Thomas Jefferson's Crème Brûlée
Subtitle: How a Founding Father and His Slave James Hemings Introduced French Cuisine to America
Publisher: Quirk Books
Published: 2012
Number of pages: 233
ISBN-13: 9781594745782
Description: In 1784, Thomas Jefferson struck a deal with one of his slaves, James Hemings. The founding father was traveling to Paris and wanted to bring James along to master the art of French cooking. In exchange for James's cooperation, Jefferson would grant his freedom. Thus began one of the strangest partnerships in United States history. As Hemings apprenticed under master French chefs, Jefferson studied the cultivation of French crops so they might be replicated in American agriculture.