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South Wind Through the Kitchen: The Best of Elizabeth David
South Wind Through the Kitchen is the best of British cookery writer, Elizabeth David. Selected from her nine books, here are classic essays on the food of Provence and of Paris, on Italian fish markets and Middle Eastern herb gardens. There are nearly 200 appetizers, soups, eggs, fish, meat, poultry, vegetables, sauces, breads, preserves, and desserts. Whether discussing the pains of rolling puff pastry or the ease of making pizza, railing against the practices of English bakeries or praising the sausage rolls at the Hôtel du Midi, David always speaks her own mind. Best of all, she’s a contagious she makes you want to rise from your chair to travel, shop, or try your hand at an omelette. “Reading her,” writes Julian Barnes, “you have a strong sense of a person whose cardinal principles are truth and pleasure. Perhaps it is not absurd to compare her effect on a certain sector of tired, hungry, impoverished '50s Britain with Kinsey’s effect on America.”
384 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 1997
37 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth David
106 books102 followersBorn Elizabeth Gwynne, she was of mixed English and Irish ancestry, and came from a rather grand background, growing up in the 17th-century Sussex manor house, Wootton Manor. Her parents were Rupert Gwynne, Conservative MP for Eastbourne, and the Hon. Stella Ridley, who came from a distinguished Northumberland family. They had three other daughters.
She studied Literature and History at the Sorbonne, living with a French family for two years, which led to her love of France and of food. At the age of 19, she was given her first cookery book, The Gentle Art of Cookery by Hilda Leyel, who wrote of her love with the food of the East. "If I had been given a standard Mrs Beeton instead of Mrs Leyel's wonderful recipes," she said, "I would probably never have learned to cook."
Gwynne had an adventurous early life, leaving home to become an actress. She left England in 1939, when she was twenty-five, and bought a boat with her married lover Charles Gibson-Cowan intending to travel around the Mediterranean. The onset of World War II interrupted this plan, and they had to flee the German occupation of France. They left Antibes for Corsica and then on to Italy where the boat was impounded; they arrived on the day Italy declared war on Britain. Eventually deported to Greece, living on the Greek island of Syros for a period, Gwynne learnt about Greek food and spent time with high bohemians such as the writer Lawrence Durrell. When the Germans invaded Greece they fled to Crete where they were rescued by the British and evacuated to Egypt, where she lived firstly in Alexandria and later in Cairo. There Gwynne started work for the Ministry of Information, split from Gibson-Cowan, and eventually took on a marriage of convenience, more or less as her aunt, Violet Gordon-Woodhouse, had done. This gave her a measure of respectability but Lieutenant-Colonel Tony David was a man whom she did not ultimately respect, and their relationship ended soon after an eight month posting in India. She had many lovers in ensuing years.
On her return to London in 1946, David began to write articles on cooking, and in 1949 the publisher John Lehmann offered her a £100 advance for Book of Mediterranean Food, the start of a dazzling writing career. David spent eight months researching Italian food in Venice, Tuscany and Capri. This resulted in Italian Food in 1954, with illustrations by Renato Guttuso, which was famously described by Evelyn Waugh in The Sunday Times as one of the two books which had given him the most pleasure that year.
Many of the ingredients were unknown in England when the books were first published, as shortages and rationing continued for many years after the end of the war, and David had to suggest looking for olive oil in pharmacies where it was sold for treating earache. Within a decade, ingredients such as aubergines, saffron and pasta began to appear in shops, thanks in no small part to David's books. David gained fame, respect and high status and advised many chefs and companies. In November 1965, she opened her own shop devoted to cookery in Pimlico, London. She wrote articles for Vogue magazine, one of the first in the genre of food-travel.
In 1963, when she was 49, she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, possibly related to her heavy drinking. Although she recovered, it affected her sense of taste and her libido.
She studied Literature and History at the Sorbonne, living with a French family for two years, which led to her love of France and of food. At the age of 19, she was given her first cookery book, The Gentle Art of Cookery by Hilda Leyel, who wrote of her love with the food of the East. "If I had been given a standard Mrs Beeton instead of Mrs Leyel's wonderful recipes," she said, "I would probably never have learned to cook."
Gwynne had an adventurous early life, leaving home to become an actress. She left England in 1939, when she was twenty-five, and bought a boat with her married lover Charles Gibson-Cowan intending to travel around the Mediterranean. The onset of World War II interrupted this plan, and they had to flee the German occupation of France. They left Antibes for Corsica and then on to Italy where the boat was impounded; they arrived on the day Italy declared war on Britain. Eventually deported to Greece, living on the Greek island of Syros for a period, Gwynne learnt about Greek food and spent time with high bohemians such as the writer Lawrence Durrell. When the Germans invaded Greece they fled to Crete where they were rescued by the British and evacuated to Egypt, where she lived firstly in Alexandria and later in Cairo. There Gwynne started work for the Ministry of Information, split from Gibson-Cowan, and eventually took on a marriage of convenience, more or less as her aunt, Violet Gordon-Woodhouse, had done. This gave her a measure of respectability but Lieutenant-Colonel Tony David was a man whom she did not ultimately respect, and their relationship ended soon after an eight month posting in India. She had many lovers in ensuing years.
