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Loading... Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France (2009)by Michael Steinberger
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Many have bemoaned the end of French classical cooking, but Michael Steinberger writes dispassionately & accurately about why the way the French eats is changing - mostly because of economics and the age old "the times they are a'changing." Anyone who loves France and/or French food will enjoy this book This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers. It is of course lamentable that France may be losing its way culinarily, even if some of the root causes are probably more positive than not (working mothers). But that decline must be placed into perspective. Many other hitherto obscure cuisines and techniques have attained prominence (Japanese, Italian, regional Chinese cooking) and others are beginning to get that respect (Vietnamese, Southern American). All in all, let's shed a tear. But not two. I think this book maintains that balance.This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers. Well researched and fun (actually, more fun than I expected), Michael Steinberger's "Au Revoir to All That" explores his thesis that French cuisine is slipping from its exalted perch and is no longer the world's de facto epicurean leader. Steinberger conducted exhaustive (and presumably calorie-infused) research, and managed to interview a number of France's top chefs, artisanal cheese makers, wine merchants and (gasp) the French head of McDonald's. The interviews provide fascinating insight into the inner workings of the French culinary world - from the infamous in-fighting between three-star chefs to the real reasons the French populace isn't as entranced with haute cuisine as it once was.The myriad reasons that France is experiencing a culinary crisis - working mothers, shorter lunch breaks for workers, children enamored of McDo's, a reluctance to spend exorbitant amounts in hyper-formal restaurants - have all contributed to the average Frenchman's laissez faire attitude towards haute cuisine. The recent controversies regarding Michelin stars are also covered. Written in an easy, conversational tone, Steinberger's book is much more engaging and amusing than I thought it would be, and is a great little read - even for those who favor McDo's over the Plaza Athenee. no reviews | add a review
Offering a fresh and entertaining approach to understanding French history, through its food and wine, Steinberger reveals a radically changing France; a country moving through social and political reform, economic crises and, importantly, the loss of their seemingly unbreakable dominance in all things gastronomical. If the state of France's celebrated cuisine is the bellwether for the state of the nation, things are looking bleak. Top chefs are renouncing their Michelin stars and prized farmhouse cheeses are going extinct because there is no one to make them. Bistros, brasseries and cafes fold by the scores and hypermarkets and superstores account for 75% of retail food sales. The famed wine-producing Languedoc is home to the world's first wine-terrorist organization - winemakers resorting to violence to protect their struggling industry. But while there may be better baguettes in Tokyo than in Paris, and Spain has become the darling of the gastronomic world, there are glimpses of hope. There are up-and-coming culinary stars and outdoor food festivals, pockets of exuberance amid the gloom. And, as long as a praline millefeuille can be celebrated, savoured and allowed to assume talismanic qualities at a Right Bank tea salon, all is not lost. Au Revoir to All That is an essential - almost edible - book for lovers of food, France and culinary history. No library descriptions found. |
LibraryThing Early Reviewers AlumMichael Steinberger's book Au Revoir to All That was available from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. Current DiscussionsNonePopular covers
Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)641.013Technology Home and family management Food And Drink Gastronomy, Epicurism Eating PhilosophyLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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I liked how he placed French cooking in historical context. It made the tale of how the situation changed in France clearer. The tale is a cautionary one: many of the troubles of French gastronomy are caused by the socialist economic and political philosophy. Value Added Tax for French restaurant bills is 19.6% compared to the VAT for a MacDonald's meal: 5.5.%. Then there are the very onerous labor laws that discouraged restaurants (never mind other employers) to hire employees, despite high unemployment. It is discouraging and frightening to watch the US travel down this same path... ( )