Review: The Ice Cream Book by Louis P. De Gouy

Review: The Ice Cream Book by Louis P. De Gouy

The Ice Cream Book by Louis P. De Gouy is an unexpected treasure to review. This recipe book is a republication of the author’s original 1938 Ice Cream Desserts for Every Occasion. The format of the book has not been altered and the numerous recipes and detailed instructions will be of interest to many culinary chefs.

Review: The Ice Cream Book by Louis P. De GouyTitle: The Ice Cream Book
Author: Louis P. De Gouy
Publisher: Dover Publications
Genres: Cookbook, Lifestyle
Publication Date: May 15, 2019
Rating: four-stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

A master chef — and one of the founders of Gourmet magazine—introduces the fundamentals of homemade frozen desserts with recipes for hundreds of mouthwatering treats. Louis P. DeGouy presents over 400 tried-and-true recipes for coupes, bombes, frappés, ices, mousses, parfaits, sherbets, and ice creams, including almost 200 ice cream recipes for butterscotch, eggnog, lemon, mocha, peach, peanut, strawberry, vanilla, and other delectable flavors.

Most of these recipes can be made with just an ordinary refrigerator-freezer, without the need for special attachments. DeGouy covers the blending of milk and cream, operating a hand freezer or a refrigerator, blanching nuts, preparing fruits, and many other procedures. Each chapter offers several recipes for a different kind of ice cream, accompanied by thorough instructions. And even if you don't care to make your own ice cream, you'll find a wealth of ideas for dressing up frozen desserts, from suggestions for simple sauces to recipes for baked Alaska and ice cream eclairs.

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❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃


Review: The Ice Cream Book by Louis P. De Gouy

One of my favourite desserts is definitely ice cream. De Gouy’s The Ice Cream Book is an amazing collection of every type of frozen dessert you can think of. Written almost a century ago, this recipe book is written for homemakers wanting dessert ideas. As the author states in the foreword,

“If she wants easy, economical, ever-popular answers, she will turn to ice cream.”

Keeping in mind that the instructions and tips for readers in this republication have not been edited since 1938, the book is an interesting historical look at how women were expected to cook and prepare food. While I had a laugh at some of the writing, there are some recipes that are quite relevant today.

❀ Detailed Instructions

De Gouy gives a lot of detailed instruction about the types of ice cream, the functions of ingredients, and a variety of how-to’s as well. Also, there is an entire section on frappés that I am really excited to try. However, my favourite parts of the book are the quotes from many well-known people, such as Benjamin Franklin.

❀ Contains a Wealth of Knowledge

The Ice Cream Book by Louis P. De Gouy is not written to be used with the modern conveniences of today’s day, it does contain a wealth of knowledge on how to create hundreds of frozen treats. The addition of images may have made the book more appealing to read, but it is still an entertaining step back in time. For those looking for some of Louis P. De Gouy’s original recipes, The Ice Cream Book is not to be missed.

About Louis P. De Gouy

Louis P. De Gouy

Louis Pullig De Gouy (1876-1947) served as apprentice to his father, Jean H De Gouy, Esquire at the courts of Austria and Belgium. Best known for his 30 year career at New York City's Waldorf Astoria, he served as Master Chef and Chef Steward in France, England, Spain, the United States, and many other countries. De Gouy was a founder of Gourmet magazine, and his 16 cookbooks cover everything from soup and bread to hamburgers and ice cream.

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About The Candid Cover

Olivia ❀ YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, novice New Yorker, & professional bibliophile.

21 thoughts on “Review: The Ice Cream Book by Louis P. De Gouy

  1. Sophie @ Blame Chocolate says:

    I love older recipe books for that exact reason! They always sound so ridiculously lovable and even border on quirky – some of the advice can be a bit impractical and not even work nowadays but it’s always fun to draw comparisons 🙂
    Women as housekeepers had completely different expectations than we do these days (thank God) but I have no doubt they had a lot of fun cooking and baking.
    Wonderful review! Ice cream is one of my favourite treats, especially now that summer’s here <3

  2. Nancy says:

    Sounds very interesting. When my sons had to do a science project, doing one about ice cream was not only fun but delicious. 🙂

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