On her return to London in 1946, David began to write articles on cooking, and in 1949 the publisher John Lehmann offered her a £100 advance for Book of Mediterranean Food, the start of a dazzling writing career. David spent eight months researching Italian food in Venice, Tuscany and Capri. This resulted in Italian Food in 1954, with illustrations by Renato Guttuso, which was famously described by Evelyn Waugh in The Sunday Times as one of the two books which had given him the most pleasure that year.
Many of the ingredients were unknown in England when the books were first published, as shortages and rationing continued for many years after the end of the war, and David had to suggest looking for olive oil in pharmacies where it was sold for treating earache. Within a decade, ingredients such as aubergines, saffron and pasta began to appear in shops, thanks in no small part to David's books. David gained fame, respect and high status and advised many chefs and companies. In November 1965, she opened her own shop devoted to cookery in Pimlico, London. She wrote articles for Vogue magazine, one of the first in the genre of food-travel.
In 1963, when she was 49, she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, possibly related to her heavy drinking. Although she recovered, it affected her sense of taste and her libido.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 2, 2025
Want to see the world and have no time to travel? Well here’s how. Just open the pages and breathe in the soft warm air of Provence, smell the herbs crushed in your hand as you sprinkle them into a daube. Listen to the sounds of Les Halles in Paris, with its bustling breakfast counters as you crack a half-dozen Normandy eggs to make your omelet. Or stand early morning on the quayside at Bari as the daily fish catch comes in for you to choose from.
You don’t have to imagine it, Elizabeth David takes us there, gives us her wonderful recipes and makes such a great pleasure of it.
You don’t have to imagine it, Elizabeth David takes us there, gives us her wonderful recipes and makes such a great pleasure of it.
September 29, 2007
I'd also recommend the book to anyone wanting to get an overview of the great food writer. The book is a collection of her works. Her recipes are far from typical recipes in form and sometimes in content. I do not enjoy reading recipes for the most part. But I do enjoy reading some of her essays and comments on particular recipes or food items. David was clearly ahead of her time.
If you're a David fan, I should note that I have come over -- and bought -- a 1999 novel titled "Luch with Elizabeth David." I've not read it yet but hope to do so.
I started this book literally years ago and put it down for several years as I read faster-paced works. Now, I'm back to it alas and nearing completion.
I may update this review later with a couple examples of what made Elizabeth David such a great food writer. - dhs
If you're a David fan, I should note that I have come over -- and bought -- a 1999 novel titled "Luch with Elizabeth David." I've not read it yet but hope to do so.
I started this book literally years ago and put it down for several years as I read faster-paced works. Now, I'm back to it alas and nearing completion.
I may update this review later with a couple examples of what made Elizabeth David such a great food writer. - dhs
November 8, 2020
This has been a wonderful escapist soother this week because it’s part travelogue and mostly kitchen witter about French home cooking. I’m going to try some of the recipes too. It does however really make me miss the ability to travel. I was last in Paris a decade ago. How depressing!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2022
This is the first book I have ever read b Elizabeth David. I loved her writing style, showing it is possible to be both eloquent, creative and informative in food writing. A classic, permanently on the on the cookery bookshelf. Highly recommend as this gives an intro to the breadth of her work.
March 27, 2018
Loved this book but found it hard slogging at times, just because of the author's slight air of privilege and complacency. Maybe it's just me. Seems like it was an easier time, in so many ways.
December 31, 2018
Enjoyed this very much.
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August 21, 2022Recipes and food writing from the grand madam of midcentury English cooking. Charming.
October 6, 2014
One of the most interesting and badass cookbooks I've ever seen - or read. Reading Elizabeth David is hysterical and a treat. I don't know of any other stylist in the cooking world so terse and right. She's more inspirational than someone to follow to a T (since her recipes are more off the cuff but supremely well-researched).
May 27, 2016
A reminder of a dear friend, who left me all her cookery books, and a reminder of the writing of Elizabeth David which is as much about people and places as it is about the cooking, and very readable.
December 29, 2012
I will refer to this time and time again. She inspires me!
January 4, 2017
I have to admit that since I don't enjoy cooking, I skipped the recipes. Any friend who cooks is welcome to try them out on me. The essays about food are gorgeous.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews