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A review by avora
Thomas Jefferson's Creme Brulee: How a Founding Father and His Slave James Hemings Introduced French Cuisine to America by Thomas J. Craughwell
3.0
Interesting, surprisingly fast read for nonfiction. However, I think it would have made more sense to have titled the book, "Thomas Jefferson's Creme Brulee: How a Founding Father Introduced French Cuisine to America." Granted, his slave James Heming did all of the cooking, but considering his important role, he wasn't mentioned all that much. Only a few of his recipes have survived and the things that were written about him had more to do with his learning and teaching contracts and his promised freedom. It seemed like the rest of it was speculation.
Another title that could work for this book: "Thomas Jefferson's Wine Collection: A Cause for a Founding Father's Debt." So much of this book was spent talking about the different regions Jefferson visited, the nature of the soil in each area, the wines he tasted and purchased. It was wine this, wine that, wine paired with this dish, here's a little table so people can serve themselves family style, wine collection inventory from this year, Jefferson liked to have massive dinner parties, wine, wine, let's build a vineyard, more wine. Which is not to say that I didn't enjoy reading about the wine, but more that wine seemed to not only overshadow his political doings, but more importantly, French cuisine, the subject of this book. It was like politics and French cuisine were a distraction from telling the story of Jefferson's love affair with wine.
All in all, I did actually enjoy reading the book, but it wasn't what I expected. If you would like more insight into the palate of Jefferson or to know what he did during his time in France, this book is for you.
Another title that could work for this book: "Thomas Jefferson's Wine Collection: A Cause for a Founding Father's Debt." So much of this book was spent talking about the different regions Jefferson visited, the nature of the soil in each area, the wines he tasted and purchased. It was wine this, wine that, wine paired with this dish, here's a little table so people can serve themselves family style, wine collection inventory from this year, Jefferson liked to have massive dinner parties, wine, wine, let's build a vineyard, more wine. Which is not to say that I didn't enjoy reading about the wine, but more that wine seemed to not only overshadow his political doings, but more importantly, French cuisine, the subject of this book. It was like politics and French cuisine were a distraction from telling the story of Jefferson's love affair with wine.
All in all, I did actually enjoy reading the book, but it wasn't what I expected. If you would like more insight into the palate of Jefferson or to know what he did during his time in France, this book is for you.