Publisher Description

A Book of Mediterranean Food - published in 1950 - was Elizabeth David's first book and it is basedon a collection of recipes she made while living in France, Italy, the Greek islands and Egypt.'Britain's most inspirational food writer' IndependentShe 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 SundayElizabeth 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 intokitchens across Britain.

Notes

New edition.

Back Cover

'When you read Elizabeth David, you get perfect pitch. There is an understanding and evocation of flavours, colours, scents and places that lights up the page' Guardian 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. 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 'Britain's most inspirational food writer' Independent [Thumbnail of ED] 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.

Author Biography

Elizabeth David (1913-1992) travelled widely during the Second World War, throughout Europe, the Middle East and India. She returned to England in 1946 to write the classic Mediterranean Food, followed by five other books that all became bestsellers. Also a prolific journalist, she was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1982, and a CBE in 1986.

Table of Contents

• Introduction: Introduction
• Preface 1: Preface to the Penguin Edition
• • Preface 2: Preface to the Second Revised Penguin Edition
• Introduction 2: Introduction to the 1988 Edition
• • 1: Table of Equivalent Gas and Electric Oven Temperatures
  • 2: Table of Equivalent American Measurements
  • 3: Liquid Measurements
• Part 1: Soups
• Part 2: Eggs and Luncheon Dishes
• • 1: Snails
• Part 3: Fish
• • 1: Shell Fish
  • 2: Sea and Freshwater Fish
  • 3: Octopus and Cuttlefish
• Part 4: Meat
• • 1: Veal
  • 2: Lamb and Mutton
  • 3: Beef
  • 4: Pork
  • 5: Kid
  • 6: Boar
• Part 5: Substantial Dishes
• Part 6: Poultry and Game
• • 1: Hare and Rabbit
• Part 7: Vegetables
• Part 8: Cold Food and Salads
• • 1: Note on Hors d'Œuvre
• Part 9: A Few Sweets
• Part 10: Jams and Preserves
• Part 11: Sauces
• Acknowledgements: Acknowledgements

Kirkus UK Review

When David first published this book in 1950 (with John Minton's delightful illustrations, also reproduced in this edition), she changed British gastronomic habits forever. Written as a 'personal antidote' to the bleak conditions and acute food shortages she found on her return to England in 1946, this collection of recipes is Elizabeth David's hymn to the sun. In her simple, elegant prose she evoked all the colours, aromas and flavours of the cuisine of Mediterranean lands, put its sun on our Formica tables and cast Yorkshire pudding and spotted dick into doubt. English readers, starved of such pleasures, found her recipes, interwoven with sharp details of Mediterranean peoples and customs, irresistible. Nearly 50 years on, the book remains just as contemporary. David's chatty prose, peppered with quotes and opinion, is as readable as good fiction, and her recipes are all so tantalizing that the book makes for good cover-to-cover reading. Every self-respecting cook should have one. (Kirkus UK)

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