OP: River Cafe London (signed first printing)

Alfred A. Knopf, 2018. Hardcover. Near Fine. Signed first printing.

In 1987 two London women, Ruth Rogers (1948– ) and Rose Gray (1939–2010), neither professionally trained but well-financed and adept in the ways of raising public awareness, opened to explosive attention a restaurant that based its menus almost entirely on Italian country cooking. Called the River Cafe, it proved to be a huge success, and with surprising rapidity, much of a nation raised on heavy, colorless food found itself attracted to an exciting new cuisine, one with which it quickly became comfortable. 

Published after a string of successful cookbooks, drawing some recipes from those and adding 30 more, River Cafe London (2018) celebrates the restaurant’s thirtieth anniversary with star dishes like ricotta al forno—fluffy baked ricotta, green with fresh herbs, topped with olives; risotto nero—the rice blackened with squid ink—with Swiss chard; sweetbread fritto misto; and polenta, almond, and lemon cake.

Though still in print, we offer here a first American printing, signed by Ruth Rogers. Near Fine in all regards.