Feeding Napoleon - Chicken Marengo

[@TastingHistory]

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[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

You're the best max!🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤

[@arobotwithepilepsie6053]

How much did the hat set you back?

[@lyledal]

Did you buy that magnificent hat just for this episode? Because, It's awesome and you need to find more opportunities to wear it!

[@melissadunton3534]

My mom used to make this exact same recipe and I’ve also been making it all of my adult life. Imagine my surprise when you listed the ingredients and then made what I grew up eating, but we called chicken fricassee. It’s supposedly a family recipe passed down by my maternal great grandmother. And we also put sautéed mushrooms on top! The only difference is that we’ve always served it with a large baguette that everyone would rip a chunk off of and dip in the pan sauce. I just love your show and wish I’d been able to see you while you were on your book tour. ✌🏻🥰😊

[@luminatrixfanfiction]

I think I understand Napoleon better after watching this. Wanting to leave the dining table quickly or finish his meal quickly, would indicate he grew up in an abusive household (likely drunk father) to avoid conflict. Temperamental mood swings would indicate he had some trauma associated with that. And has a desire to eat and enjoy chicken while eating quickly, likely because he wasn't getting enough portions of food in time to leave the table early.

[@Monicalia]

''famous for his messy eating habits and his love of chickens'', wow I have more in common with Napoleon than I thought.

[@fariesz6786]

be nice to chickens ( ò)

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

His ability to eat an entire plate of almonds is definitely the early 1800’s version of downing an entire bag of potato chips

[@ChaoticbratDND]

Sounds like my bf😂❤

[@josxxiv]

Yeah … because that’s what he’s famous for 😂😂

[@winterfell_forever]

Actually, he was famous for eating lunch and dinner under 15 minutes, I doubt that he ever really "enjoyed" his food. But he was indeed a man of simple tastes, allways preferred common food like pasta, or lentil stew. His astonishingly record speed meals are one of the reasons (for some) that Napoleon developed an ulcer in the later years of his life.

[@hermeticbear]

I love how people felt so shocked by Napoleon's eating habits when it sounds like he just had the palate of the typical soldier and was unashamed of it.

[@Darqshadow]

Considering that he went to one of the academies of France, fought in the Revolution, fought in several coups, then finally took over and fought the Coalitions till Waterloo ended him. He was a soldier first and foremost and a politician second

[@jackielinde7568]

His choice of food might be of a pallet of the typical soldier, I wouldn't leave the eating habits there. He sounds an awful lot like a friend's son. It sounds like Napoleon could have had AD&D, with how quickly he ate food and moved on. This is beyond what you would call "eating to live versus living to eat". The fact that dinner gusts say that his mind seem to be elsewhere is another clue. (And there was what I read quicky from sources like Encyclopedia Britanica and Wikipedia that state his mother had a handful in raising a young Napoleon.) Another explanation could also be that he may have been a bit autistic as well, since table manners aren't a survival thing, but more of "living with other humans" thing. It could also be he had both, and there could be other expanations.

[@drpibisback7680]

​​@@jackielinde7568I'm sure it's just auto-correct at work, but I do enjoy that you've replaced "Attention Deficit Disorder" with "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons." As someone who has it, I'll refer to it only as such from now on.

[@Tw1stedBr0ther]

As a HEMTT driver, if I didn't eat fast or with MRE cold, I didn't eat at all. Not alot has changed in the art of war

[@jackielinde7568]

@@drpibisback7680 I meant to type ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder)... But having played the game for more than four decades, I probably fat fingered it as AD&D. Glad to see someone else who remembers the "Advanced" Dungeons & Dragons of eons ago. ;)

[@jamesodwyer4181]

"Don't eat so quickly" "Please, I am dining a la Bonaparte"

[@katamekothriis1613]

I am going to use that in my common vernacular now, it sounds so much fancier than it actually is

[@gendoruwo6322]

For true authentic Napoleon experience, you're supposed to finish your chicken marengo in under 12 minutes!

[@benwagner5089]

I'm hoping this is supposed to serve more than one person. I'm not going to be able to finish an entire chicken in 12 minutes.

[@nasgor22]

@@benwagner5089 weakling

[@Calucifer13]

I can do it under 5.

[@LarryGullahorn]

​@@Calucifer13So,r u saying that u eat like a PIG ?

[@handlesarecringe957]

@@benwagner5089 If Napoleon could do it, so can you

[@Morna777]

Might not have been minor pain. Napoleon died of stomach cancer.

