Potatoes à la Crème, au Gratin

This is a recipe from Francatelli’s Modern Cook, published in 1865. Its laborious methods and extravagant presentation do not seem in the spirit of these times but the book is a real joy. Charles Elme Francatelli was chief cook to Queen Victoria. His recipes include ornamental Borders of Potato-Paste, Scollops of Sheep’s Tongues and Calf’s Brains. The following recipe is altogether more manageable i