One cannot possibly set out to see this lovely country without at the same time daily pleasing one's palate. Narcissa Chamberlain

{HISTORY}

If you'd like to set out on travel trip to France but don't want to leave your own kitchen, then this is the cookbook for you. Spread across 470 pages with 432 recipes and photographs to match, The Flavor of France is the beautiful work of the Chamberlain family who each lent their own talents.  Mom, Narcissa, and daughter, Narcisse, lent the writing, the recipe gathering and the cooking techniques, Dad, Samuel, lent the photography that accompanies each recipe. 

The Chamberlains were a fascinating family full of creative energy and endeavors that made their mark on the art scene - culinary, photography and interior design throughout the 20th century. 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. An enigmatic family of creative cooks, eaters, writers and merry makers, the Chamberlains fell in love with France in all aspects, but most importantly in the beauty of their food and their landscape which they have captured so brilliantly in this cookbook travel guide.

Originally published in 1960 in two volumes, this 1978 edition of The Flavor of France combines all that previous joie de vivre into one book which pairs one photo of a place with one regional specialty of that area 432 times over. This way, readers and cooks and travel enthusiasts can get a big dose and a true sense of the country through food and photography all in one place.

Each recipe has been adapted to American kitchens with American measurements, and what readers will be most impressed with is the simplicity of each meal and the techniques with which to achieve them. French cooking relies heavily on the freshest ingredients possible in order to create its enigmatic style of homemade, provincial cuisine. Here the Chamberlains feature recipes showcasing not fussy or complicated haute cuisine, but that of provincial style most often found in home kitchens across the country. These recipes are made with simple ingredients best found at their most flavorful freshly picked from the homegrown garden or found at the farmer's market. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- rare hard to find 1978 edition with pictorial dust jacket

- Fully illustrated throughout with black and white photography

- Contains 432 recipes

- Place names of each town and region plus the American and French names of each recipe offer further exploration for curious cooks, armchair travelers, and francophiles.

- Interesting recipes include Baked Eggs Lorraine, Grand Marnier Souffle, Mushrooms on Toast, Venison Cutlets with Chestnut Puree, French Crepes with Applesauce and Rum, Goose and Bean Casserole, Asparagus with Normandy Sauce, Duck with Cherries, Celery Hearts a la Grecque, Pastry Cream, Chicken Casserole from Southern France, Spinach Puree with Stuffed Eggs and so many more! Really we could go on and on!

 {CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition. The dust jacket bears some chippy spots along the fold lines and the top and bottom edges but is entirely intact. The entire pages are very clean and bright and the photography is crisp and clear. The spine is tight and all pages are intact.

 {SIZE}

Measures 8" inches (length) x 6.25" inches (width) x 1.5" inches (thickness) and weighs just under 2lbs.

{FOR THE FRENCH INSPIRED COOK}

Add a bit of Parisian flair to your market shopping with our stylish, sustainable,  handmade French market bags ethically sourced from Europe. 

A photo of Samuel and Narcissa Chamberlain is included here. Photo courtesy of the Jackson Sun, 1976.