Cooking In Old Creole Days

New York: R. H. Russell, 1904. First Edition - Second Printing. Hardcover. Gray pictorial paper covered boards, illustrated in white and blue, brown cloth spine. Good. Pennington, Harper. 112 pages. 24.5 x 16.5 cm. Frontispiece and eight full page illustrations with accompanying words (in French) and music on tissue guards. A handsome book offering an excellent overview of Creole cooking in and around New Orleans at the beginning of the 20th century. It is considered one of the classic expositions of this cuisine. Illustrations by Harper Pennington portray African American street vendors - tissue guard displays the musical notes and songs they purportedly sang while working. Eustis, a privileged and wealthy white woman, introduced the regional (African American) culture and cuisine of Louisiana to the elite of Washington at the turn of the century. The book is bilingual with a larger section of recipes in English, the rest in French. Expertly rebacked with original spine, and new end papers. Interior toned. Boards heavily rubbed.