Heading: (African American)
Author: Fillmore, A[rtaway]
Title: Lone Star Cook Book and Meat Special (From the Slaughter Pen to the Dining Room Table)
Place Published: Nashville
Publisher:National Baptists Publishing Board
Date Published: 1929
Description:

[5], 99 pp. Illus. with 6 photographic plates, incl. frontis., of the author, his wife (also a caterer at the Hotel Lubbock), and African American cooks with white "boss men." Also illus. with drawings of meat cuts by the author. 8-1/2x5-1/2", gilt-lettered brown cloth. First Edition.

Inscribed & signed by Fillmore to his parents on the front pastedown ("Compliments to Mother and Father from Artaway and Elizabetha, Dec. 14, 1929"). Owner's manuscript recipes to rear free endpaper (possibly in the hand of Fillmore's mother?). Fillmore was born in 1888, and his father was already a renowned chef. He went on to become the head chef at the Hotel Lubbock in Lobbock, Texas, where his wife also worked with him as a caterer. A rubber stamp to rear pastedown reads, "NOTICE: The author of this book has the distinction of being the first colored hotel chef to compose a cook book and offer it to the public as a finished product. - AUTHOR." In 1908, he married a woman named Lauretta, so perhaps Elizabetha was the wife pictured here, and his second wife.

Some recipes include Squab chicken - Mrs. Fillmore's special, spare ribs Southern style, Fillmore's special sauce number eight, wild geese, cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, baked crabs with shirred eggs, broiled chicken wings, black eyed peas salad, etc. A highly important and scarce work, with fantastic provenance.

Rubbing to spine ends & extremities, fading to spine, slightly shaken binding, else very good.