italian cook discussing cuisine with "profound" seriousness.	Humanizes the argument; makes culinary artistry vivid and respectable.
Irony	Englishmen believe French cooking is supreme, yet they’ve never tasted real French or Italian food.	Exposes the ignorance behind the prejudice.
Appeal to Authority	Citing Montaigne (Renaissance philosopher) and Brillat-Savarin (gastronomic expert).	Lends credibility to her defense of Italian cuisine.
Metaphor	"Bastard, cosmopolitan growth" (describing diluted French cuisine).	Conveys contempt for inauthentic, mass-market food.
Parallel Structure	"Not for a moment is it suggested that Englishmen... should cease to recognise the sovereign merits of French cookery; all that is entreated is toleration..."	Balances praise and critique, making her argument diplomatic.
Hyperbole	"The task of removing [the belief in French superiority] will be a hard one."	Emphasizes the deep-rooted nature of culinary prejudice.

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4. Significance of the Passage

A. Historical Context

• Written in 1901, during the height of French culinary dominance (thanks to Auguste Escoffier and the rise of fine dining), Waters’ book is a counter-narrative.
• The British Empire was at its peak, yet English cuisine was (and often still is) mocked as bland or unsophisticated. Waters subtly suggests that borrowing from Italy could refine English cooking without abandoning tradition.

B. Culinary Philosophy

• Waters champions regional diversity in an era of culinary standardization—a theme that resonates today in slow food movements and farm-to-table dining.
• Her focus on economical, ingredient-driven cooking aligns with modern sustainable food ethics.

C. Gender & Domestic Roles

• As a woman writing for housewives, Waters positions cooking as both a domestic duty and an intellectual pursuit, elevating the status of home cooks.
• The book empowers women to experiment with foreign techniques, suggesting that culinary knowledge is a form of cultural capital.

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5. Close Reading of Key Lines

1. "I have entered into this Discourse upon the Occasion of an Italian I lately receiv'd into my Service..."

   • Montaigne’s casual inclusion of a cook’s expertise in his essays blurs class boundaries, treating the cook as a philosopher of taste.
   • The phrase "Palate-Science" suggests cooking is a discipline worthy of study, not just labor.

2. "The Differences of Sallets, according to their seasons, which ought to be serv'd up hot, and which cold..."

   • Highlights seasonality and technique—key principles of Italian cuisine (and later, the Mediterranean diet).
   • The attention to temperature and presentation shows how aesthetics enhance flavor.

3. "French cookery of the grand school suffers by being associated with such commonplace achievements."

   • A subtle critique of mass-market dining: true haute cuisine is rare and localized, not the generic hotel food most travelers experience.

4. "Most of them will be found simple and inexpensive..."

   • Waters’ practical appeal: she is not selling luxury, but accessible sophistication—a democratic approach to gourmet cooking.

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6. Conclusion: Why This Matters

Mrs. W. G. Waters’ Preface is more than a defense of Italian cooking—it is a manifestation for culinary pluralism. By invoking Montaigne’s humanism, she argues that great food transcends nationalism. Her critique of French culinary hegemony and globalized mediocrity remains relevant in an era where food authenticity is both celebrated and commodified.

For modern readers, the excerpt serves as a reminder that:

• Culinary excellence is diverse, not monopolized by one culture.
• True gastronomy respects tradition while innovating.
• Good cooking should be accessible, not restricted to elites.

In essence, The Cook’s Decameron is not just a cookbook—it’s a cultural and philosophical treatise on taste, prejudice, and the art of living well.