Seiyo Ryori-tsu [A Connoisseur of Western Cuisine]

US$2,500.00

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Seiyō Ryōri-tsū [A Connoisseur of Western Cuisine]

Kanagaki, Robun [notated by]; [Kawanabe], Kyōsai [illustrated by].

Tōkyō: Wanya Kihē, Meiji 5 [1872].

An early Japanese guide to Western cooking, containing seventy recipes, including one of the earliest recipes for curry printed in Japanese. The work is said to be an abridged translation by Kanagaki Robun of a notebook he acquired from a British resident in Yokohama. Its recipes range from soups, sauces, and pies to a variety of meat dishes, including pork cutlets, hashed duck, and minced fowl. Recipe 53, for curry, is particularly notable as one of the earliest recipes for curry printed in Japanese. Throughout the volume, some ingredients are translated into Japanese, while others, such as butter, are given in katakana, reflecting the absence of established Japanese equivalents. The work goes beyond recipes to introduce its readers to the unfamiliar world of Western dining. The opening illustrations depict foreign cutlery, tableware, furniture, and kitchen utensils, functioning almost as a visual glossary of objects that would have been unfamiliar to many Japanese readers. While ostensibly a practical guide to Western cooking, the book is equally fascinating as a record of culinary curiosity and cultural encounter during the early Meiji period. The final page of the first volume advertises a supplementary volume, published later the same year. An important early record of how Western food and dining were introduced to Japanese readers, featuring illustrations by Kawanabe Kyōsai.

Two four-hole-bound (yotsumetoji) volumes, on double leaves, traditional East Asian binding style (fukurotoji). Supplementary volume not present. Original wrappers worn and creased. Original daisen and text/illustration leaves enthusiastically stamped by an ex owner. Light soiling and wear internally. A few almost unnoticeable wormholes to gutter of v.1. [2], 4, 23; 31 leaves. 18.2 x 12 cm.

Seiyo Ryori-tsu [A Connoisseur of Western Cuisine]
Price: $2,500.00 (USD)