A Book of Mediterranean Food
- Year
- 1950
- Era
- 20th century
- Origin
- England · Europe
- Language
- English
- Category
- English 20th C
A Book of Mediterranean Food, issued by John Lehmann in 1950, marked Elizabeth David's debut and introduced austerity-era Britain to the garlic, olive oil, saffron, and fresh vegetables of southern Europe. The first edition is distinguished by John Minton's evocative dust jacket and line illustrations, whose imagery proved as influential as the recipes in reshaping postwar English taste and launching modern food writing in Britain.
Cooking from this book
Soupe au Pistou
Signature dishThis fragrant Provençal vegetable soup, finished with a pounded paste of basil, garlic and cheese, became emblematic of Elizabeth David's mission to bring the sun-drenched cooking of the Mediterranean into the grey kitchens of post-war Britain. Appearing in her landmark 1950 debut, it captured everything she championed: bold aromatics, fresh produce and unpretentious peasant cookery. For readers still living with rationing, such dishes were a revelation, and they shaped a generation of British home cooks.
An editorial note on a dish associated with this book, written for The Coquinist. It is not a reproduction of the book's recipe.
