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Is There a Nutmeg in the House?: Essays on Practical Cooking with More Than 150 Recipes
Presents a collection of essays by the influential late food writer that explores the practical aspects of food and eating, along with more than 150 recipes representing an array of international culinary traditions. Reprint.
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2000
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About the author
Elizabeth David
111 books103 followersBorn Elizabeth Gwynne, she was of mixed English and Irish ancestry, and came from a rather grand background, growing up in the 17th-century Sussex manor house, Wootton Manor. Her parents were Rupert Gwynne, Conservative MP for Eastbourne, and the Hon. Stella Ridley, who came from a distinguished Northumberland family. They had three other daughters.
She studied Literature and History at the Sorbonne, living with a French family for two years, which led to her love of France and of food. At the age of 19, she was given her first cookery book, The Gentle Art of Cookery by Hilda Leyel, who wrote of her love with the food of the East. "If I had been given a standard Mrs Beeton instead of Mrs Leyel's wonderful recipes," she said, "I would probably never have learned to cook."
Gwynne had an adventurous early life, leaving home to become an actress. She left England in 1939, when she was twenty-five, and bought a boat with her married lover Charles Gibson-Cowan intending to travel around the Mediterranean. The onset of World War II interrupted this plan, and they had to flee the German occupation of France. They left Antibes for Corsica and then on to Italy where the boat was impounded; they arrived on the day Italy declared war on Britain. Eventually deported to Greece, living on the Greek island of Syros for a period, Gwynne learnt about Greek food and spent time with high bohemians such as the writer Lawrence Durrell. When the Germans invaded Greece they fled to Crete where they were rescued by the British and evacuated to Egypt, where she lived firstly in Alexandria and later in Cairo. There Gwynne started work for the Ministry of Information, split from Gibson-Cowan, and eventually took on a marriage of convenience, more or less as her aunt, Violet Gordon-Woodhouse, had done. This gave her a measure of respectability but Lieutenant-Colonel Tony David was a man whom she did not ultimately respect, and their relationship ended soon after an eight month posting in India. She had many lovers in ensuing years.
On her return to London in 1946, David began to write articles on cooking, and in 1949 the publisher John Lehmann offered her a £100 advance for Book of Mediterranean Food, the start of a dazzling writing career. David spent eight months researching Italian food in Venice, Tuscany and Capri. This resulted in Italian Food in 1954, with illustrations by Renato Guttuso, which was famously described by Evelyn Waugh in The Sunday Times as one of the two books which had given him the most pleasure that year.
Many of the ingredients were unknown in England when the books were first published, as shortages and rationing continued for many years after the end of the war, and David had to suggest looking for olive oil in pharmacies where it was sold for treating earache. Within a decade, ingredients such as aubergines, saffron and pasta began to appear in shops, thanks in no small part to David's books. David gained fame, respect and high status and advised many chefs and companies. In November 1965, she opened her own shop devoted to cookery in Pimlico, London. She wrote articles for Vogue magazine, one of the first in the genre of food-travel.
In 1963, when she was 49, she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, possibly related to her heavy drinking. Although she recovered, it affected her sense of taste and her libido.
She studied Literature and History at the Sorbonne, living with a French family for two years, which led to her love of France and of food. At the age of 19, she was given her first cookery book, The Gentle Art of Cookery by Hilda Leyel, who wrote of her love with the food of the East. "If I had been given a standard Mrs Beeton instead of Mrs Leyel's wonderful recipes," she said, "I would probably never have learned to cook."
Gwynne had an adventurous early life, leaving home to become an actress. She left England in 1939, when she was twenty-five, and bought a boat with her married lover Charles Gibson-Cowan intending to travel around the Mediterranean. The onset of World War II interrupted this plan, and they had to flee the German occupation of France. They left Antibes for Corsica and then on to Italy where the boat was impounded; they arrived on the day Italy declared war on Britain. Eventually deported to Greece, living on the Greek island of Syros for a period, Gwynne learnt about Greek food and spent time with high bohemians such as the writer Lawrence Durrell. When the Germans invaded Greece they fled to Crete where they were rescued by the British and evacuated to Egypt, where she lived firstly in Alexandria and later in Cairo. There Gwynne started work for the Ministry of Information, split from Gibson-Cowan, and eventually took on a marriage of convenience, more or less as her aunt, Violet Gordon-Woodhouse, had done. This gave her a measure of respectability but Lieutenant-Colonel Tony David was a man whom she did not ultimately respect, and their relationship ended soon after an eight month posting in India. She had many lovers in ensuing years.
On her return to London in 1946, David began to write articles on cooking, and in 1949 the publisher John Lehmann offered her a £100 advance for Book of Mediterranean Food, the start of a dazzling writing career. David spent eight months researching Italian food in Venice, Tuscany and Capri. This resulted in Italian Food in 1954, with illustrations by Renato Guttuso, which was famously described by Evelyn Waugh in The Sunday Times as one of the two books which had given him the most pleasure that year.
Many of the ingredients were unknown in England when the books were first published, as shortages and rationing continued for many years after the end of the war, and David had to suggest looking for olive oil in pharmacies where it was sold for treating earache. Within a decade, ingredients such as aubergines, saffron and pasta began to appear in shops, thanks in no small part to David's books. David gained fame, respect and high status and advised many chefs and companies. In November 1965, she opened her own shop devoted to cookery in Pimlico, London. She wrote articles for Vogue magazine, one of the first in the genre of food-travel.
In 1963, when she was 49, she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, possibly related to her heavy drinking. Although she recovered, it affected her sense of taste and her libido.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 28, 2020
Can anyone else write as brilliantly about food as Elizabeth David? Nope.
