LITTLE STORIES & GREAT FLAVORS – Enjoy the pages of history, savoring the taste of glory

There is a “Little History”, that consists of episodes of daily life, which continue to walk – over time – next to the “Great Story.” One of these moments of “minor history”, is linked to Bonaparte. Imagine being in 1800. On June 14 of that year the battle of Marengo had been uncertain outcome for the French, but ultimately won by Napoleon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEwLZzfhne0 As always happened when the man was engaged in battle, they did not consider other topics on which to focus time and attention. Eating was not important, but his chefs had to be ready (at any time of day or night), to prepare the food.

Not being a gourmet, that man devoted to eating very little time, gulping down food mechanically, without worrying about the form or the substance. Happily ended the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon Bonaparte http://www.marengomuseum1800.com/sala_14.html had also wanted to celebrate with the stomach that moment, ordering his chef something special. Dunand (this was the name of the Swiss-born chef), had a few things to cook, but a lot of imagination. He invented a poor recipe, with what he had. A chicken, crayfish and some tomatoes, eggs, stale bread and cognac. That culinary recipe is known to history as “chicken Marengo.”

Even if you are not the Emperor of the French, however, you can donate something special to your stomach, with that ancient recipe, which you will need to add oil, garlic and a bit of parsley. http://www.buttalapasta.it/articolo/ricette-secondi-pollo-alla-marengo/18579/ You can start by cutting the chicken into pieces (making it brown in oil and garlic for about 20 minutes). You’ll have to remove the chicken from the pan (draining a little oil), adding tomatoes without skin and cognac. Five more minutes of cooking, add the chicken. Separately, you will need to fry shrimp crostini bread. We arrived at the end: add shrimp and bread to chicken (over which you have supported the fried eggs). Good appetite and “Vive l’Empereur!“

To pursue this issue, you can also read

http://meetingbenches.com/2016/11/horizons-glory-images-napoleonic-epic/

http://meetingbenches.com/2016/11/reading-novels-napoleonic-era/