A rich, lively book about the upheaval in French gastronomy, set against the backdrop of Frances diminished fortunes as a nation.France is in a rut, and so is French cuisine. Twenty-five years ago it was hard to have a bad meal there; today its difficult to find a good one. An unmistakable whiff of decline emanates from its kitchens, and many believe that London, Spain, and New York are more exciting places to eat. Parisian bistros and brasseries are disappearing at an alarming rate; large segments of Frances wine industry are in crisis; many artisanal products are threatened with extinction. But astonishingly, business is good for McDonalds: France has become its second-most profitable market in the world.How this happened and what is being done to revive the gastronomic arts in France are the questions at the heart of this book. Steinberger meets top chefs, winemakers, farmers, bakers, and other artisans, interviews the head of McDonalds Europe, marches down a Paris boulevard with alter-globalization activist Jos Bov, and breaks bread with the editorial director of the very powerful and secretive Michelin Guide. The result is a striking portrait of a cuisine and a country in transition.From the Hardcover edition.