A Bite-Sized History of France: Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment - Stephane Henaut, Jeni Mitchell

Written by Stephane Henaut, Jeni Mitchell
Read by Derek Perkins
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc.
Release date: May 28, 2019
Duration: 11:18:43

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.

Derek Perkins narrates this engrossing audiobook on French cuisine with style, sass, and a sense of irony. His decidedly English accent and diction work well with the stories of French food and provide a kind of middle road through the culinary love-hate relationship between France and the U.S. The authors, a husband-and-wife team, are American and French. Stories of France’s adoption and creative uses of foreign imports such as chocolate (Mexico), potatoes (the Andes), and wine (the Romans) make this cultural history sparkle. Legends and myths are debunked, and the political, economic, and social practices of French gastronomy and history are explained. Regional cuisines are celebrated and terroir explored: Think Roquefort, Comte, and Brie and, of course, wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux. A.D.M. � AudioFile 2019,

This really is a fun read.