Elizabeth David — Summer Cooking

London, Museum Press, 1955 . First edition. Cloth. An excellent example of the first edition of celebrated cookery writer Elizabeth David's fourth culinary publication, a guide to light Mediterranean inspired summer fare. The first edition, first impression.In a less decorative later variant of the dust wrapper, price unclipped. First editions of this work in any dust wrapper are uncommon.David presents fresh, simple dishes suited to warm weather. It features Mediterranean-inspired recipes using ingredients like tomatoes, herbs, fresh fish, and fruit, many of which were then unfamiliar in Britain. With the bookplate of Martin and Pamela Finch to the front free endpaper. They were antiquarian booksellers with an interest in antiquarian gastronomy.Former owner's inscription to front free endpaper. In the publisher's original cloth binding, with unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, fine. Bookplate to front free endpaper. Dust wrapper back strip sunned, with small loss to back strip head and further loss to back strip tail, repaired by clear tape. Rubbing towards fore edge of front wrap, covered with clear tape. Handling mark to rear wrap. Further clear tape repairs to back strip reverse at perimeters. Internally, firmly bound. Pages clean and bright. Near Fine . Ill.: None. Near Fine/Good.