[@someonesomething5336]

Mansley voice: You know this sort of thing is why it's important to always _chew_ your food.

[@RotalHenricsson]

Same thought here. I don't have stomach cancer (that i know of, got the genetics for it tho) and i'm not *diagnosed* with IBS but boi do i enjoy the most choice of stomach cramps when i eat the wrong thing. (And sometimes just because my body feels like it.) It's not fun to eat when you know it's just gonna lead to pain. "Napoleons little tummy ache" might have killed him down the line. You'd think a history channel would take that into account.

[@agxec2932]

Nope. Probably arsenic poisoning by his captors in the food regularly served to him on St. Helena's island. That's now a widely accepted theory.

[@bloodyhell8201]

​@@agxec2932 we'd be able to trace it if it was arsenic.

[@fuzinator1922]

Stomach cancer is usually rapidly lethal once symptoms emerge, especially in the early 19th century when modern cancer treatments were nonexistent. Napoleon’s stomach ails were documented decades beforehand; it is thus likely that either his salty, meat-heavy, fruit/veggie-scarce diet and speed eating habits caused stomach inflammation that led to carcinoma later in life. It is also likely that he had a chronic H. Pylori infection (many people did prior to antibiotics, and still do today) which caused ulcers, in likely combination with his diet, that became cancerous.

[@Briggattonii]

>Napoleon had very simple and plain dishes >Napoleon cared that his dinner be prepared exactly how he liked it >Napoleon ate quickly, making people question if he “chewed every little, or even not at all” Napoleon just like me fr fr

[@monkofdarktimes]

That's a military man right there

[@rezalustig6773]

I’ll bet Napoleon’s folks never busted his balls for eating too quickly…

[@friedsugar2701]

That's a very mean description of a very powerful man.

[@aerospyrosftw]

@@friedsugar2701 Aint nothin wrong with being autistic. Thinking autism is inherently bad however...

[@yossarian00]

@@crozon3 god you sound annoying, "my brother is autistic" so let me diagnose some dead man from history cause he ate too fast.

[@xionmemoria]

On March 3rd 2020, I was called in to work at the pharmacy to be informed of the world situation. So many hospice prescriptions. To distract myself on lunch, I watched a newly posted video on the history of Medieval Cheesecake. Now we're many hardtack jokes and 2 million subs in. Thank you, Mr. Miller!

[@TastingHistory]

Episode 2!

[@JaneAustenAteMyCat]

I started watching a few weeks later and it's still my favourite channel on KZbin 😄

[@Tard129]

Thank you for all you do working in a pharmacy!

[@DroolRockworm]

Bro what this guy has 2m subscribers now? Thats insane I was there in the beginning also, maybe 10k subs or something? I remember because I was kinda pissed off at first that KZbin was starting to do its thing where it recommended random videos that didn’t have that many views or subs at the time, and this was one of those that showed up on my feed. I knew it would blow up but not to this extent

[@Noaartetc]

The Ultimate Soother 😊❤

[@Jack-bv6eu]

Those anecdotes about napoleon having stomach problems might have actually been early symptoms of the stomach cancer he later died of

[@naamadossantossilva4736]

It's more likely they were symptoms of the disease that caused that cancer.We are talking about stuff that happened over 10 years before his death,cancer kills much faster.

[@Malvenu418]

I wonder, given his taste for almonds, if his stomach troubles might have started with diverticulitis. @@naamadossantossilva4736

[@ralr]

Wait! He's dead?! 😮

[@telebubba5527]

@@ralr

[@scottydu81]

@@ralr Spoiler alert

[@drowgolekatagaria1947]

I thought Napoleon was a bit whiny with being afraid of stringy green beans cause I've only had American Green Beans. Just had Italian ones in a stir fry and one single piece just turned into a bundle of twine whilst I was chewing and I almost hurled, so fair enough, he had a point.

[@vde1846]

Napoleon's table manner sounds a bit like my dad's, lol. And he actually used to cook chicken Marengo quite often when I was a kid, though his version had a thin tomato sauce with lots of white wine instead of the stock rue, and the pieces of chicken were flowered before frying to thicken the sauce up. Delicious non the less.

