CLÉMENTINE IN THE KITCHEN

Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl includes this charming bit of nostalgia in her new “food series” (see below) partly because Chamberlain’s “Clémentine”—his family’s cuisiniere in prewar France—is such an “lovable and entertaining” character. Or, as Kirkus noticed at the time (Oct. 15, 1943, p. 480), she represents “the heart (and palate) of her people.” Despite its “snob appeal for gourmets,” we thought the entire package, with its enchanting sketches and etchings, made for a “perfect gift.” Chamberlain (who published the first edition under the nomme Phineas Beck) shares with readers Clémentine’s views of the markets and kitchens of Burgundy, and it’s “unashamedly sensuous.” In those war years, Kirkus swooned from the vision of “butter, cream and no rationing.” In these present days of plenty, we imagine clogged arteries instead.