Six letters of varying lengths written by Elizabeth David to her former lover and friend George Lassalle:1. A postcard dated "May 15th 77", a short note congratulating Lassalle on winning the "Glenfiddich cookery book prize". David wonders who the judges were, commenting that they had "some sense" and musing on her own time as a judge the year before when she prevented some of the "more awful of the entries" from winning prizes. The letter is signed from "E."2. A letter dated "April 25th 1978" regarding the "US edition of my bread book (you can imagine the correspondence)". David discusses American readers, the awards her "bread book" has received, and asks Lassalle his opinion on the book "'Greek Island Cooking" by Theonie Mark, which her sister sends alongside the letter. Discussing Mark's book, she remarks that "It's an American publication, as you will quickly see", going on to declare it "quite a nice book - not the recipes so much, which are inevitably Americanised, but there are some quite good passages". She signs off "Much love, Liz".3. A short note dated 1.3.80 regarding David's work and her sister Felicite's poor health. David writes that "my work was at a standstill for several months" due to her sister's health, and that she is "at last working again, but of course am disastrously behind". The letter is signed "E." 4. Very short note dated 30.9.91 thanking Lassalle for the copy of his book he sent to her. David refers to Lasselle as "dear Sage" and signs herself as "Spring Beauty"5. A letter with its original envelope dated "October 12th 1991" sent to Lasselle's residence in Cyprus. David writes regarding Lasselle's latest book which she is enjoying "enormously - not without some sharp stabs of nostalgia." David reminisces about her life in Syros before World War Two and an Armenian restaurant in Notting Hill that she misses. She signs off as "E." 6. A card, not dated, to Lasselle in Cyprus and signed off "E."

A touching series of letters spanning fourteen years demonstrating the intellectual and affectionate nature of the relationship between the two cookery authors.
David and Lassalle first met around 1940 in Ciaro where Lassalle was stationed as an intelligence officer. They had a brief affair, which was rekindled after the war when they met again in England. In 1946, David and Lassalle visited Ross-on-Wye together, where Lassalle encouraged David to commit to writing her distaste for British cooking and the food they had been served under post-war rationing. Spurred by this suggestion, these initial writings became the foundation for her first published book, 'A Book of Mediterranean Food' (1950).
David's letters showcase the pair celebrating each other's successes, exchanging their books and ideas, and reminiscing about their pasts apart and together. With the final letter written just seven months before David's death, Lassalle's opinion and friendship appears to have been a valued part of David's working process.

Stock ID: 47107