[@tylerboyce4081]

11:46 I can actually sympathize with Napoleon here. I've had jobs with a 30-minute lunch break, but there's nowhere to eat onsite. So by the time I've clocked out, grabbed my lunch, and walked over to a park, nine minutes have passed, and it'll take me another nine minutes to do the same thing in reverse to get back to work. So functionally, sometimes all you have for hours is just 12 minutes to eat.

[@MrTNuke]

Should be against the Geneva convention that people outside of unions don’t have more than a half hour to eat in this country. (I’m assuming you’re American and non-union.)

[@tylerboyce4081]

​@@MrTNukeUnfortunately, that is a very accurate assumption. 😅

[@MrTNuke]

@@tylerboyce4081 i’m so sorry 😭 i am also American and i am in a union. I’ll NEVER go back to non-union for the amount of rest i get during my work shift alone and the free healthcare.

[@jonc4403]

Something that people usually forget now is that the old 9-5 work day included an hour paid lunch. Half an hour for lunch is simply inhuman. One of the perks of being self employed is that, while I don't get paid for lunch, I can at least take an appropriate amount of time for it.

[@EmeraldEyesBibleSecrets]

That is only true in America. We Americans work harder and have less time for lunch then EVERY SINGLE DEVELOPED NATION ON THE PLANET! Our wages are also less and we get fewer vacation days. I've actually read the articles, AMERICA IS THE WORST!

[@BestCatFriend]

I'll be honest max, at some point I just forgot this was about a single dish. I was hanging on your every word, delighted by you telling all about Napoleon. Stunning work as always.

[@housemana]

as opposed to what... being dishonest? why do you even have to say you're behind honest? lol

[@blessedafricarains6429]

​@@housemanacause he is being honest

[@JaneAustenAteMyCat]

​@@housemanait's an expression 🤷‍♂️

[@richardbeebe8398]

It may be a case of serendipity, but I find it delightfully fitting that just as Max reaches 2 million YT subscribers, we find him donning the Emperor Napoleon's famous hat for his latest offering. Toutes nos félicitations, Max (and José)!

[@KetchupwithMaxandJose]

🎉

[@Palanadine]

Can absolutely relate to Napoleon and his fear of finding those hairlike threads in green beans! Totally disgusting!

[@fretless05]

French food, like many regional cuisines, varies widely. I have a cookbook of Provencal dishes and it is full of rustic and simple dishes that included ingredients one wouldn't expect in French cooking, like lavender. This dish sounds delicious, as slowly frying the chicken in oil would really develop it's flavors and toasting the flour when making the roux gives it a complex nutty flavor that should pair well with your sautéed mush=rooms as well as the chicken. For a simple dish, it seems to have a lot of well-balanced flavors!

[@FloydofOz]

Lavender is one of the herbs in “herbs de Provence” …named after the region in France.

[@Jamirio]

Not surprised The French always innovated in cooking but even in other fields like pharmacy or perfumery.

[@tenzhitihsien888]

Finishing a meal in about 10 minutes and walking away from the table to escape the social situation and get back to something I'd rather be doing sounds about right to me. Though it's never given me a serious tummy ache.

[@jacobmorales1283]

Same here

[@kevinkasmarski6635]

Typical military meal, even to this day. 😂 I still do it

[@RobertPool-nz5ss]

Rŕ

[@foodiesworldUSA]

Same.. then ppl call me anti social.. no it’s really called prioritizing

[@agxec2932]

Most soldiers and bodybuilders today eat just like Napoleon.

[@justanotherlazytrashpanda]

I don’t know why but hearing about how his wife would help prepare his coffee or would comfort him when he had a stomachache felt really sweet! You don’t seem to hear a lot about the more domestic lives of historical figures so it’s nice to see it

[@scottydu81]

It was the least she could do, she was sleeping with most of the court.

[@thenovicenovelist]

​@@scottydu81 I don't know much about Napoleon or Josephine, but I remember watching an episode of "Penn & Teller BS" many years ago and it featured a woman who thought she was Josephine in her past life whenever the "hypnotherapist" did a "past life regression" session with her. The woman put on a bad French accent and complained about how Napoleon cheated on her. But Penn pointed out that Josephine herself reportedly had affairs as well and mentioned other flaws in her story. Your comment reminded me of that episode.

[@scottydu81]

@@thenovicenovelist I’ve seen that one, classic. Yeah, Napoleon married a court THOT and he wasn’t even faithful to her on his own.

