The Food of France

by Waverley Root

A celebration of French cuisine and culture, from a culinary adventurer who made his mark decades before Anthony Bourdain arrived on the scene.

Traveling through the provinces, cities, and remote country towns that make up France, Waverley Root discovers not only the Calvados and Camembert cheese of Normandy, the  haute cuisine  of Paris, and the hearty bouillabaisse of Marseilles, but also the local histories, customs, and geographies that shape the French national character. 

Here are the origins of the Plantagenet kings and Rabelais’s favorite truffle-flavored sausages, and the tale of how the kitchens of Versailles cooked for one thousand aristocrats and four thousand servants in a single day. Here, too, are notes on the proper time of year to harvest snails; the Moorish influences on the confections of the Pyrenees, where the plumpest geese are raised; and the age of the oldest olive tree in Provence. In short, here is France for the chef, the traveler, and the connoisseur of fine prose, with maps and line drawings throughout.

Genres: Food, France, Travel, Nonfiction, History, Cooking, Cookbooks

496 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1958

About the author

Waverley Lewis Root (April 15, 1903, in Providence, Rhode Island – October 31, 1982 in Paris) was an American journalist and writer. Root authored the classic The Food of Italy on Italy and its regional cuisines.

Root was a news correspondent for over 30 years; in 1969 he retired from daily journalism. He was the Paris correspondent for the Chicago Tribune and then The Washington Post. He was also a columnist for the International Herald Tribune.

His books and writings focused on food, and yet mingled culinary details of the regions he wrote about with historic facts, and literary references. [wikipedia]

Reviews

[Whitaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

21 October 2016: I just finished reading La vie et la passion de Dodin-Bouffant and the experience reminded me of how much I enjoyed Waverley Root's book.

Original Review

Mr Root's overarching theory is that French food can be divided into the three culinary domains of fat, butter and oil. The Food of France reflects this belief and is similarly divided into three main sections, each chapter within a section dealing with the geographical/culinary regions within each domain. Within this structure, each chapter explores the food of a specific culinary region, and highlights the dishes distinct to that region.

Underpinning Mr Root's overarching theory is the premise that food and how it is cooked is intimately related to and is influenced by the geography, history, and culture (agri- and otherwise) of its region. As a result, each region develops a food and cooking style unique to itself. He proceeds to illustrate this with erudition, verve, wit and style. Drawing on his knowledge of French geography, history, and culture, as well as what seems to be his vast gastronomic experiences across France, he makes a fine case for how each have been an ingredient in shaping and influencing the development of the food of each region. The Food of France will not only tell you what goes into an omelette provencale, it will tell you why this is different from an omelette à la nomande or an omelette à la nicoise, as well as consider different theories as to how the omelette got its name.

The book comes with a general index, as well as an index of food and dishes. Dishes are described with sufficient particularity that a good cook could reproduce the dish. I should note that as the book was written in 1958, some of his information is a little outdated (his recommendations for good years of wine) or a little late (his urgings to visit Provence before it becomes too touristy). Notwithstanding this, The Food of France is an excellent resource and wonderful read: perhaps there can be no better recommendation than to admit that I enjoyed it so much that I have gone to buy The Food of Italy, also written by Mr Root.

[Renee]

I do not know how to rate this, as reading it is unlike any other reading I do. It provides a very good overview of how French cuisine is organized, some specifics to ground the idea of terroir in practices, and some narrative of his own experiences eating and drinking around the country.

In places, it goes back to ancient Greece, and in other places it's current up to the 1950s. It's didactic, sometimes over-explained, and not arranged for narrativity or pleasure reading per se. Yet, I'm glad to have read it. If nothing else, I will have a much better idea what foods on the menus are actually local and which are aiming to meet tourist expectations. Also, I know a lot more varieties of light, white French wines, which is never to the bad.

[Beth Cato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book for my research needs. Root strikes a conversational tone as he explores France region by region, beginning each chapter with a brief historical and geographical overview before getting to the juicy part, the food. The book is certainly dated--the most recent wine recommendation that I recall was for 1961--but that was fine by me, as I primary wanted information in relation to the 16th and 17th centuries. I will be referencing this book often in the coming months!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truely beautiful... Gruff in nature, the author brings to me the France I live in. That another American could find the true nature of France , brings me joy.

[Alex Gravina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a mix between history, food and culture spanning every region of France. It has colourful descriptions and an entertaining tone.

Its main drawback, and sadly a big one, is that it is very poorly structured. Almost randomly there is an 11.5 page treatise in bouillabaisse starting and finishing without signpost.

[Mackay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my father's favorite book. It's an entertaining, opinionated tour of the France filtered through food and food traditions of each region (the regions being defined by cuisine, not politics). While Root had some very odd opinions (he didn't like Champagne and didn't think it paired well with any food !!!????!!!!, whereas he liked the revolting, horrid-smelling sausage andouiette, which is made with tripe, among other things), his writing about and love of the food and wine of France is contagious.

Based on my own experiences in France, some things have altered radically since 1958, when this was published, and some have not.

I read the first edition (my father's copy), which has really wonderful pen-and-ink illustrations, as well as b&w photos by Paul Child - Paul Child who was Julia's husband. Small world.

[Heidi Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I suppose I would have enjoyed this book more if I’d known more about French geography, culture, and language. Waverley was a man who did his research by nature and must have taken copious notes because it seems nothing has been left out of this accumulation of his knowledge and experiences. By the end, it had all rolled up into one big ‘glom’ of information. I don’t think I retained much but I appreciated the little vignettes that Waverley served his readers.

