Bastille Day is the Independence Day of France. On July 14, 1789 the people of Paris toppled the Bastille, a state prison that stood for the absolute despotism of the Ancient Regime.
Events began earlier that led to this but just prior, on 5 May 1789, the King convened the Estates General to hear their complaints. The assembly of the Third Estate, representing the citizens of the town, soon broke away and formed the Constituent National Assembly. On 20 June, 1789, the deputies of the Third Estate took the oath of the Jeu de Paume "to not separate until the Constitution had been established." The Deputies opposition was echoed by public opinion and in less than a month the Bastille fell. It was proof that power no longer resided in the King as God's representative, but in the people, in accordance with the theories developed by the Americans only thirteen colonies years ago. Within two days the Revolution could not be reversed. For all citizens of France, the storming of the Bastille came to symbolize liberty, democracy in the struggle against oppression.
Well, that just didn't happen. First they had a genocide, the first since the Spanish Inquisition, then they had the dictator Napolean, who participated and supported the genocide and added conquest of Europe to his resume that was to be followed by Hitler 120 years later when France accepted partial following of Hitlers dictates that really were not foreign to them.
But occasionally, in between these dire events, France was a marvelous place. A center for art, a land of great writers, scientists, mathematicians and marvelously pliable and very pretty girls; France was a great vacation spot and had wonderful food and drink. This is celebrated every year with a great overlooking of the past (and it should be overlooked and not forgotten) and this great dinner.
Get an edge: Razor-sharp tools make for professional work and happy cutting.
Take a whiff: Smell herbs, smell fish, smell everything before using.
Get it done: Asparagus is done when the stalks droop just slightly. They are easy to remove when tied with a string.
Bake biscuits: You can't have a cookbook, however short it is, without a proper recipe for baking-powder biscuits, and you can't have a proper strawberry shortcake without them, either.
Peeling hard-boiled eggs: When you are stuffing hard-boiled eggs for the family, it is just too bad if they refuse to peel neatly, but when you're doing them for a party, it's a disaster.
For 12 eggs: Pierce a pinhole 1/4-inch deep into the large end of each egg -- allowing the air bubble to escape. Place the eggs in a deep saucepan and cover with 3 1/2 quarts of cold water. Bring just to the rolling boil, remove from heat, cover the pan, and let sit for exactly 17 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice and water and let chill for 2 minutes -- to shrink the egg body from the shell. Meanwhile, reheat cooking water to the boil. Lower 6 chilled eggs at a time into the boiling water and let boil exactly 10 seconds -- to expand the shell from the egg body.
Let chill 20 minutes or more -- well-chilled eggs are easier to peel. To peel, crack each egg gently all over on your work surface, then peel under a small stream of cold water, starting at the large end. The eggs will keep perfectly for several days when submerged in cold water and left uncovered in the refrigerator.
Soup solutions: What a marvelous resource soup is for the thrifty cook -- it solves the ham-bone and lamb-bone problems, the everlasting turkey, the extra vegetables. In addition, soup is a most attractive and nutritious way to take the edge off youthful appetites.
Prize the peels: In the beginning, there was applesauce.
Wash and quarter the apples. Core out the seeds, and halve the quarters but do not peel them -- the peel gives flavor and body to the sauce.
The following represents the progress of the French Revolution and it's aftermath.
Now comes the romantic story of a young American in Paris after the war.
She was Karen Do on Rue de la Tour Auvergne.
© HWS, 2004