Savoring the Past: The French Kitchen and Table from 1300 to 1789

Name: Savoring the Past: The French Kitchen and Table from 1300 to 1789
Price: 23.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780684818573

✍️ Wheaton, Barbara Ketcham

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$23.95

In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days

🌍

Regional & Cultural

📚 EDITORIAL REVIEW

“This volume suits history buffs and curious home cooks who love food lore rather than quick weeknight dinners. You won't find modern appliances or fast measurements here; it is an immersive, slow-read exploration that will frustrate anyone looking for actionable contemporary recipes.

— Editorial Team

Author

Wheaton, Barbara Ketcham

📚 all books by this author →

🏛 Atria Books 📅 1996 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780684818573

📝 Description: Savoring the Past: The French Kitchen and Table from 1300 to 1789

In this masterful and charming book, food historian Barbara Ketcham Wheaton takes the reader on a cultural and gastronomical tour of France, from its medieval age to the pre-Revolutionary era using a delightful combination of personal correspondence, historical anecdotes, and journal entries.

💎 Expert review

“

🍳

Eatbook Family editorial team

Cookbook desk

By drawing on authentic journal entries and correspondence, it brings the gastronomical reality of early French kitchens vividly to life. However, readers should note that the provided summary is relatively sparse regarding specific culinary instructions. This title does not suit home cooks seeking a practical step-by-step cookbook or a collection of quick weeknight recipes. Instead, it is aimed squarely at readers who appreciate scholarly food writing, historical context, and the rich cultural evolution of French gastronomy over practical kitchen instruction.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Eatbook Family —

⭐ eatbookfamily.com editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

This volume suits history buffs and curious home cooks who love food lore rather than quick weeknight dinners. You won't find modern appliances or fast measurements here; it is an immersive, slow-read exploration that will frustrate anyone looking for actionable contemporary recipes.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Eatbook Family editorial team

By drawing on authentic journal entries and correspondence, it brings the gastronomical reality of early French kitchens vividly to life. However, readers should note that the provided summary is relatively sparse regarding specific culinary instructions. This title does not suit home cooks seeking a practical step-by-step cookbook or a collection of quick weeknight recipes. Instead, it is aimed squarely at readers who appreciate scholarly food writing, historical context, and the rich cultural evolution of French gastronomy over practical kitchen instruction.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, this is a cultural and historical study of old French food ways told through historical archives, not a modern kitchen manual with standard cups or metric quantities.

No, you will find historical insights, anecdotes, and textual records rather than glossy modern food photography or instructional cooking images.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

Barbara Ketcham Wheaton traces the rich evolution of French culinary arts from the medieval period up to the brink of the Revolution in 1789. Drawing from authentic historical diaries, letters, and personal notes, she paints a vivid picture of how elite and everyday tables changed across centuries of French culture.