[@jonesnori]

I haven't heard about affairs on either side. I've heard that they really loved each other. He treated her children by her previous marriage very well. Napoleon did divorce her eventually, because as Emperor, he needed heirs, and she was no longer able to bear children. He remarried and had children by his second wife. I believe he made a handsome settlement on Josephine, though, and called her name in his dying moments. (I have no idea how much of this is true and how much is romanticism, but I wouldn't trust the negative stories without skepticism, either.)

[@thenablade858]

@@scottydu81This is a common myth. In fact, we only know of one possible lover of Josephine while Napoleon was on campaign in Egypt. But it’s never been conclusively proven she cheated. The ‘affair’ did lead to Napoleon losing some of his faith in her and cheating himself despite being infatuated before.

[@GasMaskManifesto]

See, I’m not a total barbarian at the table, I just eat like Napoleon

[@matthewblackwelder6487]

Your table manners are not barbaric, they're imperial!

[@kermitthefrog5926]

​@@matthewblackwelder6487😂😂😂😂

[@AwkwardBirb]

I’m not weird I’m *~Napoleonic~*

[@Albert-Arthur-Wison225]

@@matthewblackwelder6487Lol 😂😂😂

[@goforbroke4428]

Yet you are likely to be a weakling

[@adde9506]

Napoleon sounds like someone who had to fight too many siblings for not enough food. I don't know enough about him to know if that's a possibility, but I do remember hearing that historians thought he had gall stones. Sounds a lot more like he just gave himself heartburn by eating too fast.

[@Matthew-rc1xt]

Some guys are like this naturally. Me and my grandpa are quick eaters, I always have to remember to slow down. I think it’s just a lack of patience and wanting to eat food right away

[@Darthvegeta8000]

He actually grew up underfed, skipping on meal money to buy books.

[@thenablade858]

@@Darthvegeta8000 He was poor compared to his military classmates, but he still wasn’t poor by the standards of the time. He did have many siblings who survived to adulthood though, around 3 sisters and 4 brothers.

[@agxec2932]

Many people who grew up in big households had to learn to eat fast to get a second serving. Tom Cruise even said that about his growing up days when he ate fast to get a second serving. Napoleon was no excrption. Besides it's biological fact most people get satiated after 20 mins of eating.

[@LanceFryer]

Poop piigoonpooopu

[@VampByDay]

I actually just made this with my folks. Put it over a bed of wild rice (I know, not very Napoleanic, but it's what we had.) but it was a great hit and everyone loved it. Had to use superfine cornmeal instead of flower because of a gluten intolerance in the family but it worked out just fine. Sauce almost split but didn't.

[@jaycaldwell654]

No such thing as gluten intolerance

[@InnocentGuillotine]

@@jaycaldwell654never feed another human, lest you sicken them with your malicious willful ignorance

[@toddmen8302]

I really appreciate this episode because usually when you hear Napoleon's name it's attached to military information. This episde helps to see a much more personal side of the man; which I very much enjoy.

[@EeeEee-bm5gx]

I've heard essays that on personal side he was a jerk. And cruel.

[@Jay-jb2vr]

*Do bad people always have to be humanized??*

[@Jerome18921]

@@Jay-jb2vr I mean they're monstrous actions don't necessarily discount them from being human And Napoleon wasn't that bad anyways

[@lethfuil]

​@@Jay-jb2vr They're humans too. Denying that is very pointless.

[@Darthvegeta8000]

Careful though A LOT of these anekdotes are to be taken with MASSIVE bags of salt. The amount of people wanting attention and loving the profit from publishing memoirs with tall tales is expansive.

[@badeg786]

Fun fact: Marengo is now a suburb of Alessandria, in Northern Italy (a city I happen to live nearby and work in) and Chicken Marengo is one of its typical dishes! Some restaurants here offer it in their menu (and yes, even here the versions differ) and a nearby community hosts a Chicken Marengo fair every September.

[@guaporeturns9472]

Awesome!

[@bewilderbeastie8899]

C'é veramente una sagra per ogni cosa

[@adamfox1669]

Walk along the banks of the stream there. I rested there in June of 1800.

[@guaporeturns9472]

@@adamfox1669 🤥

[@cioccolateriaveneziana]

Well that's where the battle took place.

[@justine4432]

I'm French and veal Marengo was a dish my mum made fairly often for me as a kid. I do remember the sauce to have some tomato as well I think? Probably a variation that came with time. I remember asking her to make it for me because I liked the name haha

[@isabelled4871]

The recipes I read as a kid in France a looong time ago definitely had tomatoes in them (and also crayfish) And they came with the whole "whipped up by his cook with what he managed to find after the battle" story.

