Who published the recipe as “Pancakes, Casino Style” in 1896?

Oscar Tschirky published the recipe as “Pancakes, Casino Style” in 1896.

Tschirky, widely known as “Oscar of the Waldorf,” was the maître d’hôtel and culinary figure associated with New York’s Waldorf hotel. His recipe is important in the history of Crêpes Suzette because it includes the essential citrus-butter preparation but omits the final flambé.

That detail complicates the familiar idea that flambéing was always part of the dessert. Auguste Escoffier’s recipe in the English edition of Guide Culinaire, published in 1907, likewise described the dish without the final flambé. The dramatic tableside fire became strongly associated with later presentations.

The recipe’s title also reflects the era’s fascination with grand hotels, casinos, and theatrical restaurant service. Tschirky’s version predates the best-known printed Escoffier description and helps show that the dish developed through several competing recipes rather than appearing in one uncontested moment.