How can a king on high want to eat?
But the history of French Kings as foodies is hard to hide.
So what are the food stories of these Kings who stepped down from the altar?
Philip VI, a fan of bolognese?
Philip VI was the first king of the Valois dynasty, ending the rule of the direct line of the family of Capet. After a difficult journey to the throne, the king encountered the famous Hundred Years War between Britain and France, and the Black Death made his country more riddled with holes, and finally died in a France ravaged by war and epidemic.
He is said to have a passion for a meat sauce called saupiquet. This is a sauce typical of a medieval dish. The sauce is made by simmering bread soaked in broth in a pot with Onions, red wine, vinegar, cinnamon and ginger. It can be said that the royal cuisine is exquisite, no wonder it was favored by the king.
Francois I The New era of dessert
More than 200 years later, when King Francois I brought the humanism of the Renaissance back to France from Italy, he did not forget to bring the dessert culture of Italy back to his own country (” foodie attribute “has been revealed). Under Italian influence, French pastries and desserts have become more sophisticated.
Francois himself led a glamorous courtly life and made no secret of his preference for a dessert called cotignac. It’s a papaya jelly, and apparently the king is a fan of Renaissance-influenced French desserts.
Henry IV, “Let every French peasant have a chicken in his pot.”
Henry IV was the first Bourbon king to end France’s decades-long religious war, the Huguenot War. Henry IV’s exploits earned him the reputation of “Good King Henry.”
In a book about him, Hardouin de Perefixe writes that Henry famously said: “If God had allowed me to live a little longer, I would have put a chicken in every French peasant’s pot.”
Chicken stew has been Henry’s signature dish ever since. Henry loves food himself, but chicken stew may not be his cup of tea. He is a regular at the famous Silver Tower restaurant on the banks of the Seine in Paris and loves its signature dishes: oysters and heron bolognese. The historian also confirms: “Henry had a penchant for Onions and garlic!”
Louis XIV, the exquisite “king of Big appetites”?
No one is unfamiliar with the Sun King, Louis XIV. His luxurious Versailles life could not be without food! Louis XIV was not only a foodie, he could actually eat. He is said to have eaten at one meal four plates of thick soup, a whole chicken, a partridge, a large salad, two large hams, some mutton, a plate of pastries, and some fruit and hard-boiled eggs.
Of course, as the master of Versailles, Louis XIV could not only eat a lot, but also eat well. If he likes asparagus, serve it with cream for dessert. Cauliflower, for example, is cooked with nutmeg and served to the king in fresh butter. He also loved salads, seasoning them with tarragon, ground elm and basil
Louis XV, the informal epicure
Louis XV, great-grandson of Louis XIV, the fourth king of the Bourbon dynasty. He was loved by the people in the early stage and was known as “beloved Louis”. But his incompetent rule led to the decline of the country, and the revolution gradually reached its climax. Coupled with the erosion of court life, he ended up being the most hated Louis.
Despite all the opprobrium surrounding the king, let’s take a look at the “foodie” nature of his lavish court life. Louis XV was as tasty as his great-grandfather, and he was not bound by etiquette to delve into food himself, and he pursued fine food. Louis XV is said to have been very good at making chicken with basil and poached eggs. People often came to Versailles to see the king’s wonderful cooking.
On the whole, these French Kings were “fine foodies” even if they were “foodies.” Their pursuit of good food has also been a source of fascination for later generations.
So that’s it for today. What other foodie Kings of France have you heard of?
