Posts Tagged ‘pig food’

When you’re learning to speak French you are usually told that a potato is a “pomme de terre” – which literally translates as apple of the ground. When you go to the market though, it’s much more common to ask for “patates”. It’s just another one of those things that learning French in France gives you – the language that’s in use every day rather than the language of books and CDs. It’s those little nuances that you really can’t pick up any other way.

Dishes with mashed potato – what we know of in the UK as shepherd’s or cottage pie – are called “parmentier”. Quite often these are a mix of beef mince and chunks of pork sausage, which is an unusual combination if you’re used to the English dish but quite nice. It’s not refined French food, this is a peasant dish as it was in the UK. The most interesting thing about “parmentier” though is the tale about how it got it’s name.

It seems back in the 16th century the French would not eat potatoes. As far as they were concerned, potatoes were for pigs, quite literally. The French government even banned the growing of potatoes in 1748, believing they caused leprosy!

Despite the fact that the peasants were starving, and despite every country around them eating them, the French just wouldn’t have it – until Monsieur Parmentier came on the scene.

To cut a long story short, Parmentier, an army pharmacist at the time, was captured in the seven years war by the Russians. While a prisoner he was fed potatoes and saw others eating them with no ill effects. He became convinced of their benefits and on his return to France began to try to spread the word about how good the humble potato could be for people.

Still there was great resistance. No matter how poor, people still thought them pig-food or poisonous. So Parmentier hatched a plan. He planted a large field of potatoes and had the guarded by soldiers day and night. Of course human nature being what it is, the peasants thought that if it was guarded, it must be valuable – so they bribed the guards or stole the potatoes and ate them themselves!

After that, dishes with potato (usually mashed) were called “parmentier”.

The truth might be a bit less romantic, and it was probably famine which finally broke French people’s resistance, but Parmentier did spend years and years working with all levels of society getting his message across and he did plant considerable areas of land for that purpose. Anyway, why let the facts ruin such a great story? Next time you’re having your pomme de terre, or patate, remember Monsieur Parmentier!

Author: Frank English
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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