Elizabeth David

An Omelette and a Glass of Wine, a collection of articles originally written for The Spectator, Gourmet magazine, Vogue, and The (London) Sunday Times, among others, is the penultimate book by Elizabeth David. This revered classic volume contains delightful explorations of food and cooking, among which are the collection's namesake essay and other such gems as "Syllabubs and Fruit Fools," "Sweet Vegetables, Soft Wine," "Pleasing Cheeses," and "Whisky in the Kitchen." Her many admirers will cherish this new edition, and readers coming to know Ms. David for the first time will marvel at her wisdom and grace. (6 X 9, 320 pages, b&w photos, illustrations)

An Omelette and a Glass of Wine

Elizabeth David's Italian Food was one of the first books to demonstrate the enormous range of Italy's regional cooking. For the foods of Italy, explained David, expanded far beyond minestrone and ravioli, to the complex traditions of Tuscany, Sicily, Lombardy, Umbria, and many other regions. David imparts her knowledge from her many years in Italy, exploring, researching, tasting and testing dishes. Her passion for real food, luscious, hearty, fresh, and totally authentic, will inspire anyone who wishes to recreate the abundant and highly unique regional dishes of Italy. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Italian Food

A Book of Mediterranean Food (New York Review Books Classics)

Jane Grigson wrote of Italian Food 'Basil was no more than the name of bachelor uncles, courgette was printed in italics as an alien word, and few of us knew how to eat spaghetti or pick a globe artichoke to pieces. ... Then came Elizabeth David like sunshine, writing with brief elegance about good food, that is, about food well contrived, well cooked. She made us understand that we could do better with what we had.' Published in 1954 the importance of this book, which required a full year's research in Italy, can only be appreciated when you realize that she was working in a post-rationing England which regarded Italian cuisine as nothing more than variations on pasta and veal. What she discovered was an enormous wealth of regional diversity in ingredients, methods, and even language, where the same pasta shape can be called three or four names in different parts of the country. She understood that all Italian cooking is regional; there is no 'national' cuisine and so there are eight recipes for aubergines, fourteen for artichokes, five for fennel and seven for lentils, all from different regions. But if such descriptions seem to today's reader overly thorough it is because many of her 1950's audience would have never heard of risotto, gorgonzola, prosciutto or even olive oil, let alone been able to purchase them. This is a critical and analytical look at Italian food - her personality and point of view come out on almost every page - organized by type of dish rather than by region and is full of details of kitchens and cooking by painters from the 14th, 15th and 18th centuries. The book is filled with asides and quotes from Italian writers and thinkers and as confirmation that this is more a work of scholarship than a simple book on cookery, there are appendices of bibliographies and notes on wine. If you want to explore the authentic regional roots of the Italian kitchen, Elizabeth David's masterpiece is the place to start. And the joy and relevance of this book today is that recipes that could only be read 60 years ago can now be cooked and savored. Elizabeth David's acclaimed writings are often cited as an inspiration by many of today's leading chefs, as well as home cooks, and are essential to any serious cookery book collection.

A Book of Mediterranean Food - published in 1950 - was Elizabeth David's first book and it is based on a collection of recipes she made while living in France, Italy, the Greek islands and Egypt. 'Britain's most inspirational food writer' Independent She gives us hearty pasta and polenta dishes from Italy; aromatic and tangy salads from Turkey and Greece; and tasty seafood and saffron dishes from Spain. Whether it is the simplicity of hummus or the delicious blending of flavours found in plates of ratatouille or paella, Elizabeth David's wonderful recipes are imbued with all the delights of the sunny south. 'Not only did she transform the way we cooked but she is a delight to read' Express on Sunday Elizabeth David is the woman who changed the face of British cooking. She introduced post-war Britain to the sun-drenched delights of the Mediterranean and her recipes brought new flavours and aromas into kitchens across Britain.

