The Way to Cook, or, Common Sense in the Kitchen

1946. Third impression of the first edition from 1945. 264pp. Philip Harben (1906-1970) was an English cook, and is widely recognised as the first television Celebrity Chef. He compered a BBC wireless cooking programme from 1942, then a BBC TV programme, Cookery, from 1946 to 1951, followed by Cookery Lesson (with co-presenter Marguerite Patten). His emphasis was always on method and principles rather than recipes. The Way to Cook is not a recipe book, but is the book many have always been looking for. It shows how to use a recipe. Its first purpose is to explain the basic ideas and principles that form the foundation of all cooking, and such recipes as may be found in it are present solely as illustrations. The author reduces the complexities of cooking to their simple elements, and lays the foundation stones upon which anyone can reasonably build up the technique of a master-cook. The book is bound in the original red cloth covered boards with gold titling on the spine and front board. The case of the book is in very good condition with a touch of fading at the top of the spine and light bumping to the bottom of the spine. The contents are tight and clean with a name written on the front fixed endpaper. The unclipped dustwrapper has shelf wear with light soiling and the spine is faded. The corners are bumped and nicked with small pieces missing from the tip of the top rear corner. Small pieces are missing from the bottom of the spine and bottom spine corners and about 1/8" is missing from the top of the spine. The top front edge is rubbed with a small piece missing. There are a few small tears on the edges and a larger tear of about 3/4" on the bottom rear edge, and most of the tears have been repaired on the reverse with document repair tape.…