OP: The Nomad Cookbook (signed first printing)

Ten Speed Press, New York, 2015. Hardcover. Near Fine. Signed first printing.

NYC’s now shuttered NoMad (which stands for North of Madison Square Park) was the more casual cousin of the Michelin three-star Eleven Madison Park. It was known for its vibrant buzz and creative food that, in the words of its original chef, Daniel Humm, and general manager, Will Guidara, strived to be a Rolling Stones-inspired counterpart to the Miles Davis vibe of the aforementioned EMP.

Simplicity plays a real role throughout the book—snap peas in a buttermilk vinaigrette—but so do funky riffs on culinary classics: black bass with scallions, rhubarb, and green garlic.

This is not a restaurant book with a single point of culinary reference. It’s a free-wheeling symphony of flavor and ingredients that gracefully moves from French and Italian references to rustic American inspirations: radicchio with Granny Smith apples and mozzarella; hot dogs with bacon, black truffle, and celery; blackberry cobbler with brioche and lime.

Also included, tucked into a pocket at the back of the cookbook, is the first iteration of The NoMad Cocktail Book, Leo Robitschek’s delightful collection of drinks from the restaurant’s buzz-generating bar. Most are original creations, and all are categorized on a scale of five qualities: refreshing, spirituous, venturesome, bitter, and citrusy.

Our copy is a Fine, triple-signed first printing. The cookbook, hardcover, is signed by Humm and Guidara on the front free endpaper. The cocktail book, flexibound, is signed by Robitschek on a front flyleaf.