Of all the gourmets the world has known, none has ever attained the exalted status of Curnonsky. Born Maurice Edmond Sailland in Angers in l872, this bearlike lover of the good life came to Paris to study literature at the Sorbonne. Being attracted to journalism he began to frequent newspaper offices and literary circles, making friends wherever he went.

His bohemian life style and a rich literary output made him popular and he was to be found wherever imagination triumphed over conformity. If anyone came to represent the gay ostentation of the boulevards of Paris, it was Curnonsky who came to be known as a representative of the more pleasant passions of the belle epoque.

In l927 a public referendum crowned Curnonsky Prince of Gastronomes and from then his name became a household word throughout France. Fifty culinary academies and clubs vied for his presidency and solicited his presence at their feasts. All of which was fine with Cur, as he was known to his intimates, for this was a man who loved public attention nearly as much as he adored his food.

Gertrude Stein wrote that Curnonsky resembled nothing more than a "physically amorphous creature, not dissimilar to an unfinished tub of butter." With his huge white napkin knotted bib-like around his huge chins, he became a familiar figure in every kitchen and restaurant of Paris.

In addition to being a gourmet of impeccable taste, Curnonsky may also have been one of the world's most delightfully pompous inhabitants. He enjoyed issuing forth such proclamations as: "Never eat the left leg of a partridge, for that is the leg it sits on, which makes the circulation sluggish." Although such pomposity leads to a chuckle, one must respect honor, and Curnonsky's honor was beyond reproach. Once, upon being offered an enormous lifetime income simply for stating that margarine was the equal of butter, he refused indignantly. "Nothing," he said, "can ever replace butter."

Curnonsky could eat huge quantities of food, but he never ate any dish he considered "just a bit too far from perfection". During my early days in Paris, Curnonsky had taken on himself the "education and civilizing influence of aspiring food writers, and I had the privilege of dining with him on four occasions. I have never met any gastronome I admired more.

Despite his love for fine and sophisticated cookery, Curnonsky never lost track of what he considered "the simple cookery that is at the heart of truly great cuisine", and the following was one of his favorite dishes.

Leg of Lamb with Parsley a la Curnonsky

1 leg of lamb, about 2 1/2 kilos
1 clove garlic, halved
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, quartered
1 large carrot, quartered
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
4 tbs. parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
6 Tbsp. white wine
1 1/2 cups beef stock

Trim the skin and all but a thin layer of the fat from the lamb and, with the halved garlic clove, rub the leg well. Into a large roasting pan place the oil, onion and carrot and on these place the lamb. Sprinkle well with salt and pepper. Roast in a very hot oven just until browned (10 - 15 minutes). Reduce the oven temperature to hot and continue roasting, basting frequently, adding a bit of stock if the pan dries out. Allow a total of 30 - 35 minutes per kilo for medium-rare meat.

Remove the lamb from the oven 10 minutes before the end of cooking and set the meat on a platter. Mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley and chopped garlic and spread evenly over the meat. Sprinkle with the melted butter or margarine and then return to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes longer, or until the coating is lightly browned. Transfer the lamb to a serving platter and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before carving.

While the meat is standing, make a sauce by draining off the excess fat from the pan and discarding the carrot and onion. Add the wine and 1 cup of stock. Boil, stirring well to dissolve the pan juices and simmer gently for 5 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain and again skim off any excess fat that remains. In a saucepan bring the gravy to a final boil and thencorrect the seasoning. Serve the gravy in a sauceboat.

© Daniel Rogov