Published by Allen Lane in 1977

ISBN: 9780713910261

Condition: Acceptable

Hardcover, rare SIGNED first edition, with dedication from the author: 'Inscribed for Emma Negretti by Elizabeth David October 1977', on facing flytitle page. Dust jacket in poor condition, torn and worn. Boards age-faded with bottom corners bumped, splitting and wear to base of spine. Gilt lettering and decoration to spine. Textblock stained and spotted. Illustrated pastedowns and ffeps front and back clean and unmarked. Pages clean and bright, p.81 corner turned down. Illustrated throughout with black and white line drawings, diagrams and photographs. Includes bibliography, index and notes for further reading. pp 591. 

This classic work is a history of bread-making in England, improvements to the process developed in Europe, an examination of the ingredients used and recipes for different types of bread. The first part focusses on the history and the second to recipes. Bread comes first, followed by recipes for buns, yeast cakes, soda-bread, brioches, croissants, pain au chocolat, pizza and more. As in David's earlier books, the recipes are interspersed with excerpts from other authors, including Fernand Braudel, Auguste Escoffier, and painter John Constable. The book is written with David's typical elegance and unrivalled knowledge and encompasses the history of virtually every bread-making development since Stone Age crops and milling querns and baking practices in Ancient Egypt to the modern era, all examined in the meticulous detail for which David is known. In the mid-20th century Elizabeth David (1913-1992) strongly influenced the revitalisation of home cookery in the UK and beyond with articles and books about European cuisines and traditional British dishes.

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