[@telebubba5527]

There doesn't seem to be a standard recipe, as Max said in the video. The dish was specifically made for Napoleon, but recipes started to show up 10 years after his death and all were different. So everyone's Chicken Marengo is correct. You just put in what you like and leave out what you don't like.

[@satori2890]

In New Orleans it's a tomato sauce.

[@cauldronmoon]

This sounds delicious ...😋I shall try cherry tomatoes 🍅

[@dennythedavinchi3832]

@@satori2890 That's New Orleans' Chicken.

[@ecota8150]

Congrats on 2M Max! This channel is my comfort channel and I love watching while eating. I look forward to every tuesday for a new episode. Thanks for everything Max :)

[@purple_menace6604]

Made this for my roommates and I on a whim and it was a hit! This'll now be the default way we make chicken. Thanks for sharing this Max!

[@DerekCFPegritz]

It sounds to me like Nappy had gastroparesis like I do. The symptoms match: the sensitivity to certain foods and alcohol, the pain, the digestive problems.

[@flyingdragon67]

I'm not sorry but you calling him "Nappy" made me cackle😂

[@DerekCFPegritz]

@@capablemachine Good point. He very well have been showing symptoms of the cancer for years.

[@lucehleblanc]

@@DerekCFPegritz If he did have gastroparesis it would increase his chances of developing stomach cancer.

[@lmnll2742]

@@capablemachine He died of a stomach problem, but not of cancer.

[@RotalHenricsson]

deffo sounds like he had *something* going on down there. If i knew everything i eat will end up hurting me down the line i'd get it over with quickly too. As it is, a lot of things do, so i eat.... quickly, with my fingies and i deffinitely keep to things i know will sit better with my stomach than experimenting. And then he gets dunked on for being a picky eater in a youtube video.

[@ElizabethH575]

Thank you for an authentic recipe. Modern interpretations often call for canned tomatoes, but I prefer this one. BTW, Napoleon had stomach pain all his life. (Some art historians believe that the famous hand inside his coat over his stomach suggests that he was holding his stomach to reduce pain.) I suspect that if his remains could be examined, the results would be a diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease rather than stomach cancer.

[@gabriellakadar]

He had problems with urination such that sometimes he retained urine for up to 24 hours. He also had chronic constipation hence the use of enemas. The chronic constipation and straining resulted in haemorrhoids. Both these and the bladder issues made riding his horse excruciatingly painful at times. He possibly picked up Schistosomiasis in the Egyptian campaign as did many of his troops. No surprise he could be extremely miserable.

[@adde9506]

@@gabriellakadar From the descriptions here, it sounds more like heartburn induced by speed eating and poor diet. His extremely low fiber intake would account for the constipation and therefore the hemorrhoids. It's entirely possible that his eating habits caused all of his problems.

[@Sam-lm8gi]

Someone needs to start a Napoleonic themed restaurant chain. "Napoleon's Chicken: It's finger lickin' fantastique!" ... They could even save money by not providing eating utensils.

[@christopherreed4723]

Diners will occasionally be ridden over by English or Prussian cavalry. Also beware the Spanish guerilleros lurking near the service door on the way to the bathroom.

[@EmeraldEyesBibleSecrets]

Don't forget to wash it down with Napolean Brandy.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

And by encouraging everyone to eat fast they can free up more space.

[@WoahiFoundNemo]

Congratulations on 2M subs to my absolute favorite channel since 2020! It has been my comfort channel the moment I discovered it back then.

[@okinawamagic6539]

Your enthusiasm for what you do on this channel is contagious. I always loved history. Thank you. Russell

[@Philusteen]

Chicken Marengo totally has a mid-60's Betty Crocker Cookbook, stylized mom - cooking - in - dress - and - high-heels vibe. 😆

[@telebubba5527]

Betty Crocker avant la lettre....

[@Azereiah]

Max, thank you for everything you've done with this channel. You're one of the best history teachers I've had: your enthusiasm is wonderful to watch.

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you for saying so.

[@jessicajones1995]

@@TastingHistoryI’m really curious did they not have soda in Napoleons time?

[@andoriannationalist3738]

Why beef broth? No white wine?