[Regina Mastrogiacomo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a very thorough book about the food of France, but I wonder if its still the same after all these years. It is definitely informative about the regions of France and what type of foods they use to eat and enjoy. It also describes the geography and weather and how that effects the regions and what they grow and raise for food.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love good food, good writing, and France, then Waverly Root's "The Food of France" belongs on your travel reference shelf. Root is a food writer par excellence and evocatively describes the cuisine of each province, explaining how geography, history, and terroir shape culinary delights. Do not be put off by its 1958 publication date; while France has a tumultuous history, its land has stayed the same. The land and sea still produce the same food today as it has for centuries, and many of the restaurants he mentions, like Bordeaux's Le Chapon Fin, are still seating eager diners. While French cuisine has been described as pretentious (this may be a more apt description of the eater than the food), Root brings it to earth as in his comparison of the Breton pancake to the crêpe Suzette "as a gnarled and weatherbeaten farmer with an elegant parisienne" (142). His chapter on Provence is a master-class of travel writing with two pages of probably the best description of olive trees: "At night a grove of olive trees looks like the phantom of a forest. In moonlight or even starlight the leaves are of a spectral ashen hue. The boughs, low, widespread and gnarled, twist and turn in grotesque tortured shapes. The grove is eerie and ghostlike, wearing a macabre beauty' (326). Be still my heart.

This is not a book that needs to be read end to end, but can be dipped into as one learns more about France and decides where to go and what to eat (and that answer is everything, requiring frequent visits). Reading this book also feels like time travel-- back to a time when people like Root, MFK Fisher, and AJ Liebling were the "influencers" of the moment. Each wrote books conveying a sense of place, ideas, and life. Root wants his readers to understand the regions they are in, so when they are wherever they are, be it a farmers' market, boulangerie, or restaurant, they can appreciate the daily selection, its history, and how it got from the source to their table. It is the antithesis of today's Instagram influencer culture which ruins nice things. (Today there seems to be a permanent long line to get into Shakespeare and Company. A few years ago I was able to just walk in and buy my books; now I can't. Do these people even know anything-- or care-- about its history or are they just there because of social media FOMO?)

If you are interested in serious travel for a sense of place over likes, then this is the book for you. Highly recommend it!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

While perhaps not as useful today as it was originally written (most of the vintage years are impossible to find and many of the trends seem no longer applicable), this is nonetheless an incredibly fun read. The historical and cultural insights are informative and interesting, the descriptions of the food preparations are as plentiful and sophisticated as the dishes themselves, and more importantly than all: the wit of this book is just amusing.

An example, on bouillabaisse:
"Everyone has his own idea of what constitutes a real bouillabaisse, to which all others are imitations, and if a contrary opinion is suggested, he acts as if his honor has been impugned... The easiest, and least subtle, way to provoke a discussion to end a lifelong friendship is to bring up the issue of lobster. One [school of thought] is that a man who would put lobster in bouillabaisse would poison wells. The other is that a man who would leave it out would starve his children. I have had excellent bouillabaisse with lobster and excellent bouillabaisse without lobster. Of course only one of them is a real bouillabaisse. Unfortunately, I do not know which."

When I read it to my girlfriend, she mentioned that the humor and wit sounded like something G. K. Chesterton would have written, an assessment I can't help but agree with.

[Steve Warsaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in the late 50s a lot has changed in French cuisine. However, a lot of the dishes are still around today. I loved how Root split the regions of France up by the various fats they use to cook which show regional similarities and the historical origins of many iconic French dishes. Having said that, this was a bit of a slog with too much history and royal history at that! I would imagine people picking up this book would be in it for the food, but would like to be spared the deep dive into history. Of course, some history is needed for context, but the book becomes very wordy. Now, is that the style of writing back in the 50s...maybe so., but I think an editor in present day would cut a lot of crap out of the book. Overall, it's worth the read.

[Lindsey Geddes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gastronomy book club via my chef husband. Hubby recommended this book to me. I figured I would read it to bond with him over delicious French food & wine history. It worked!! Helps to have a French trained chef in the house while reading this book. My stomach thanks him. The Food of France is brilliantly sectioned into how the food of France is cooked. So the regions are split up by butter, lard & oil. Makes understanding French food process so much easier. The lore in this book is top notch. I wish I had this book when I was studying for my Master Sommeiler Exam. This book would have tied everything together for me. I love how this book goes into everything you can possibly eat or drink from France: Cheese, sausages, wine, spirits, oysters, fresh water cray fish, crazy stews, weird unknown fish it goes on and on. A must read for all gastronomes.

[Diane C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read only about the first 3rd of this book......it is so dense with wonderful information, and can't really be read straight through, cover to cover, but used as a reference of French culinary history. It was written in the late 50's, so is not a current where-to-go what-to-eat in France, but well worth reading to gain a fundamental understanding of French cuisine.

I'll buy this book, and happily read a chapter here and there for years.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a little bit of everything. History (both natural and human), geography, sociology, recipes, adamant opinions, and lovely descriptions of landscapes. I mostly let the details wash over me, and I don't think I really learned a lot. But if ever I get the chance to travel the French countryside, this book will have been my inspiration for doing so, and I will want a copy with me.

Grasse sounds right for me: land of lavender, perfume, and candied flowers. Sign me up.

[Tomixaroma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful read even after so many years. I love how Root, even though he's American, doesn't come across as Mr know-it-all who wants to tell the French how to cook (I guess that's a more recent thing in "food literature")

[Thu Tran · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've set this book down for a minute. But again, an extrememly comprehensive history of french cuisine.

[Salvatore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant travelogue through the lens of food and farming and food production that clearly no longer exists. Brilliant and entertaining writing.