The gentle art of gastronomy is a friendly one. It hurdles the language barrier, makes friends among civilized people, and warms the heart of the weary voyager and his host. It is extricably tied up with travel and hospitality and good fellowship. It is a promoter of international good will. Samuel Chamberlain, 1957

{HISTORY}

Samuel Chamberlain and his wife, Narcissa, always knew how to make life fun and engaging. A fascinating duo full of creative energy and artistic endeavors that left their mark on the 20th century's culinary, photography and interior design worlds, they produced some of the most beautiful cooking and photography books based on their travels around the U.S. and Europe during the 20th century. 

In Bouquet de France, first published in 1952, Sam and Narcissa combine their love of travel, food and France into one big tour of the country. Part cookbook, part travel memoir and part hotel/restaurant guide, this Bouquet shares all the most idyllic aspects of France. 

Good food, beautiful vistas, and interesting history await readers on every page, all highlighted by Sam's stunning black and white photography and Narcissa's adept translations of traditional French recipes for American cooks. 

Here in 619 pages, the Chamberlains take you all over France from the ritzy streets of Monte Carlo to the vineyards of Bordeaux to the opulence of Versailles and the city sights of Paris. Enigmatic tour guides that they are, they offer astute first-hand observations, colorful local history, fun facts, and epicurean reviews of each city and town on the itinerary.  Recommended hotels and restaurants operating during the mid-20th century are also featured as places of particular interest for their epicurean offerings. 

Here in the Vintage Kitchen, we were first introduced to the Chamberlains through the adventures of their delightful, funny and quirky French cook, Clementine, which we wrote about on the blog here. To say the Chamberlains were influenced by French culture and food was an understatement. Living in France between WWI and WWII, they not only fell in love with France and Clementine's cooking, but also fell in love with the beauty of the landscape and the people. France forever held an endearing place in their hearts and continuously was an engaging subject of focus, particularly surrounding French food and photography in multiple books published during their careers. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• 1957 Edition, 4th printing
• 619 pages 
• Illustrated throughout with black and white photographs and drawings by Samuel Chamberlain
• Interesting recipes include Burgundian Cheese Pastry, Cherry Fln, Filet Joseph, Sauteed Mushrooms Lochoise, Le Saupiquet Nivernaise, Breast of Turkey Hotel Domino, Cassoulet de Castelnaudary, Sauteed Chicken Parisian, Ice Cream with Bar-Le-Duc, Grilled Steak with Red Wine Sauce, Chicken with Aromatic Sherry Sauce, Aunt Christine's Bread Pudding, Eggs with Sausage and Tomato Sauce, Stuffed Cabbage, Upside-Down Apple Tart, Leek and Potato Soup, Mushroom Puffs and many more. 

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition, this book is clean and bright throughout. There are no spots, stains or notations. The coverboards are clean and bright. The spine is tight, and all pages are intact. Please photos.

{SIZE}

Measures 10.25" inches (length) x 7.5" inches (width) x 2" inches (thickness) and weighs just a smidge under 4 lbs.