A traditional French meal match for a king – and everybody else. Discover the wealthy historical past of Poule au pot – a French nationwide dish.
You’ll be pushed to discover a French particular person at present who would passionately declare poue au pot because the nation’s nationwide dish. Thanks to France’s presence on the world’s culinary stage, its 650 Michelin-star eating places in addition to its controversial love of McDo, the nation’s tastes have developed in numerous instructions. And but, this straightforward and considerably beige chicken-in-broth maintains its antiquated standing, a tribute to the nation’s rustic delicacies lengthy earlier than it turned identified for its culinary status.
The historical past of hen within the pot – a royal story
The story of Poule au Pot begins in Pau, in southwestern France, a metropolis well-known for this rooster dish and because the birthplace of its alleged originator, le Bon Roi Henri – in any other case often known as Henry VI, King of France for 21 years bridging the 16th and 17th centuries. Good King Henry has gone down in historical past for his benevolence. It seems this has partially been propaganda, indoctrinating college youngsters all through the years with cartoons of his pleasant variety character. Every winter, Pau celebrates “The Hen in the Pot is queen” (The rooster in a pot is queen), with historical past classes specializing in this good king. What youngsters probably aren’t taught is that his different nickname was “le Vert Galant” – the Old Charmer – due to his womanising methods.
In the mid-1500s, the War of Religion tore the nation aside because the Huguenots struggled for his or her proper to worship after years of brutal suppression. Henry of Bourbon was the inheritor to the Kingdom of Navarre which occupied lands on both aspect of the Pyrenees. The household had been Huguenots and because of tactical marriage alliances, a superb victory in battle, and slightly assassination, he was topped Henry VI in 1589. Immediately he granted the Huguenots freedom to worship, then later transformed to Catholicism, bringing peace, albeit for a short while, to France.
For this and plenty of of his progressive insurance policies, he has been upheld as one in all France’s greatest, hottest monarchs, significantly when in comparison with his notorious descendants. He modernized and restored cities, promoted schooling and the humanities, supported home agriculture, and – most significantly, not less than to this subject – endorsed cooking rooster.
In Pau, rooster was a typical meals supply – accessible and low cost. And, after years of conflict and famines, Good King Henry famously stated:
“God willing, I will ensure that every last plowman in my kingdom has the means to ensure that, once a week, he has a chicken in his pot.”
His purpose was to revive the well-being of his folks, beginning with democracy by way of their stomachs, and he allegedly imposed that Poule au Pot be often known as the nationwide dish, a stroke of promoting genius for his legacy.
Fake information?
However… Good King Henry might or might not have really stated this iconic line. The quoted textual content was written 50 years after his loss of life, which brings into query why his generosity over Poule au Pot stands the take a look at of time.
This specific textual content was referred to as History of King Henry the Great and was written in 1661 by Hardouin de Péréfixe, future Archbishop of Paris and tutor to Henry’s grandson, Louis XIV. Hardouin’s objective was to point out Louis what an exemplary king his grandfather was so he may emulate the identical consideration for the folks. So, was the quote true, or was it fabricated as a delicate nudge for the present king to be taught from instance? Allegedly it wasn’t till the 20th century when progress in poultry farming meant the entire inhabitants had entry to rooster – although 100 years prior, Louis XVIII adopted and garnished this phrase with “every Sunday” – a transparent case of misinformation, all to advertise the monarchy’s everlasting closeness to its folks! And the appropriation would not finish there. In 1928, the US Republican Party gained the election with the slogan “A Chicken in Every Pot”.
Even so, what we will collect from Good King Henry’s phrases – if he did in truth say them – was his purpose to revive the nation’s wealth and self-sufficiency by selling agriculture. This he did, as farming was revived, with the well-known line “Ploughing and grazing are the two breasts of France,” stated by his finance minister tasked along with his reorganization.
A French nationwide dish
But with all this historic cachet, what even is poue au pot? It is rooster stewed with root greens in a light-weight broth. Ideally you need a flavorful rooster that is lived a little bit of life or a feminine. Traditionally, the rooster is stuffed – with bacon, sausage, the giblets, and breadcrumbs – then poached in broth made with a clove-studded onion and different greens readily available, probably carrots, turnips, and leeks, till the meat falls from the bone.
“Taste it and become convinced of King Henry the Fourth’s solicitude for the well-being of the peasants of France” – Babet, 19th century cookery guide writer
In 1893, cookery guide writer Babet famously wrote, “It is a succulent dish too much neglected in these days, when dainty living is tending to replace the rustic cooking of the good old days.” And that, I suppose, is what this dish’s historical past is all about, past the political propaganda – fuelling the abdomen, bringing communities collectively, and consuming from the bountiful land. With advents in culinary progress, each the nice and unhealthy, this style of actual unadulterated dwelling cooking may develop into misplaced, so possibly we must always be taught from Good King Henry and proudly maintain Poule au Pot up because the nation’s nationwide dish.
Try this dish at dwelling, recipe for traditional Poule au Pot from the Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts on The Good Life France web site.
Ally Mitchell is a blogger and freelance author, specializing in meals and recipes. She lives in Toulouse and writes at: NigellaEatsEveryfactor.
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