Jeni Mitchell,Stéphane Henaut

A Bite-Sized History of France

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One of Smithsonian magazine’s “Ten Best Books About Travel of 2018”
One of AFAR magazine’s “8 New Books You Need to Read Before Flying to France”
A “delicious” (Dorie Greenspan), “genial” (Kirkus Reviews), “very cool book about the intersections of food and history” (Michael Pollan)—as featured in the New York Times Acclaimed upon its hardcover publication as a “culinary treat for Francophiles” (Publishers Weekly), A Bite-Sized History of France is a thoroughly original book that explores the facts and legends of the most popular French foods and wines. Traversing the cuisines of France’s most famous cities as well as its underexplored regions, the book is enriched by the “authors’ friendly accessibility that makes these stories so memorable” (The New York Times Book Review). This innovative social history also 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. As told by a Franco-American couple (Stéphane is a cheesemonger, Jeni is an academic) this is an “impressive book that intertwines stories of gastronomy, culture, war, and revolution. … It’s a roller coaster ride, and when you’re done you’ll wish you could come back for more” (The Christian Science Monitor).
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502 printed pages
Original publication
2018
Publication year
2018
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  • Natalie Haleshared an impression5 years ago
    👍Worth reading
    💡Learnt A Lot
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Quotes

  • iamcatherainhas quoted4 years ago
    cervoise, a fermented barley brew
  • Natalie Halehas quoted5 years ago
    The Emerald Coast, named for the stunning blue-green waters lapping the shores of northern Brittany, is one of the most beautiful stretches of France’s two-thousand-mile-long coastline. From the stark beauty of Cap Fréhel to the splendid walled city of Saint-Malo, from the white sandy beaches of Val André to the towering majesty of Mont-Saint-Michel, the Brittany coast offers an intoxicating mix of natural beauty and historic charm. Gourmands will enjoy the incredible varieties of mussels, langoustines, and scallops available across the region, alongside traditional Breton specialties like galettes, kouign-amann pastries, and sparkling apple cider. And for shellfish aficionados, one small town on the Emerald Coast is a bull’s-eye destination: Cancale, the oyster capital of Brittany.
  • Natalie Halehas quoted5 years ago
    So it can be a real shock to try one of the two AOC-protected varieties, Brie de Meaux or Brie de Melun, which fairly ooze onto your plate once you slice through the white rind, and assault your senses with their overwhelmingly pungent fall flavors.

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