When a book is written like "Clementine in the Kitchen," that combines humor, people, recipes, art, history, you're wrong in dubbing it just another cookbook. It's more a story of living in which food has an important part." Cissy Craig for The Courier-Journal, November 28, 1943 

{HISTORY}

Here in the illustrated pages of this engaging memoir is the enchanting true story of a French cook and the American family she worked for.

Set in rural France in the 1930s, we first meet the vivacious, artistic Chamberlain family and their cook, Clementine, in a small village just outside of Paris. There, Clementine dazzles the family each day with her delectable fare, but this idyllic, epicurean paradise in their provincial French town doesn't last forever. When WWII forces the family to flee to the United States, Clementine is invited to move with them - a big decision for the petite woman who has never left her birthplace. 

A natural in the kitchen in France, Clementine becomes a fish out of water in America.  She doesn't understand the language or the shopping style of her new country. Ingredients are different. Convenience foods are popular. And daily outdoor market shopping is replaced with weekly trips to that strange place called the indoor supermarket.

As the story unfolds and Clementine tries to understand this puzzling new place while still holding onto her French roots and recipes, she learns much more about the family she works for, about her own cultural identity, about her cooking style, and what exactly it means to be a French woman living in an American city in the 1940s. How does Clementine cope with all this change? We don’t want to spoil it for you, so you have to read it to find out, but what we can say is that this book is funny and charming and filled with recipes. The surprise ending, cinematic storyline, and ever-engaging character of Clementine make this memoir seem like a perfect candidate for movie adaptation.  And it also offers the added benefit of learning some of the basics of French cooking.

Published in 1943, in collaboration with Gourmet magazine, under the nom-de-plume of Phineas Beck, photographer and artist Samuel Chamberlain manages to bring to life the delightful character of Clementine in the most engaging of ways. A captivating and highly original read, this book is also illustrated throughout with whimsical illustrations by Henry Stahlhut and drawings by Samuel, who is no stranger to life here In the Vintage Kitchen himself. Find other books by him and his wife Narcissa here. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• November 1963 Edition, 9th Printing by Hastings House in collaboration with Gourmet Magazine
• 250 pages
• Includes original dust jacket 
• Illustrated throughout by American artist Samuel Chamberlain (1895-1975)
• Interesting recipes include Coquilles St. Jacques, Steak Bordelaise, Jambon Forestiere En Papillotes, Poulet Marengo, Aubergine A La Turque, Haricots Rouge A L'etuvee, Choux Rouge A La Clementine, Charlotte de Pomme Monseigneur, Pommes Marguerite, Fruits Rafraiches Du Cardinal, Mousse Au Chocolat, Clementine's Risotto (Please note; while all recipes retain their french names the recipes themselves are all written in English for American kitchens) 

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition, this book is clean and bright throughout with no cooking spots, stains or notations. The dust jacket is completely intact with just the slightest of wrinkling along the top edge and a small tear in the bottom corner on the front near the spine measuring 1/8th inch in length. The blue coverboards are very clean. The spine is tight and all pages are intact. 

{SIZE}

Measures 8.25" inches (length) x 5.75" inches (width) x 1" inch (thickness) and weighs 1.2 lbs.

{FOR THE LOVE OF AN ARTISTIC FAMILY}

Enthusiastic, entertaining, and always interesting, the Chamberlain family is one of our favorites here In The Vintage Kitchen. Find more of their books here.