The Physiology of Taste; or Transcendental Gastronomy

<p><strong style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)><em>The Physiology of Taste</em></strong><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)> by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin initially published in 1825 is a culinary masterpiece that delves into the history practice and philosophy of eating. It is recognized as beautifully written. Brillat-Savarin's unique storytelling style explores the sensual art of fine dining which is an expression of ourselves. The book looks at the relationship between food and the pleasures of the table; all the pleasures associated with eating together and concludes that consuming food transcends mere sustenance-it is a form of transcendental experience available to all classes of society.  </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)> </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)>Brillat-Savarin is remarkably far-ranging in making connections. His musings touch on all the senses human nature and society being a guest and a host the essential constituents of food from the animal and vegetable kingdoms being a gourmand digestion rest sleep dreams fasting and death. Of course there are some remarkable recipes. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)>Perhaps most startling for the early 17th century are the two chapters on </span><em style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)>obesity</em><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)>-its inconveniences causes and prevention. He explicitly observed that sugars and carbohydrates reduce physical performance and lead to obesity. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)> </span></p><p><em style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)>The Physiology of Taste</em><strong style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)> </strong><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)>was hugely successful when first published in 1825 and has been in print continuously since then. It has been translated into English German Russian Italian Spanish and Swedish. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)> </span></p><p><strong style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)><em>The Physiology of Taste</em> </strong><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)>is still the most civilized cookbook ever written (</span><em style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)>The New Yorker). </em><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)>It is a unique book on all aspects of eating: wide-ranging informative inspiring beautifully written and entertaining.   </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)> </span></p><p><strong style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)>Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin</strong><span style=color: rgba(14 16 26 1)> (1755-1826) was a French lawyer judge and politician. He fled France for two years and toured America giving French and violin lessons and gathering friends and anecdotes. His was an inquiring mind with both a scientific and a philosophical bent. As a bachelor he invested much of his time wealth and passion into dining entertaining and dwelling on these matters. The result is this masterpiece. </span>A French cheese and a French cake bear his name.</p>