Savoir-Faire: A History of Food in France

A comprehensive account of France’s rich culinary history

Savoir-Faire: A History of Food in France is a comprehensive account of France’s rich culinary history. Not just the story of haute cuisine, the book is seasoned with myths and stories from a wide variety of times and places; from snail hunting in Burgundy to beermakers in Paris, who gave us leavened bread, and from cheese appreciation in Roman Gaul to bread debates in the Middle Ages. French cuisine has always featured bread, wine and cheese, but Savoir-Faire shows that it also includes chestnuts, couscous and oysters.

The book examines French food in literature and film, the influence of France’s overseas territories on the shape of French cuisine today, and includes historical recipes that the reader can make at home.

‘Savoir-Faire is a superbly researched and extremely comprehensive history of the complex food of France. Maryann Tebben’s exhaustive documentation takes us from the salted pork of the Gauls to the bread of the middle ages, the 19th century opulence of Careme’s buffet to the cuisine bourgeoise and les meres de Lyon. An all-encompassing work for anyone interested in the importance of cuisine in French culture.’ - Chef Jacques Pepin