Hachis Parmentier
Hachis Parmentier
- Country
- France
- Region
- France
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Dish information
Hachis Parmentier is a classic French dish, essentially a shepherd's pie, deeply rooted in French culinary history. Its name is a tribute to Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, a French pharmacist, nutritionist, and agronomist in the 18th century who tirelessly advocated for the potato as a food source in France. Before Parmentier's efforts, potatoes were primarily considered animal feed or believed to cause diseases like leprosy. Parmentier, after being held prisoner in Prussia during the Seven Years' War and subsisting on potatoes, recognized their nutritional value. Upon his return to France, he championed the tuber, even hosting dinners where potatoes were served in various forms to influential guests, including Benjamin Franklin and King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Louis XVI granted Parmentier a plot of land near Paris where potatoes could be grown, and Parmentier famously had guards protect the patch during the day, hoping to encourage theft at night, thereby popularizing the crop among the common people. The 'hachis' part refers to 'hacher,' meaning to mince or chop, indicating the ground meat base. While variations using different meats exist, beef is the most common. The dish embodies French comfort food, often prepared in homes across the country, especially during colder months. It's a testament to Ingenuity in making humble ingredients delicious and nutritious.
Timeline
Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, the dish's namesake, is born.
Antoine-Augustin Parmentier is held prisoner and discovers the potato's nutritional value.
Paris Faculty of Medicine declares potatoes edible, largely due to Parmentier's advocacy.
Parmentier hosts promotional dinners for potatoes, attended by King Louis XVI.
The dish, or its conceptual precursor, begins to gain popularity as potatoes become staple food.
The term 'hachis Parmentier' likely originates around this time as a tribute to Parmentier's legacy.
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