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French Gastronomy: The History and Geography of a Passion

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? 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.
This cultural phenomena surrounding food and eating in France relate to space and place. We can 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.
Yet for all the shaping influence of earth and climate, “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 “gourmandize” — 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 food ways.
This is a time of paradox for French “gourmandism”. 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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