This book has been prepared with the aim of gathering into a single volume the largest practicable collection of every day recipes suited to the catering fraternity in the English language, making it as nearly as possible the choicest and most complete work of its kind.

The name which is given it indicates the principle upon which the book has been made: namely, that it might serve as a book of reference; as a comprehensive exhibit of the growth, and condition of the requirements of the traveling public.

The work is not a cook book, and does not pretend to teach cookery, yet to those that have already received the fundamental ideas of cookery, it will be found to be the best theoretical teache-obtainable, as it clearly shows what the combinations of the dishes are and what they look like, and how they should be served.

Necessarily limited in extent, it yet contains more practical matter than any similar publication, presenting over four thousand selections. It is believed that of the culinary writers for the catering profession acknowledged by the intelligent and cultivated to be great, none, whether Foreign cr American have heretofore written the dishes in plain English without the foreign affectation of "A LA", an affectation when appearing on the Bill of Fare causing the guest to expect much, and disappointing him by receiving little.

The dusty road traveled so much by other writers in making their books contain five times as many pages as are necessary has been avoided, and we hope that one of the special merits of this volume is its brevity.

With these brief explanations, The Culinary Handbook is placed before the catering fraternity, with the hope that it will be deemed worthy of its title..

The Author.