I have found out over the years that to be a great cook you must be a creative one. Perla Meyers

{HISTORY}

When Perla Meyers' first cookbook, The Seasonal Kitchen was published in 1973 it was a bit of a dazzler in the culinary industry. Not only was it the first cookbook that featured a female author/cook on the cover, but it also was a leader in the fresh food movement of the early 1970s.

Combining classic professionally trained cooking techniques with the European approach of using the freshest ingredients possible, Perla's book was a return to whole foods cooking. Pivoting away from the convenience foods and prepackaged meals that the 1950s and 1960s introduced, Perla heralded the joys of harvesting a homegrown garden, of planning a meal based on ingredient availability at the local farmer's market, of sourcing local food that traveled less miles and encouraged more creativity. 

Named 1973's Best Cookbook of the Year as well as the winner of two more distinguished designations - Best Basic Cookbook and Best Author's First Cookbook, The Seasonal Kitchen became a well-loved cooking companion for both novice and experienced cooks alike.  One of the things that made it most endearing was Perla's refusal to accept certain often-combined ingredient pairings. Basil didn't always have to be paired with tomatoes to bring out the tangy aromatic flavor of the herb. Instead, she turned basil into a sauce for green beans. It was that type of creativity that she loved to explore and espouse in the kitchen.

The daughter of a French father and a Spanish mother, Perla was born in Vienna, Austria and has pretty much approached food from a global perspective since childhood. She trained in Europe in several Michelin-star restaurants and studied at the Cordon Bleu in Paris, the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, and the Ecole Hoteliere in Switzerland.

In 1966 she moved to the U.S. to open her own cooking school, which became a popular highlight of the New York City culinary scene for over two decades.  A cooking instructor, an author of eleven cookbooks, a seasoned traveler, and a recipe developer for several major food brands, Perla can still be found in her New England kitchen today exploring interesting cooking techniques and diverse flavor pairings.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- First edition published in 1973

- Contains 421 pages

- Oversized book

- In addition to recipes organized by seasons, Perla also breaks down recipes into 2 categories ... level of skill (easy, intermediate, difficult) and cost of preparation (inexpensive, moderate, expensive)

- Interesting recipes include Melon in Strawberry Sauce, Crepes Aux Fines Herbes a la Mexicaine, Pilaf a l'Indienne, Souffled Eggplant, Mocha Roulade, Yougoslave-Stuffed Pepper Soup, Ragout of Beef Ticino, Cafe Espresso Sabayon, Fresh Broccoli Puree, Cold Carrot Salad with Fines Herbes, Creole Crepes, Chicken a la Mallorquina and so many more!

{CONDITION}

In gorgeous vintage condition. This book is clean and bright and free of all cooking spots, stains, and markings. The dust jacket bears some small chippy areas along the top and bottom edge. The spine is tight and all pages are intact. Please see photos. 

{SIZE}

Measures 10.5" inches (length) x 7.75" inches (width) x 1.75" inches (thickness) and weighs 3.3lbs

{WHY IT IS ESPECIALLY MARVELOUS}

We just love the visual presentation of this cookbook. From its Mary Tyler Moore-style vibe on the front cover to the layout and fonts used throughout the book is a stunning presentation of 1970s graphic design.