In late 18th and early 19th century America, it was a festive holiday, featuring parades, dancing, and lots of food and drink. The culinary highlight was a sweetened, fruit-filled yeast bread called election cake. Food historians tell us the nobles of this period followed this new trend, supporting the chefs and their ideas wll into the 18th century. Creating à la carte menus featuring gourmet food, the chefs focused on fine dining experiences by cooking private dinners for people. City-dwellers in the 18th century were dependent on a constant supply of grain from the country. By the 18th century, the noble and wealthy classes were … The "sans-culottes," or urban poor, had to spend more than half of their income just to get enough food to survive in 1788, the year before the Revolution began. In Paris restaurants did not become an important part of the gastronomic scene until after the Revolution. Duchess(e) Potatoes Known as pommes de terre duchesse in French, Duchess potatoes are one of the classic breakfast items of the French cuisine. The 17th century marked the genesis of classic French Cuisine. Use the links below to provide sources and expertise on 18th century food production, preservation and dining techniques in colonial Virginia. Election Day used to be a lot more fun. Food production and preservation techniques are illustrative ways to show the challenge of surviving the 18th century. The 18th century also played a great role in the history of French foods, and it was really during this time in particular that the appeal of French food began to grow with the prestige of French culture. https://www.ecpi.edu/blog/a-brief-history-of-french-cuisine After the French Revolution at the end of the 18th Century, displaced chefs from aristocratic households paved the way for the modern restaurant dining experiences we enjoy today. (Wheaton, 73) In the early to mid-18th centure only taverns and inns served food and drink, but even in these establishments there were no menus and no intricate dishes.Meals usually consisted of boiled or roasted meat, served without sauce, and a seasonal vegetable. 15th Century Du fait de cuisine Gauffres Cheese Waffles 14th Century Le Ménagier de Paris Minces Little Cabbages - Brussels Sprouts with vinegarette 14th Century Le Ménagier de Paris Moustarde French Mustard Sauce 14th Century Le Ménagier de Paris Saumon Smoked Salmon 14th Century Le Ménagier de Paris Tostees Dorees However, in the 18th century, the recipe of soup with beef broth and onions was popularized by the French. This recipe is called a French Salad and it comes from Maria Rundell’s 1808 cookbook, “A New System of Domestic Cookery”, but even though it is a 19th century recipe, it is very similar to a number of different 18th … Also, 18th century upper class French consumers did not have to deal with global corporations, brand names, and the pervasive marketing that shape today's food culture -- one of the main reasons behind the renewed interest in traditional and so-called "authentic" foods.