Kettner's Book of the Table

Every food on the Victorian table gets its history, its etymology and a strong opinion — the wittiest cookery book of 1877, written in secret by a Times leader-writer and named for London's most fashionable restaurant.

This site is the complete 1877 book Kettner's Book of the Table, page by page as originally printed — period spelling, remedies and opinions included. About this edition →

◆ A Cabinet of Curiosities ◆

The Private Dining Room

Where the best stories in a Victorian dictionary of dining ended up.

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Browse the Book

The Introduction

5 entries

A

17 entries

B

41 entries

C

43 entries

D

7 entries

E

6 entries

F

9 entries

G

16 entries

H

11 entries

I

5 entries

J

5 entries

K

4 entries

See the full table of contents →

Highlights

Hare

Roast Hare. - To be stuffed with Forcemeat No. 6; to be barded; and to be roasted on a spit for fortyfive minutes before a brisk…

Harlequin Comfits

Caraway seed coated with sugar of various colours and sprinkled as an ornament over cakes and creams. They are not much used now…

The Menu Decoder

Handed a French bill of fare? Type any menu term and get the 1877 book's own explanation — history, etymology and opinions included.

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335Entries
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Rights & ReuseThe complete text of Kettner’s Book of the Table (1877) is in the public domain in the United States — like all works published before 1928 — and is free to read, download, quote, teach from, and reuse. This digital edition (its transcription, restored images, and site design) is © 2026 PhotoOpAI, and any editorial commentary we add is clearly marked as ours; the underlying public-domain text carries no such restriction. Trademarks and brand names appearing in this book are the property of their respective owners. This edition is historical and archival; it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any brand shown.