OP: Ma Gastronomie

Flammarion, 1969. Hardcover. Good. Signed first printing.

One of the most famous kitchens serving as a longstanding training ground for young cooks during the middle years of the 20th century was La Pyramide. Located in Vienne, just south of Lyon in the east-central region of France, it still thrives today. Opened in 1923 and ruled firmly by its eminent chef/owner Fernand Point (1897–1955), it has counted among its crew at different times Paul Bocuse, the Troisgros brothers, and Alain Chapel. 

Point was a major creative force, setting out some of the ideas that would eventually replace a stale traditional haute cuisine with a more modern style. 

Following Point’s death in 1955, La Pyramide continued to be operated by his wife, the redoubtable Marie Louise (1898–1966), known to everyone as Madame Point. In 1969 Madame gathered her husband’s work into a book and published it under his name. 

Although its main purpose was to memorialize her husband and not, incidentally, to publicize the restaurant, it is a striking cookbook/memoir/celebration with interesting essays and illustrations contributed by artist friends of the restaurant, such as André Dunoyer de Segonzac. 

Among the signature dishes were crème de morilles (cream of morels), maquereaux à l’oseille (mackerel with sorrel), truite au beurre mousseux (trout in foamed butter), and a much loved marjolaine cake.

Although there have been several later editions in English, the French original—the only one containing all of the original artwork—has always been in demand. Our copy, a first printing in French, is graded Good and signed by Madame Point to a previous owner. An adhesive plastic protective cover is now splitting and peeling off the cloth case, and the corners and head and foot of the spine are bumped and frayed. Kitchen stains and some notations and marginalia throughout.