Original pre-Revolutionary vegetarian recipes, most newly translated from French, in a selection inspired by a menu prepared for a fast or "meager" day, when no meat was allowed. Includes eighteenth century preparations for onions, lentils, asparagus, peas, almonds, mushrooms, morels, beans, artichokes, cabbage, spinach and truffles, as well as sweet djshes such as apple beignets and creme brulee, and a number of stocks, sauces and doughs. Also includes an essay on "Vegetarians in Eighteenth Century France," exploring the supposed vegetarianism of figures like Voltaire and Rousseau, as well as religious communities and the more general population. An entertaining resource for historical cooks, culinary historians and vegetarians alike."