The
French Heritage Society (FHS) held their Fourth Annual Book
Award Ceremony on Thursday, April 22, 2021 presenting their
prestigious award to A Bite-Sized History of France:
Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment
by Stéphane Henault and Jeni Mitchell.
Elizabeth Stribling, FHS
Chairman, introduced all the books that were shortlisted for
this year’s prize including France in the New World: A
New Global History edited by Patrick Bucheron, Dior
and his Decorators: Victor Grandpierre, Georges Geffroy, and
the New Look by Maureen Footer, The Seine: The River
That Made Paris by Elaine Sciolino, and Catherine &
Diderot: The Empress, The Philosopher, and the Fate of the
Enlightenment by Robert Zaretsky.
Cheryl Hurley, former CEO and
Co-Founder of the Library of America and member of the FHS
Book Award Jury, explained, “We gave A Bite-Sized History
of France the award because of its original concept, its
lively writing, and its wide appeal” said Hurley. “It serves
up a sumptuous tour of French history through the prism of
food.” Christan Draz, Co-Chair of the Awards
Committee, presented Henault and Mitchell with the award,
The Jefferson Cup, a silver trophy named after America’s
most famous Francophile, Thomas Jefferson, saying, “You have
packed your book full of 2,000 years of French history and
culinary accomplishments. Bravo and congratulations!” Along
with the award, Henault and Mitchell will receive a $5,000
honorarium.
“To
receive this recognition from an organization who does so
much to preserve French culture and French heritage is just
wonderful,” said the author, Jeni Mitchell, “As a
French-American family we really made this book out of love;
out of love for French history, and French gastronomy.”
A
lively discussion with the authors followed, moderated by
Laura Auricchio, Dean of Fordham College, which included
the history of vinegar and the plague, the importance of
starches during the French Revolution, and the role of
cheese throughout French history. Henault, a cheesemonger by
trade, suggested that, ““Cheese has an oversized emotional
appeal, not only in France but also in America.”
The
ceremony concluded with a brief questions and answer session
moderated by Jennifer Herlein, Executive Director FHS,
with all their zoom guests. In closing she thanked Mitchell
and Henault: “You transported us to France, you took us on a
culinary trip, and it was an absolute delight.”
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