[@suckedintothevoid]

​@@jessicajones1995 while I do enjoy Max's presentation of the information, this is also something you can easily Google instead of waiting on a video: "When was soda invented?" The answer is no, he didn't have soda; he died two years after it was supposedly invented (and it was intended in the beginning to be more for medicinal purposes than as a beverage anyway)

[@misssophie7717]

@@TastingHistory Love your channel as it discusses two of my favourite things: history and cooking. Kudos to you, Max, you never disappoint.

[@Cecilpedia]

Honestly, seeing that a great general like Napoleon, who is considered by many to be the pinnacle of mental strength, had serious texture issues (fear of threads in his beans, only eating one meal to avoid disappointment) is strangely comforting.

[@Viking102938]

I mean, "Napoleon complex" doesn't exactly inspire images of "mental fortitude", lol

[@kyReeElainProhm]

And the eating habits of your average soldier

[@madhatterzake3871]

Well, we're all human in the end.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

It's good to know even the great ones had sensory difficulties sometimes.

[@d_must4309]

Napoleon was mad as a hatter, but as the famous quote goes, it's a thin line between genius and insanity

[@benjamingunn8528]

Stumbled across this channel. How cool is your content! Thank you! Subscribed.

[@alexandrawickham2513]

I absolutely had to go and dry this for dinner. I ended up modifying a bit, but I stayed true for maybe the first half of the process. It was delicious! I will have to try the full version later. You guys have gotta try this! Thank you, Max!

[@jacobmorales1283]

Do tell

[@johnnyblue07]

Napoleon eating really fast and getting tummy aches often is so relatable. My parents tried so hard to get me to eat slowly for 2 decades, but they never succeeded. To this day, I will either move on to dessert or sit quietly while everyone else finishes their dishes. Love that Lugia plushie!

[@erraticonteuse]

Congrats on 2M!!! I've been passing a long Thanksgiving drive by binging your whole catalog ❤ (Also, A+ Bill and Ted reference.)

[@hachmanno]

The recipe is the first time I have seen someone use deciliter as a unit. It makes me so happy

[@christopherreed4723]

Especially in a recipe. Had to check that an errant split-second finger swipe hadn't prompted the UI to change the video to an obscure engineering short.

[@suebob16]

An historical romance novel I've read is A Knight In Paris by Dame Barbara Cartland. It has interesting info on the Bonapartes, some of which Max has already mentioned. Taking place in 1802 during a time of peace after the French Revolution and the Battle of Waterloo, an English Earl briefly visiting France intends to return to England with a young French Countess he rescues. She is hiding from an anti-aristocrat who wants to kill her. But the Earl receives a direct invitation to meet and stay with Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine at their palace for a few days. Napoleon wants to build relations with important visitors from England. The Earl has no choice but to accept. He and the Countess pretend to be newlyweds on their honeymoon in order to stick together and be safe. During their short visit some interesting details about Napoleon's habits are mentioned: • Napoleon likes his dishes simply prepared and with no cream.. Meals where he is not present serve the fancier French dishes with cream. He dislikes paté. • Napoleon likes his meals early and goes to bed early. He eats only two meals a day--lunch at 11:00am usually alone and dinner at 10:30pm along with any invited dinner guests. So dinner parties with guests will generally end at 11:00pm. • Napoleon invites the Earl to view the army he is building. He is admired as a charismatic military commander but continues to be watched to see what his next move might be. • Napoleon enjoys hot baths and would lay in the tub for at least an hour. • Josephine enjoys shopping and frequently buys more than she should which somtimes irritates Napoleon. She takes the Countess shopping and encourages her to buy several expensive gowns. Author Dame Cartland always puts historical details into her stories, so there is probably some truth to these points about Napoleon.

[@iamconsomateur3832]

After the battle of waterloo ? How ?

[@suebob16]

@@iamconsomateur3832 Here is a quote from Dame Cartland's Author's Notes at the beginning of the book: "I feel sad when I see the great empty Châteaux in France whose superb furniture and paintings sold after the owners were either guillotined or had struggled into exile during the French Revolution. . . . . .After the Battle of Waterloo, many of the newly impoverished Napoleonic aristocracy were forced in their turn to divest themselves of their possessions. . ." The reason the Earl was in France was that he was shopping for high quality French furniture for his own home in England.

