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    A Bite-Sized History of France: Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment
    A Bite-Sized History of France: Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment
    A Bite-Sized History of France: Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment
    Audiobook11 hours

    A Bite-Sized History of France: Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment

    Written by Stephane Henaut and Jeni Mitchell

    Narrated by Derek Perkins

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    About this audiobook

    From the cassoulet that won a war to the crêpe that doomed Napoleon, from the rebellions sparked by bread and salt to the new cuisines forged by empire, the history of France is intimately entwined with its gastronomic pursuits. A witty exploration of the facts and legends surrounding some of the most popular French foods and wines by a French cheesemonger and an American academic, A Bite-Sized History of France tells the compelling and often surprising story of France from the Roman era to modern times. Traversing the cuisines of France's most famous cities as well as its underexplored regions, this innovative social history explores the impact of war and imperialism, the age-old tension between tradition and innovation, and the enduring use of food to prop up social and political identities.

    The origins of the most legendary French foods and wines-from Roquefort and cognac to croissants and Calvados, from absinthe and oysters to Camembert and champagne-also reveal the social and political trends that propelled France's rise upon the world stage. They help explain France's dark history of war and conquest, as well as its most enlightened cultural achievements and the political and scientific innovations that transformed human history. These gastronomic tales will edify even the most seasoned lovers of food, history, and all things French.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMay 28, 2019
    ISBN9781977345967
    Author

    Stephane Henaut

    Stéphane Henaut's wide-ranging career in food includes working in the Harrods fromagerie, cooking for the Lord Mayor of London's banquets, and selling obscure vegetables in a French fruitier. He lives in Nantes, France.

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    Reviews for A Bite-Sized History of France

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    • 5/5
      This is such a fascinating book. It's a must-read for fans of culinary history, history of France, wartime history, viticulture and more. Like other reviewers mentioned, you may not be able to sit and devour this in one sitting, but it's not difficult to read. It's just, you know... not fiction... so it's engaging in a different way.

      I listened to the audiobook and I'm not sure if this is because of Chirp, where I bought it from, or the recording itself, but it often left out the last few seconds and words of a chapter. Most of the time it was easy to guess the word, but sometimes, not so much... leaving me hanging!

      What that did though, was make me want to buy a hardcopy. But that's not the only reason why I'd like to own this book. The history is so fascinating and I want to memorize it so I can tell other people about the origins of Grey Poupon or Laughing Cow cheese.
    • 5/5
      A fantastic way to learn history! Rather than another boring list of dates, people, and events, the authors take a completely different route. Use the deliciously wonderful foods of France to explain history!Why did the Romans consider the Germanic tribes barbarians? One big reason was because they cooked their food with butter, rather than olive oil! They also drank beer instead of wine. How uncouth!Did you know why soldiers called the Germans krauts? Because of their association with sauerkraut!Potatoes, honey, champagne, crepes....it's all in here, and tied to historical events. I only wish that I would have had this book when I was a student. How much more interesting history classes would have been!
    • 4/5
      I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.The book proposes to tell the vast and complex history of France through its foods, and it succeeds. As a foodie and a history buff, I found the approach fascinating and amusing. The authors directly confront the contemporary insistence of the far-right that France's foods should be kept "French" by emphasizing that most every food France is known for has a lineage in ingredients or innovations from elsewhere. The history begins with Rome and its influences, continues through the monastic era's liquors and royal obsessions with vegetables, and concludes with tales related to Laughing Cow cheese and contemporary couscous. Even familiar tales felt new and fun. Each chapter is indeed bite-sized and brief, making this an ideal read to work through in snippets as time allows.