The Shijo School of Gastronomy

TAKASHIMA, Shijo.

Setsuyo ryori taizen [or] Toryu setsuyo ryori taizen [Complete Manual of Cuisine of Our School].

Title within illus. border, frontis., & 51 illus. in the text. Five vols. in one. 8vo, orig. wrappers (rubbed & a little defective, first leaf a little dusty), new stitching. Kyoto: Kikuya, [ca. 1714].

First edition of this notable gastronomy book; it is rather uncommon. The Shijo School of Cooking was established by professional chefs during the Muromachi period (ca. 1400-1550). These chefs specialized in preparing formal banquets for nobility. The text is a compilation of techniques and recipes taken from earlier noteworthy cookbooks of this school. There are details on cutting and slicing, the meanings of the dimensions of the long metal chopsticks, and numerous recipes.

The illustrations represent the elaborate seasonal displays of foods, with a particular focus on fish, seafood soups, poultry, and vegetables. A number of idealized menus are presented, along with rules about which foods go together and which do not. There are many illustrations depicting cutting and carving techniques. At the end of the text is a substantial section on remedying food poisoning, along with favored foods for people who are sick.

Nice copy.

❧ Rath, Food and Fantasy in Early Modern Japan, pp. 48, 69-70, 83, 94, 101, 107, 114, 147, & 219.

Price: $5,500.00

Item ID: 6854