Carême learned his trade from a famous dessert chef in Paris.
A、ThebusystreetsinPariswereunevenandcakedinthickmud.buttherewasalwaysabreathtakingsighttoseeintheshopwindowsofPatisseriedelaRuedelaPaix.By1814,peoplecrowdedoutsidethebakery,strainingforaglimpseofthelatestsweetfoodcreatedbytheyoungchefwhoworkedinside.
B、HisnamewasMarie-AntoineCarême.andhehadappeared,oneday,almostoutofnowhere.Butinhisshortlifetime,whichendedexactly184yearsagotoday,hewouldforeverrevolutionizeFrenchgourmetfood(美食),writebest-sellingcookbooksandthinkupmagicaldishesforroyalsandotherimportantpeople.
C、Carême'schildhoodwasoneparttragedy.equalpartmystery.Bornthe16thchildtopoorparentsinParisineither1783or1784,ayoungCarêmewassuddenlyabandonedattheheightoftheFrenchRevolution.At8yearsold,heworkedasakitchenboyforarestaurantinParisinexchangeforroomandboard.Byage15,hehadbecomeanapprentice(学徒)toSylvainBailly,awell-knowndessertchefwithasuccessfulbakeryinoneofParis'smostfashionableneighborhoods.
D、Carêmewasquickatlearninginthekitchen.Baillyencouragedhisyoungapprenticetolearntoreadandwrite.CarêmewouldoftenspendhisfreeafternoonsatthenearbyNationalLibraryreadingbooksonartandarchitecture.Inthebackroomofthelittlebakery.hisinterestindesignandhisbakingtalentcombinedtoworkwonders—heshapeddeliciousmasterpiecesoutofflour,butterandsugar.
E、Inhisteenageyears.Carêmefashionedeatablecopiesofthelate18thcentury'smostfamousbuildings—cookiesintheshapeofruinsofancientAthensandpiesintheshapeofancientChinesepalacesandtemples.SylvainBailly,hismaster,displayedtheseluxuriantcreations—oftenaslargeas4feettall—inhisbakerywindows.
F、Carême'screationssooncapturedthediscriminatingeyeofaFrenchdiplomat.CharlesMauricedeTalleyrand-Périgord.Around1804,TalleyrandchallengedCarêmetoproduceafullmenuforhispersonalcastle,instructingtheyoungbakertouselocal,seasonalfruitsandvegetablesandtoavoidrepeatingmaindishesoverthecourseofanentireyear.TheexperimentwasagrandsuccessandTalleyrand'sassociationwithFrenchnobilitywouldproveaprofitableconnectionforCarême.G:FrenchEmperorNapoleonBonapartewasknowntobeunimpressedbythedecliningtasteofearly18thcenturycooking.butunderpressuretoentertainParis'shighsociety,hetoocalledCarêmetohiskitchenatTuileriesPalace.In1810,CarêmedesignedtheextraordinarycakefortheweddingofNapoleonandhissecondbride,Marie-LouiseofAustria.Hebecameoneofthefirstmodernchefstofocusontheappearanceofhistable,notjusttheflavorofhisdishes.“Iwantorderandtaste.Awell-displayedmealisenhancedonehundredpercentinmyeyes,”helaterwroteinoneofhiscookbooks.H:In1816.Carêmebeganaculinary(烹饪的)journeywhichwouldforevermarkhisplaceashistory'sfirsttopchef.HevoyagedtoEnglandtocookinthemodernGreatKitchenoftheprinceregent(摄政王),GeorgeⅣ,andcrossedcontinentstopreparegrandbanquetsforthetablesofTsarAlexanderⅠofRussia.Neverafraidtotalkuphisownaccomplishments,aboastfulCarêmemadeafortuneaswealthyfamilieswithsocialambitionsinvitedhimtotheirkitchens.Later,inhiscookbooks,hewouldoftenincludeasketchofhimself,sothatpeopleonthestreetwouldbeabletorecognize—andadmire—him.