OP: In Search of the Perfect Meal
St. Martin’s Press, 1986. Hardcover. Near Fine. First printing.
Author Roy Andries de Groot (1910–1983) was a fine writer, journalist, and, by all accounts, a cantankerous, demanding perfectionist. Injured in the 1940 London blitz, he eventually became totally blind, so by the 1960s he dedicated his life to writing about food and wine, always in search of the best, most satisfying meal. He wrote prolifically and poetically about those pursuits.
Compiled posthumously in 1986 by Lorna Sass, In Search of the Perfect Meal is a best-of de Groot’s work, which was published in everything from Playboy and Esquire to House Beautiful and the now defunct Cuisine magazine, not to mention his own books like the classic Auberge of the Flowering Hearth (1973). A few previously unpublished essays also appear here for the first time.
Each piece is punctuated by a relevant recipe, so along with a syndicated newspaper article on Chartreuse, you’ll find a Chartreuse soufflé to make. Another, a sensual ode to oysters, is followed by instructions on shucking and cooking the bivalve, as well as a recipe for oysters Rockefeller. Accompanying a vividly descriptive excerpt from Auberge called “‘Le Snack’ Is Also an Art” are cold artichokes à la Grecque, grilled cheese steak with gruyère, and goat cheese and caviar crêpes, among other delectable “snacks.”
Our copy is a Near Fine first printing. A wonderful introduction to de Groot’s writing for newbies or a delightful sampling for seasoned inductees.