[@iamconsomateur3832]

@@suebob16 ok but you said he saw Napoleon and was under his company with Josephine during few days, bulding a new army, and so on, how ? « June 18, 1815, late afternoon. South of Waterloo, on land made muddy by a violent storm the day before, the French army, engaged in battle with the Anglo-Prussian alliance since dawn, gradually begins to falter. Around 9 p.m., it definitively breaks. 7,000 dead, 20,000 wounded, and nearly 10,000 prisoners: the rout is commensurate with the distress of the French clan leader, Napoleon Bonaparte. Faced with such disarray, the Emperor, protected by several battalions, flees southward. He quickly reaches the Palace of the Élysée and abdicates there, for the second time (after April 1814), on June 22. "My political life is over," he writes at that moment. Three days later, his daughter-in-law, Queen Hortense, offers him hospitality at the Château de Malmaison, about twelve kilometers west of Paris. » Maybe I dont understand the « during a time of peace after french revolution and Waterloo »

[@suebob16]

@@iamconsomateur3832 I'm not as knowledgeable about the specifics of Napoleon's military campaigns as you are. The book places its story in 1802. Hopefully that will help answer your question.

[@sarahgilliss3503]

Congrats for 2 million subs! I've been with you since the beginning, Max, and I can't wait to see what else your channel has in store for us! Serve it forth!

[@旭球]

The "restaurants started renaming their own chicken dishes to Chicken Marengo" theory makes a ton of sense when you consider the variance in the extant recipes.

[@chefmdecamp]

I think my one of my favorite parts of these has to be how often commonly accepted history behind some things is just all kinda... made up. Or at the very least, is a little bendy-wobbly with the truth. History is written by the victors... and also, well, the guys that write stuff down.

[@eagleofceaser6140]

Why let the truth get in the way of a good story.

[@christopherreed4723]

A maxim that movie producers have taken to heart.

[@generalrubbish9513]

And the further back you go, the worse it gets. I think Max himself once pointed out that ancient Greek "historians" were basically making shit up at least half the time, seriously blurring the line between history and mythology. In the 2nd century AD, a writer named Lucian of Samosata would write a book titled "Vera Historia" (literally "A True Story") which is basically a giant shitpost parodying these ancient historians. It is also arguably the first ever work of science fiction, as it includes space travel, aliens and interplanetary warfare, among other things.

[@trustytrest]

An illiterate victor is rarely portrayed as a hero.

[@christopherreed4723]

@@generalrubbish9513 I dunno. The Victorians were pretty enthusiastic inventors of "history" if the facts were either unknown or insufficiently lurid/romantic.

[@Dinah-h9f]

When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal. When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self.

[@hvr1874]

15:40 The wine estate Groot Constantia in Cape Town South Africa still produces the same muscat wine in the same cellar that made the farm famous in the 1700 and 1800's. Still using the same brand name 'Grand Constance' in a very similar bottle. A bit pricey at $60 for 375ml bottle it is an excellent desert wine still wining prizes every year around the world. A couple of years ago they auctioned one of few remaining 1821 vintage bottle which would have been the same vintage that Napolean would have drank on his deathbed.

[@melaniemassicotte6212]

Félicitation pour tes deux millions abonnés! As one of your very first subs, I'm so happy to see you succeed !

[@TastingHistory]

Merci!

[@George-pl6jr]

The Battle of Marengo is the background of Sardou’s and, more famously, Puccini’s Tosca. The false report reaches Rome that the Austrians have won, inspiring the Te Deum in Act I. The corrected report arrives during Act II, inspiring Cavaradossi’s cries of “Vittoria!”

[@Venomanias]

Tuesday ain't Tuesday without a new episode of Tasting History. Thanks and congrats as always, Max!!! 🐓❤

[@loufolse7170]

Man Max, I LOVE the channel! Perfect timing for the release of Napoleon @ the theater! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

[@militustoica]

Literally making this right now. I love the idea of connecting to historical legends through the medium of dietary experience. You share something in common in those moments.

[@MamaBear3015]

Max, I was wondering what you would make us for the Napoleon release!! You never disappoint! I hope you and Jose have a lovely Thanksgiving! ❤

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Congratulations on 2M subscribers! May you continue to be as amazing as hardtack (clack clack) P.S. You looked so adorable in the Napoleon costume ❤

[@alliewhitlock621]

I have a love of Napoleon that was given to me by one of my Undergrad professors and of course I shared this with her. Thank you for all your wonderful and wide ranging episodes!

[@tofty21]

I’m loving this channel. Food and history! Brilliant!

