As a teacher, I have little patience with the concept of cooking as a mysterious art available only to the talented few. Cooking no matter to what heights it may soar, in the end, depends on cause and effect. - Michael Field

{HISTORY} 

Originally a concert pianist, Michael Field (1915-1971) began teaching cooking classes in New York City following a 20-year career performing in music halls around the world. An avid cook since college, he particularly enjoyed sharing recipes and techniques with other people so much so that he decided to open his own cooking school in New York City in the early 1960's. A year later, he penned his first cookbook, this one -  Michael Fied's Cooking School, based on the cooking curriculums he outlined for students who participated in his cooking class.

A firm believer that there was no such thing as gourmet food and that all meals had the potential to be beautiful, appetizing and fun to make Michael believed more in the proper execution of basic techniques then the eccentric peculiarities of particular chefs. In an effort to truly educate readers, his cookbook is laid out like a class with an introduction, then a recipe, followed by exacting step-by-step instructions and then a summary section (called afterthoughts) of what was learned along with additional source material comments, serving suggestions, ingredient history, alternative methods, etc.. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- Original 1965 Book Club edition with dust jacket.

- Contains 13 chapters, covering Hors d'Oeuvres to dessert

- Contains 369 pages including 11 pages of suggested menus

- Illustrated throughout with black and white line drawings by Roderick Wells

{CONDITION}

In wonderful vintage condition. The dust jacket is a bit chippy along the edges due to age and there is slight foxing on the front endpapers but the interior pages are bright white and clean of free of pencil marks and cooking stains. The spine is tight and all pages are intact.

{SIZE}

Measures 6" inches  (width) x 9.5" inches (length) x 1.25" inches (depth) 

{WHY IT'S MARVELOUS} 

If you ever wanted to go to cooking school but lacked the time or the extra funds, then this is the book for you. The recipes get more advanced as you go, which bolsters your confidence so that by book's end you'll feel like you have truly mastered a wealth of recipes that will deem you a competent and creative chef in your own right. 

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Michael Field's Cooking School by Michael Field. Published 1965. M. Barrows & Co, New York. 369 pages. Illustrated by Roderick Wells.