March 30, 2010
After selecting articles to be collected in the anthology An Omelette and a Glass of Wine, some of the unused pieces were saved. This book is the collection of those set aside articles. Some are more interesting than others, but the good ones are real gems. The descriptions of several, simple courgette dishes were intriguing. Her Hand-Made Mayonnaise story is precise, amusing, and makes me want to make mayonnaise. Baking an English Loaf goes into great detail and encourages everyone to read a few simple instructions and make a decent loaf of bread. She could be sassy. I'm glad Elizabeth David was crazy about food and shared so much info in her many article and books.
February 22, 2018
I enjoy her no nonsense tone. I found the history of many of the recipes interesting and many of the recipes would be worth a try. The cover is beautiful but not nutmegs! "Someone" should write a biography of this woman who led a full and varied life.
February 19, 2011
I like opinionated food people, but this is very dated. And, fusty.
June 4, 2021
Quotable:
When something was lacking in my kitchen, which was just about every time anyone came to dinner, Suleiman would borrow it form some grander establishment. All Cairo cooks did likewise. Thus a dinner guest was quite likely to recognize his own plates, cutlery or serving dishes on my table. Nobody commented on this familiar custom.
“In the seventeenth century sex had not yet been singled out as the sin par excellence, it was merely one among many failings, and Aubrey no more thought of concealing it than he dreamed of avoiding the mention of gluttony or drunkenness.” Or, it might be added, the presence of “lice in one’s head.” –Aubrey’s brief lives by Oliver Dick Larson
Authors who claim to write history and fail to cite sources can hardly expect to be taken seriously.
When something was lacking in my kitchen, which was just about every time anyone came to dinner, Suleiman would borrow it form some grander establishment. All Cairo cooks did likewise. Thus a dinner guest was quite likely to recognize his own plates, cutlery or serving dishes on my table. Nobody commented on this familiar custom.
“In the seventeenth century sex had not yet been singled out as the sin par excellence, it was merely one among many failings, and Aubrey no more thought of concealing it than he dreamed of avoiding the mention of gluttony or drunkenness.” Or, it might be added, the presence of “lice in one’s head.” –Aubrey’s brief lives by Oliver Dick Larson
Authors who claim to write history and fail to cite sources can hardly expect to be taken seriously.
October 28, 2019
If you consider yourself part of Team Elizabeth David and want to read from the wider repertoire of her work beyond her seminal texts then this is for you. For myself, eh, not that remarkable. Many of the pieces were ‘Unpublished’, I can see why. I have to mention that perhaps the large point annoyed me to the point that it seemed to encapsulate the entire book. That said she has good points and some of her recipes seem worth a try, others- dated.
February 16, 2020
A great selection of writing from the one of the finest writers on food.
August 24, 2012
Elizabeth David was a cookery writer who apparently revolutionised British cooking after the Second World War by writing about Mediterranean food. So she's sort of the grand-daddy of them all, seminal influence, blah blah blah. Unfortunately, I really didn't get on with this collection of articles by her. I found her writing had a distinct undertone of "I'm trying to educate you stupid plebs; why aren't you listening!" which was rather off-putting, and if she had a sense of humour, it was not allowed out when she was writing. The librarian who dug the book out of storage for me informed me cheerfully that the last time anyone had wanted it was 2003. As far as I'm concerned it can go back into storage until 3003 (at which point it will perhaps be a useful primary source for social historians).
(Also, her reasons for objecting to the humble garlic press are entirely idiotic.)
(Also, her reasons for objecting to the humble garlic press are entirely idiotic.)
July 18, 2007
If I was going to be anyone else, I'd like to be Elizabeth David (with the looks of Vivien Leigh). I want her life, her exotic travels, her ability to rustle up wonderful picnics and dishes and describe them in words without being too gushy and foodie about it all. She's dry, sharp, sensuous and no-nonsense. This is a lovely book to dip into, especially on a Mediterranean holiday. It's more than just recipes - it's also a collection of articles she published in magazines and papers over the years - with wonderfully pithy titles like 'Garlic presses are utterly useless'.
February 1, 2010
I found the writing dull and the collection a bit disconnected. I disliked the pushy tone of the writer and did more skimming than reading.
Description:
Newly collected writings from one of the 20th century's most influential food writers. Recipes from all over the world are annotated and presented in between loosley-arranged articles on food topics. Known as the grand dame of the kitchen, David has strong opinions and is not afraid to express them.
Description:
Newly collected writings from one of the 20th century's most influential food writers. Recipes from all over the world are annotated and presented in between loosley-arranged articles on food topics. Known as the grand dame of the kitchen, David has strong opinions and is not afraid to express them.
August 3, 2011
I love Elizabeth David's writing. This book is a selection of a number of her essays with some more enjoyable that others. I also love the way she writes recipes and has no pictures of the food. Would recommend to anyone.
February 21, 2008
Beautifully crafted
Read
April 9, 2009Her writing is always so good. I'll probably never make one of her recipes but she's like having a very erudite friend over to dinner.
June 11, 2009
Sequel to An Omelette and a Glass of Wine. Very readable. Recipes.
July 1, 2012
Elizabeth David wrote as if she knew that she was the doyenne-to-be. This inspired me whennthe ingredients were still impossible to obtain!
June 3, 2015
Four stars for the recipes, and the lovely, if highly opinionated, descriptions of places and a way of life now mostly gone.
January 1, 2019
3 Stars = Okay. I liked the book. It was worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews