Seafood of South-East Asia
Singapore: Federal Publications, 1977. Davidson, Alan. Seafood of South-East Asia: an illustrated catalogue of the edible marine fish.... Federal Publications: Singapore 1977. 4to (260x200mm) HC 366pp, 16 colour plates. VG/VG some faint offset toning, dj edges shelf worn, t.e dusty & soiled
Second-hand hardcover
DAVIDSON, Alan. [Alan Eaton (1924-2003)]
Seafood of South-East Asia: an illustrated catalogue of the edible marine fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other sea creatures of the region, with their names in the various languages, followed by a collection of recipes from each of the countries with additional information for cooks.
Singapore : Federal Publications, 1977. Copyright 1976. First edition thus¹. Printed by Kyodo-Shing Loong Printing Industries Pte Ltd.
Quarto (260x200mm) pictorial dust jacket, brown boards, gilt titled spine, 198,[2], 16 out-of-text colour plates painted by Tang Ying Wei, [2],201-366. Numerous in-text illustrations of each edible marine animal catalogued by Banjong Mianmanus, Thosaporn Wongratana, Elian Prasit, Soun, and Singha. Faint shelfwear to boards edges; small blemish to the dust jacket spine foot; page top-edges a trifle dusty and soiled; fore-edge lightly age-toned; faint offset toning to the endpapers; internally crisp, clean and fine.
The first 200 pages are the catalogue of marine animals. Each catalogue entry has a hand drawn botanical illustration, the common and scientific names, general descriptive remarks, a note on its use in cuisine and the common name used in Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.
The second half of the book is a collection of recipes, starting with illustrated general comments on other ingredients commonly used, various fish sauces and pastes and kitchen ingredients. The excellent and authentic recipes are organised by country. At the end, is a fulsome bibliography, index and a very handy chapter on the comparative weights and measures used throughout South-East Asia.
Alan Davidson was a British diplomat between 1948 and 1975. Encouraged by Elizabeth David and others he retired early and devoted himself to a full time career of writing about food. His first books were catalogues of edible seafood informed from his experiences and connections in the diplomatic service. Although not the first such catalogues, they were extremely well received. This is the third of those books, and the least common. Davidson was particularly well suited to writing on South-East Asia as his final posting was to Laos.
Davidson began working on his 'magnum opus" the Oxford Companion to Food after the completion of this book. Recognised as one of the most significant food historians of the late twentieth century, Davidson (with his wife and others) also established the Oxford Symposium of Food and Gastronomy, Prospect Books, a specialist publisher of rare and unusual books on food, Petits Propos Culinaires, a singular journal on culinary matters as well as a number of other books on gastronomy and food history.
Scarce in commerce. An important landmark in the global appreciation of the cuisines of South-East Asia and an important addition to any collection on South-East Asian food.
Item #5715
Price: $125.00 AUD