If you fancy getting stuck into to old - extremely old - recipes, than Sotheby's Books for Cooks auction later today (July 15) just might be the sale for you.
That said, these are books that you certainly won't want to spill any cake mix on. Highlights in the sale include La Pastissier François from 1655, estimated at £25,000-35,000.
It remains one of the most sought-after cookery books, and among the scarcest of Elzeveir editions. Although the book's author isn't known for certain, it is often attributed to La Varenne.
 La Pastissier François: pioneering French cuisine in the 15th century |
François Pierre de la Varenne (1618-1678) also wrote Le cuisinier françois (1651), the founding text of modern French cuisine.
La Varenne was the most prominent member of a group of French chefs who broke with 16th century Italian traditions and codified French cuisine for the age of Louis XIV.
La Pastissier François is one of many historic cook books on offer in Sotheby's auction, which begins at 2.30pm this afternoon in London.
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