"I am absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of work you have all put into this. Swept off my feet. Knew before how good the book would be but never felt it quite this way before. Masterly. Calm, collected, completely basic, and as exciting as a novel to read. This can't be just my own reaction because I'm nuts about food - I think many, many people will feel the same way."
Letter to Julia Child from Avis DeVoto, 1954, 7 years before the cookbook would be published.
