Book excerpt: First published in 2005. A cookery book by the author of The Three Muskateers and The Count of Monte Cristo may seen an improbability. Yet Alexandre Dumas was an expert cook- his love of food was said to be equalled only by his love of women - and his Great Dictionary of Cuisine, written to be read by worldly people and used by professionals and published posthumously in 1873, it is a masterpiece in its own right. This abridged version of the Dictionary is designed to be both useful and entertaining. A glance at the Index will show that there are hundreds of recipes - for sauces, soups, meat, fish, eggs, poultry and game - not all kitchen-tested with modern ingredients, but well within the scope of an experienced and imaginative cook.