Le Viandier de Taillevent - Preface

Preface to the Second Edition

    This is, I believe, the first translation into English of Taillevent's Le Viandier ("The Food Provider"). It is, of course, no longer the only such translation. 1988 turned out to be the year of Le Viandier.

    Within a few months of the appearance of my translation in May of 1988, Dr. Terence Scully of Wilfrid Laurier University published an edition of all the French manuscripts, with commentaries, and with his own translation into English.

    The occasion has inspired me to do further research, to correct some of my own mistakes, make general improvements in the translation, retract some earlier decisions, and reaffirm others.

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