Au Revoir to All That

Au Revoir to All That takes us on an entertaining and intriguing journey into France''s identity, directly through the tastebuds...

Offering a fresh and entertaining approach to understanding French history, through its food and wine, Steinberger reveals a radically changing France; a country moving through social and political reform, economic crises and, importantly, the loss of their seemingly unbreakable dominance in all things gastronomical. If the state of France''s celebrated cuisine is the bellwether for the state of the nation, things are looking bleak.

Top chefs are renouncing their Michelin stars and prized farmhouse cheeses are going extinct because there is no one to make them. Bistros, brasseries and cafés fold by the scores and hypermarkets and superstores account for 75% of retail food sales. The famed wine-producing Languedoc is home to the world''s first wine-terrorist organization - winemakers resorting to violence to protect their struggling industry.

But while there may be better baguettes in Tokyo than in Paris, and Spain has become the darling of the gastronomic world, there are glimpses of hope. There are up-and-coming culinary stars and outdoor food festivals, pockets of exuberance amid the gloom. And, as long as a praline millefeuille can be celebrated, savoured and allowed to assume talismanic qualities at a Right Bank tea salon, all is not lost.

Au Revoir to All That is an essential - almost edible - book for lovers of food, France and culinary history.