a roux with fl our, which he called “fried fl our.” De Lune was chef to
the duke of Rohan, so his recipes refl ect the best that money could
buy, which now meant refi nement and elegant procedures rather
than rare and exotic ingredients, variety, and abundance. Among late-17th-century French cookbooks, L’Art de Bien Traiter
of 1674 was the largest, most innovative, and important. Its author
was also a professional chef working for the noblest of patrons.
However, apart from his initials, L. S. R., we know practically
nothing about him. He is usually remembered today for his scathing
remarks about the vulgarity of earlier cookbooks.
Far more interesting, though, are the ways that L. S. R. anticipates
developments in haute cuisine yet to come, including his detailed
interest in sensory perceptions—the way food looks and feels in the
mouth and the subtle perfumes evoked by perfect cooking. His aim
was delicacy, refi nement, and discernment, and L. S. R. instructed
his readers exactly how to achieve the effects desired.
The refi nement of L. S. R.’s cookbook was achieved in large
measure by distancing himself from the culinary fashions of the
common rabble and especially from those of previous generations.
The most popular cookbook of the latter 17th century was François
Massialot’s Le Cuisinier Roïal et Bourgeois of 1691. Massialot
probably worked as a freelance caterer for the royal household, and
for whoever could pay for his services, and his connections at court
and the descriptions of meals served there made his cookbook a
continual success. Its popularity probably also has a lot to do with
the broad audience it addressed.
In terms of technique, several features of classical haute cuisine
also come into full light. There is extensive use of reduced stocks,
bound with a liaison of butter, cream, or eggs and garnished with
expensive ingredients like truffl es or foie gras. The focus is on
concentrating fl avors and reducing them to an essence, but one