Tea at Trianon: The French Breadbasket

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

The French Breadbasket

From Victoria:

Awake to a luxuriant sampling evocative of the most charming Parisian pâtisserie. Recipes developed in the Victoria test kitchens range from simple indulgences using prepared ingredients to gourmet specialties sure to enchant the experienced baker. Every sumptuous offering, flaky bite, and mouthwatering crumb extends a sublime welcome to the day. As tempting to the eye as to the palate, Raspberry-Nectarine Bostock comes together quickly for an easy yet impressive focal point for the brunch menu. Day-old brioche—brushed with syrup, spread with preserves, and sprinkled with frangipane—becomes a tasty canvas for an array of luscious toppings. (Read more.)