It’s not an ordinary cookbook! This book is a labor of years of Estes, the first African American cook of two presidents, Pullman Private Car travelers, European royalty, who previously was a slave. He started working in a restaurant, when he was 16, and by 1883 he became a Pullman cook. In 1897 he was employed as principal chef for the private railway car of U.S. Steel magnates. There he served for the rich and famous.
Rufus Este's Good Things to Eat first was issued in 1911 so that we can observe here the food of that period of history, either exotic and haute cuisine or for everyday cooking. Thus, the work of Estes should be interesting both for people who are keen on American history of culinary and for those who want to find some new recipes or tips for cooking.
Here are 21 chapters and 591 unique recipes: three kinds of Tomato Soup, Boston Baked Beans, Creamed Spaghetti, Lamb Curry, Celery and Nut Salad, Chicken Timbales, different sweet dainties. Here is a great diversity for any taste, possibility and occasion.
This book reveals the result of Estes’ life experience, so that the reader can get to know even the author’s life during the Civil War through his own comments in the book.