July 14th is Bastille Day: Let them eat. . . brioche?

Marie-Antoinette - did she really say "let them eat cake"?

Bonjour les amis du thé!

Bastille Day is a national holiday in France which honors the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 - a momentous event that kicked off the French Revolution and eventually brought down the Royals of Versailles. While King Louis XIV and his Austrian wife may have been out of touch with the working class, did Marie-Antoinette really say, when told that the peasants were starving, "let them eat cake"?  Many historians, including one of our favorites, Lucy Worsley, believe she not only didn't say it, but the person who did, didn't exactly say it either. 

Versailles photo from our 2008 visit. Royal Palace of King Louis XIV, XV and XVI.

The documented quote is "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche", which translates to "let them eat brioche".  Although brioche is a delicious, buttery bread, it doesn't quite deliver the indifference and disregard for the situation as "cake".

In Lucy Worsley's series, "Royal Myths and Secrets", she states there is no evidence of Marie Antoinette ever stating the cake or brioche quote. So, where did this strong connection between the French queen and such an insensitive torte retort come from? Perhaps it stemmed from another French queen who lived in Versailles almost one hundred years before Marie Antoinette came to France.

Schönbrunn  Palace  in Vienna, one of the homes of Marie-Antoinette and her family

"Let them eat brioche" is first seen in print in French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau's autobiography.  He credits the quote to a "great princess". Timing-wise, it is believed that Rousseau was referencing Queen Maria-Theresa, wife of King Louis XIV. If that's the case, it would have been delivered before Marie-Antoinette was even born.

It seems that "let them eat cake" was 18th century fake news and some well-spun propaganda.

Marie-Antoinette is a familiar subject with Barb's Tea Service. Our last podcast, Podcast 14, features "Remembrance of French Things Past", featuring not only Marie-Antoinette, but in keeping with our sequenced number theme, July 14th and King Louis XIV.

On today's Bastille Day menu: brioche buns and, maybe, cake!

We also have personally visited homes of Marie-Antoinette including Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna and Versailles in France.  In our M-A collection, I have her very recognizable portrait that my daughter, Rachel, bought for me when she was in Paris in 2011. I also have a beautiful teacup - a reproduction of the china served at Versailles and said to have been designed by Marie-Antoinette.  I purchased this in 2007 at Bernardaud's in Manhattan. Bernarduaud's, headquartered in France, sells high end porcelain which includes an historic line of china patterns. I bring this to BTS tea talks where there is a Marie-Antoinette connection (and, yes, there's one to Jane Austen!).  I've included a glimpse of it in today's blog, a "tea-ser" as my husband, Chris, has coined.

With all that said, how are we celebrating Bastille Day?  All the talk of brioche influenced my husband's dinner preparation. On the menu today:  hamburgers on brioche buns! And, what for dessert?

Okay, I'm going to say it, "let me eat cake"! 

To view BTS' Podcast 14 and all of our videos, visit us on YouTube at Barb's Tea Service's: Barb's Tea Service - YouTube