a la Soupe

French Text

2014 marks the centenary of the declaration of the Great War. The First World War disrupted everyday life and particularly French gastronomy well beyond the conflict. During the period between 1914-1918 eight million five hundred thousand French solders were mobilized for duty, representing three meals a day for 1500 days.

The French were forced to fulfill this fantastic challenge of supplying four million meals to fighters directly from the front. And from this one can trace the foundations of the modern "catering."

History buff Jérôme Delile has compiled many historic utensils: bowls, flasks etc .... And after a careful restoration, they have now found their usefulness through authentic and simple-to-make recipes. This book, profusely illustrated with enticing photos invites the reader on a journey through time in a simple and effective manner. It immerses you in the time of "cooks," which were indispensable to the successful outcome of the conflict. This first book contains thirty original recipes such as:

* Beef Pilaf (Pilaf de Boeuf) * Farmer's soup (Potage cultivateur) * Vineyard's soup (Soupe vigneronne) >This work represents the first in a series that should have at least three more volumes. In preparation are collections of recipes from the French Phoney war (1939/1940) followed by a cookbook focusing on recipes from the "restricted period," meals meant to accommodate for the lack of food available during the occupation.