This we can be sure of: when a restaurant in the western world is famous for its cooking, it is the tricolor flag that hangs above the stove, opined one French magazine, and this is by no means an isolated example of such crowing. Indeed, both linguistically and conceptually, the restaurant itself is a French creation. Why are the French recognized by themselves and others the world over as the most enlightened of eaters, as the great gourmets? Why did the passion for food-gastronomy-originate in France? In French ...
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This we can be sure of: when a restaurant in the western world is famous for its cooking, it is the tricolor flag that hangs above the stove, opined one French magazine, and this is by no means an isolated example of such crowing. Indeed, both linguistically and conceptually, the restaurant itself is a French creation. Why are the French recognized by themselves and others the world over as the most enlightened of eaters, as the great gourmets? Why did the passion for food-gastronomy-originate in France? In French Gastronomy, geographer and food lover Jean-Robert Pitte uncovers a novel answer. The key, it turns out, is France herself. In her climate, diversity of soils, abundant resources, and varied topography lie the roots of France's food fame. Pitte masterfully reveals the ways in which cultural phenomena surrounding food and eating in France relate to space and place. He points out that France has some six hundred regions, or microclimates, that allow different agricultures, to flourish, and fully navigable river systems leading from peripheral farmlands directly to markets in the great gastronomic centers of Paris and Lyon. With an eye to this landscape, Pitte wonders: Would the great French burgundies enjoy such prestige if the coast they came from were not situated close to the ancient capital for the dukes and a major travel route for medieval Europe? Yet for all the shaping influence of earth and climate, Pitte demonstrates that haute cuisine, like so much that is great about France, can be traced back to the court of Louis XIV. It was the Sun King's regal gourmandise-he enacted a nightly theater of eating, dining alone but in full view of the court-that made food and fine dining a central affair of state. The Catholic Church figures prominently as well: gluttony was regarded as a "benign sin" in France, and eating well was associated with praising God, fraternal conviviality, and a respect for the body. These cultural ingredients, in combination with the bounties of the land, contributed to the full flowering of French foodways. This is a time of paradox for French gourmandism. Never has there been so much literature published on the subject of culinary creativity, never has there been so much talk about good food, and never has so little cooking been done at home. Each day new fast-food places open. Will French cuisine lose its charm and its soul? Will discourse become a substitute for reality? French Gastronomy is a delightful celebration of what makes France unique, and a call to everyone who loves French food to rediscover its full flavor.
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Add this copy of French Gastronomy: the History and Geography of a to cart. $4.96, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Columbia University Press.
Add this copy of French Gastronomy: the History and Geography of a to cart. $4.96, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Columbia University Press.
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Add this copy of French Gastronomy: the History and Geography of a to cart. $9.79, good condition, Sold by Bookmarc's rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from La Porte, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Columbia University Press.
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Good in Good jacket. Q5-DJ is mylar protected. DJ has label on the bottom spine and a couple on the back top, wrinkling on some edges and corners, inside flaps glued to the fixed endpapers, light discoloration and shelf wear otherwise very good. Book has wrinkling on the spine edges, previous library's name and "discard" stamped on the top page edges and front loose endpaper respectively, label on the copyright page, card holder on the back loose endpaper, light discoloration and shelf wear otherwise very good. Translated by Jody Gladding. French Gastronomy is a delightful celebration of what makes France unique, and a call to everyone who loves French food to rediscover its full flavor.
Add this copy of French Gastronomy to cart. $12.00, very good condition, Sold by My Dead Aunt's Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hyattsville, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Columbia University Press.
Add this copy of French Gastronomy [Hardcover] Pitte, Jean-Robert and to cart. $13.62, like new condition, Sold by Lady BookHouse rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Belmont, MA, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Columbia University Press.
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Like New. Size: 5x0x8; This book may be an ex-library item. This book is in near-perfect condition, showing minimal signs of use. It has clean, crisp pages with no markings or highlighting, and the spine and cover are intact without any creases or wear. This book appears as if it has been barely touched and is virtually indistinguishable from a brand new book.