A Book of Mediterranean Food

Following the privations of World War II, English and American readers were ready for the riches of continental cuisine, and Elizabeth David was happy to oblige. "Summer Cooking, " first published in 1955, contains, in David's words, "dishes which bring some savour of the garden, the fields, the sea, into the kitchen and the dining room."

Summer Cooking

Cookery of the French Provinces - Kitchen equipment - Cooking terms - Wine for the kitchen - Sauces - Hors-D'oevre and salads - Pates - Sausages - Ham dishes - Vegetables - Fish - Meat - Poultry and game - Left-overs - Sweet dishes.

French Provincial Cooking

Throughout her distinguished career, Elizabeth David wrote and collected many articles about Christmas food. She put together a file of these articles, recipes, and notes, and even wrote an introduction, intending to publish them as a book. It never appeared, and after her death in 1992, her literary executor Jill Norman found the box with all this material. She put them together as Elizabeth intended, and we now have her "Christmas" edited for the American reader, handsomely illustrated and ready to guide us through this daunting festive season with good food and high spirits and our humor intact.

Elizabeth David's Christmas

'David's books are stunningly well written ...... full of history and anecdote' Observer Summer Cooking - first published in 1955 - is a wonderful selection of dishes, for table, buffet and picnic, that are light, easy to prepare and based on seasonal ingredients. Elizabeth David shows how an imaginative use of herbs can enhance even the simplest meals, whether egg, fish or meat, while her recipes range from a simple salade niçoise to strawberry soufflé. Finally, chapters on hors d'oeuvres, summer soups, vegetables, sauces and sweets are full of ideas for fresh, cool food all summer long. 'Britain's most inspirational food writer who ranks among the world's gastronomic greats ...... Elizabeth David's writing shows no sign of losing its potent appeal, attracting as much respect now as when it was first published' Independent

In this universally acclaimed book Elizabeth David deals with all aspects of flour-milling, yeast, bread ovens and the different types of bread and flour available. The recipes cover yeast cookery of all kinds, and the many lovely, old-fashioned spiced breads, buns, pancakes and muffins, among others, are all described with her typical elegance and unrivalled knowledge.

English Bread and Yeast Cookery

English Potted Meats and Fish Pastes

'A splendid tale of human ingenuity in the service of taste, sedulously researched and told with great flair.' Loyd Grossman Sunday Times Author of such cookery classics as Italian Food and French Provincial Cooking, Elizabeth David (1913-1992) found that the literature of cookery, as well as the practical side, was of absorbing interest, and she studied it throughout her life. Spices, Salt and Aromatics in the English Kitchen was published in 1970, followed by English Bread and Yeast Cookery, for which she won the Glenfiddich Writer of the Year award, in 1977. At the time of her death in 1992 she was working on this equally epic study of the use of ice, the ice-trade and the early days of refrigeration, which was published posthumously in 1994 as Harvest of the Cold Months. 'An awe-inspiring feat of detective scholarship, the literally marvellous story of how human beings came to ingest lumps of flavoured frozen matter for pleasure ... There is much, much more - about the making and breaking of reputations, the founding of Parisian café culture, the great and rivalrous confectioners of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century London, about Russian ice-cream (surprisingly superior) and Persian sherbets ... sumptuous.' Independent on Sunday 'This survey of the use of ice in cookery takes us on a fascinating journey from 1581, where in Florence they put snow in the wine glasses, to that modern phenomenon, the growth of the ice-cream business. A scholarly social history, which makes a fitting finale to the work of the greatest of our writers on foods and its contexts.' Harpers & Queen

