French Provincial Cooking - with SIGNED ALS and envelope

London: Michael Joseph, 1960. A first edition, first printing published by Michael Joseph in 1960. A very good book with a small stain to the front endpaper. Some darkening to the top edge. In a very good unclipped wrapper with spotting and browning to the spine with wear and a little loss to the spine tips and corners. Included with the book is a charming letter from Elizabeth David on her Halsey Street headed notepaper. The letter is to a Mrs Weath and reads, 'Dear Mrs Weath, The Editor of the Sunday Times has sent your letter of May 11th on to me. I am most deeply touched and grateful to you, not only for the extremely kind and highly encouraging things you have said, but also for going to the trouble of writing them. And if I may say so, one of the points I especially appreciate is the fact that you have made it very clear that you must often have used my recipes - and I'm so pleased you've liked them and found them successful - It isn't everybody, by a long chalk, who is able to perceive what lies behind the writing of a recipe not the difference between food designed, as you say, to be eaten and that intended for demonstrations or to sell some commercial product. So I shall treasure your letter as one of the kindest and most generous ever written by one of my readers. Yours sincerely, Elizabeth David'. A superb letter in addition to the rare book.