By Century Downing (1967)
[FROM THE FIRST CHAPTER] I am the most restless of mortals: a native-born American, necessarily resident in the U.S.A., who has a preference -- yes, a passion -- for European cookery. My problem seemed insoluble until I happened to read about a great painter who married his cook. "Eureka!" I exclaimed, and have dome likewise ever since.
My only trouble has been that cooks, in this land of the free-wheeling, are notorious for walking out. And so are wives. This has kept me busy finding replacements -- but it has also agreeably varied the menu.
And somehow I have been fortunate enough, each time, to marry a superb cook .These talented ladies have been of various European nationalities -- French, Spanish, etc. (The etc. stands for Central Europe and the Balkans.) From the gastronomical pint of vie, the arrangement has been highly successful; for when my wives walk out, though they invariably take the flat silver with them, they do leave behind a lasting tradition of delicious food. And I, always conscious of the sad impermanence of this world's delights, have cannily made it a practice to write down their recipes in the good seasons as insurance for the bad.
VINTAGE HARDCOVER - VERY GOOD CONDITION -- NO DUSTCOVER