The Social History of Ice and Ices

Harvest of the Cold Months

In 1965 Elizabeth David opened a shop in Pimlico, London, where she sold Le Creuset pans and other hard-to-get-hold-of kitchen utensils. The store, with its marvellous window displays, was as influential as her books would eventually be, pioneering a new generation of shops devoted exclusively to kitchenware. Rosi Hanson, who worked in David's shop for two years says, "She was good fun, and the shop was magical. She rather loved being a shopkeeper, perhaps because it gave her a rest from writing. If someone wanted some very specific piece of equipment, I often heard her say: 'If you could come back, I think I may have one at home.'" While she was still involved with the shop which bore her name, Elizabeth David Ltd, she produced a series of four little booklets: The Baking of an English Loaf, Dried Herbs, Aromatics and Condiments, English Potted Meats and Fish Pastes and Syllabubs and Fruit Fools which were sold exclusively in the shop. They were simple black and white productions which have now become rare, highly sought-after and very expensive collector's items. So Grub Street is delighted to have acquired the rights to these booklets from the David Estate and we are redesigning them as four hardback books in a slip case with specially commissioned beautiful artwork making them the perfect gift item. So for the first time in over 50 years these charming works will be available once again.

The Elizabeth David Collection

Legendary cook Elizabeth David is the woman who changed the face of British cooking. She introduced a dreary post-war Britain to the sun-drenched culinary delights of the Mediterranean; to foods like olive oil, pasta, and garlic, to fresh herbs like basil and to vegetables like zucchini and eggplant—foods that have become the staples of our diets today. Her recipes brought color and life into kitchens everywhere, yet her books never contained any photographs. Now, published for the first time, comes this full color, beautifully illustrated collection of her most inspiring and delicious dishes. Never before have her recipes been photographed to showcase the richness and variety of the food that she was so passionate about. Published to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth's first book, her instant classic Mediterranean Food, At Elizabeth David's Table has twelve chapters guiding the reader from tasty soups and starters, through to meat, fish and desserts. Sections on successful bread making, as well as more extravagant dishes, ensure that this will become the cooking bible that readers will turn to, time and time again. Interspersed throughout the book are some of Elizabeth's short essays—from how to cook ‘fast and fresh' using store-bought and pantry ingredients, to evocative portraits of French and Italian markets. With an introduction by Ruth Reichl, the famed editor of the modern classic The Gourmet Cookbook and the irreplaceable Gourmet magazine, and a preface by Jill Norman, literary trustee of Elizabeth David's estate, At Elizabeth David's Table is the must-have cookbook for home cooks, gourmets, and chefs alike.

Classic Recipes and Timeless Kitchen Wisdom

At Elizabeth David's Table

This anthology of Elizabeth David's work, originally published in hardback in 2000, is a direct sequel to An Omelette and a Glass of Wine. It again contains a selection of her journalistic and occasional work from four decades. Much of it she had chosen herself for reprinting in this more accessible form. In addition there is a considerable amount of unpublished material found in her own files, or contributed by friends to whom she had given recipes, or to whom she had sent letters, either with notes in answer to queries or giving details of current research. None of the material here appears in any of her other nine books. The emphasis throughout is on the practical aspects of cooking and eating, and the book contains over 150 recipes. These stem from many different countries, but they all have Elizabeth David's unmistakable personal touch ? a Mediterranean tomato consommé or a typically English raspberry ice cream. Little--known articles on her many and varied likes and dislikes complete a unique picture of what for so long made her the most influential cookery writer in the English language. Her work is always immensely readable, elegant and witty, and she has a wonderful ability to share her sense of season and place, her passionate interest in food, its history, its myriad styles and its role in society. There is much here to enjoy both for dedicated Elizabeth David fans and for those who are new to her writing.

Is There a Nutmeg in the House?

