Preface

Brief history of the great French cuisine

In the early 19th Century food began to mean more to society than just simple nourishment. As Colin Spencer writes 'The cultural meaning that derived from the Grande cuisine suggest that members of the bourgeois and aristocratic classes are elevated beyond the mere physical need of nourishment, whereas characterizations of the styles of cooking of the lower, middle, and rural classes emphasize the physical aspect of eating' The bourgeois and aristocratic classes had the money to spend on exotic foods, there was high demand for extravagant meals and chefs became incredibly skilled in their field, however, as they were earning less than the average craftsman they could not read or write. Over time the bourgeois culture of eating had lead to the development of restaurants and society was becoming more and more interested in food, however, the interest was still mainly within the upper classes. Men known as 'Gourmands' (who could read, write, had an established knowledge of food, developed palettes, and an idea of how chefs cooked) would judge the food restaurants produced and write about it. Food became an art (and the french as we know were very talented at it) and slowly the pleasure of eating and sharing food was not restricted to the upper classes.

Influences on British cuisine

We can thank the Crusaders for European influences on British cookery. Wines were imported from Provence and other parts of Europe, and were highly valued. Apple and pear Cider was brought in from Normandy, and pear cider was dubbed 'perry'. The Norman conquest of 1066 also influenced British cookery as the french crossed the channel more, they brought with them their styles of cooking. Over time it is also notable that we Brits have adopted a lot of the french language associated with cookery. The word 'Beef' derives from the french 'Beouf' as opposed to what the English would originally called 'Oxen'. Due to the french writing the first recipe books on the art of cooking, the cooking terminology remains in its original language: 'Gratin','Jus','Coulis','Croutons','Farce','Flambé'...the list goes on. In the 1970's and 80's French cuisine became somthing of a fashion, 'Crêperies' appeared on British high streets and typical french foods such as exhibited on this blog were frequently eaten.