Elizabeth David's Italian Food was one of the first books to demonstrate the enormous range of Italy's regional cooking. For the foods of Italy, explained David, expanded far beyond minestrone and ravioli, to the complex traditions of Tuscany, Sicily, Lombardy, Umbria, and many other regions. David imparts her knowledge from her many years in Italy, exploring, researching, tasting and testing dishes. Her passion for real food, luscious, hearty, fresh, and totally authentic, will inspire anyone who wishes to recreate the abundant and highly unique regional dishes of Italy. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

First published in 1977, and winning its author the coveted Glenfiddich Writer of the Year Award, this universally acclaimed book is regarded by many as simply the best book ever written about the making of bread. It covers all aspects of flour-milling, yeast, bread ovens and the different types of bread and flour available. It contains an exhaustive collection of recipes, everything from plain brown wholemeal or saffron cake to drop scones and croissants; all described with her typical elegance and unrivalled knowledge. Even how to make your own yeast and keep it. But more than just a list of recipes, it is an insight into an interesting and informative home-baker. Enquire within on any point connected with baking and Miss David has the answer. Nor does it omit the history of bread making from the Exodus onwards, the iniquities of sliced bread and uncovers the dubious practices of some flour millers and bread manufacturers in the UK and elsewhere with amusing anecdotes and personal observations throughout. The writing style of this book has aged well and adds greatly to its charm. This is a book that should be included in every food lover's collection. Not just for those who love to cook but those who enjoy reading about food and its history, and of course it is an absolute must for keen bakers.

A glorious way to celebrate Christmas' Throughout her distinguished career, eminent food writer Elizabeth David published many articles on Christmas cooking and countless seasonal recipes. Elizabeth David's Christmas brings these together into a beautiful and timeless festive volume to treasure and return to, year after year. Containing over 150 recipes, all the classics are here- mince pies, stuffings, sauces and - of course - the perfect turkey, as well as simple party dishes, indulgent desserts and some less conventional ideas inspired by the author's travels and her own personal favourites. Peppered with her practical advice and wry commentary, this book will inspire an elegant and memorable Christmas while taking the strain out of cooking for a crowd..

'Brilliant reading, enthralling and exciting, as well as great cookery. The ultimate book in every way' Gary Rhodes, The Times French Provincial Cooking - first published in 1960 - is the classic work on French regional cuisine. Providing simple recipes like omelettes, soufflés, soups and salads, it also offers more complex fare such as pâtés, cassoulets, roasts and puddings. Readable, inspiring and entertainingly informative, French Provincial Cooking is the perfect place to go for anyone wanting to bring a little France into their home. 'A joy to read. David's descriptions of France are so wonderful you can almost smell the garlic' Jilly Cooper, Sunday Express Elizabeth David is the woman who changed the face of British cooking. She introduced post-war Britain to the sun-drenched delights of the Mediterranean and her recipes brought new flavours and aromas into kitchens across Britain.

A posthumous collection of recipes and articles—recommended by her friends and fans—from “the best food writer of her time” (Jane Grigson, The Times Literary Supplement). Before Elizabeth David died in 1992, she and her editor, Jill Norman, had begun work on a volume of “The Best of,” but then her health deteriorated and the project was shelved. The idea was revived in 1996, when chefs and writers and Elizabeth’s many friends were invited to select their favorite articles and recipes. The names of the contributors—who number among some of our finest food writers, such as Simon Hopkinson, Alice Waters, Sally Clarke, Richard Olney, Paul Levy, and Anne Willan—appear after the pieces they had chosen along with their notes. The writings and recipes which make up South Wind Through the Kitchen are drawn from all of Elizabeth David’s books, namely A Book of Mediterranean Food; French Country Cooking; Italian Food; Summer Cooking; French Provincial Cooking; Spices, Salt and Aromatics in the English Kitchen; English Bread and Yeast Cookery; An Omelette and a Glass of Wine; and Harvest of the Cold Months. There are over 200 recipes organized around courses and ingredients such as eggs and cheese, fish and shellfish, meat, poultry and game, vegetables, pasta, pulses and grains, sauces, sweet dishes and cakes, preserves, and bread, all interspersed with extracts and articles making it a delightful compendium to dip into as well as cook from. “The doyenne of food writers . . . a touching eulogy compiled by those who loved her . . . While it contains recipes from France, the Mediterranean, and the Levant, the book is really a collection of Mrs. David’s memories of those places.” —The Dabbler

Elizabeth David

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