[@ThirdWatch]

Made this for dinner tonight and my guests had only one complaint, there just wasn't enough. Thank you so much Max for bringing history to life, love your work keep it up!!

[@LNCRHRT-vh7kp]

I love that line "so too, shall I!" It just rings so true with what I love most about you: you are a recreator and that is an honor to these people and their recipes 😍

[@marymugge1523]

Congrats on 2M Max! It's been fun being along for the ride and I look forward to where you steer this historical food truck in the future.

[@Mockingbird_Taloa]

I wonder if this dish using olive oil instead of butter is a reflection of Napoleon being from Corsica and of Tuscan lineage. Perhaps it reminded him of food from his childhood, before his unhappy years at school in France? SO many adults don't like to stray beyond their childhood favourites--this seems like a dish he may have latched onto as a child and simply didn't care to move past. One can't help but think how "plain" or "simple" is not the same thing as *bland.* I imagine there's alot of good food that would be "simple" or "plain" in comparison to the finery of French cuisine of his era, especially at the top rungs of society, which we today wouldn't consider all that "simple." Chicken Marengo is far more involved than a grilled cheese--let alone ramen. Hardly "simple" fare for most folk today, I'd think.

[@ForzzaItalliaaa]

Half of France uses butter, half of France uses olive oil, never forget how diverse France is, the north uses butter, the south uses olive oil

[@Desi365]

@@ForzzaItalliaaa it's true that a lot of people feel like it's one of the other. I've never understood that. I love to fry my chicken in a mix of oil AND butter If you put butter in a tiny drop of oil (vegetal or olive), the butter doesn't burn and you can lay down your leat at the desired telperature. Plus the taste is awesome, it's the best of both worlds.

[@Desi365]

@@ForzzaItalliaaa Same for pain au chocolat and chocolatine. Do you speak French ? There is this horribly sarcastic saying in France " Au nord que des boches, au sud, que des nègres". I won't translate, you find out.

[@ankhpom9296]

Butter was not available so olive oil was used instead.

[@Mockingbird_Taloa]

@@ankhpom9296 that’s the myth. There is nothing to support that being necessarily true (not that that means it’s false). I think it’s plausible to assume there might be reasons related to Napoleon’s heritage that might make him more disposed toward olive oil than butter. It might even make more sense, though less of a good story, as the reason behind the dish.

[@tenthousanddaysofgratitude]

I don’t know if I’m a good historian but I love learning about food history. And, my secret passion seems to be shared by friends around the globe, when I mention your videos and they already follow you. By the way, I got so engrossed in your storytelling, I forgot (as usual) that we were making a recipe. 💖

[@kerridwynntheacegoblin6465]

I never new he was so precious. No wonder he’s my sister’s favorite historical figure.

[@darkalman]

I made a version of this sauce recipe with Pork the other night completely by accident, and can confirm it was tasty! Side note: Napoleon suffered from severe hemorrhoids and gout later in life and had various other stomach and intestinal ailments are often associated with a poor diet. He was a notoriously picky eater that ate mostly meat and seems to have eaten very little fiber or vegetables How do you prevent this? Eat your chicken/meat as part of a balanced meal including plenty of veggies and bread or other starches Or if you are primarily a carnivore get a fiber supplement, try it for 3 days and you'll feel the difference

[@MossyMozart]

Perhaps he had some as simple as Irritable Bowel Syndrome from some intolerance of some carbohydrates and created his own drastic FODMAP diet. Eating mostly meats will zap one with gout and heart disease.

[@darkalman]

@@MossyMozart quite possibly!

[@amethystdeceiver6874]

A month late but I cant help but reply. Excess fiber is the number one cause ov colorectal ailments and surely the cause ov Napoleon's problems. Almonds are packed full ov fiber and the likely culprit. My head is in a perpetual facepalm over society's mindless belief in the fiber scam, primarily originated by that evil, sex-hating lout, John Harvey Kellogg. "But it makes my poops bigger" one might say. Alas, simple logic and attention to one's body tend to give way to that "9 in 10 doctors agree" type ov advertising that pollutes the telly. Sorry for the tangent, I am, it's just a topic as sore as an over-fibered poop chute to me. Thanks for the video Max, great as always.

[@lautheimpaler4686]

I've never met a person who's a pure carnivore.

[@ミノス-y3n]

Wow, those book signings were packed. Goes to show how much people appreciate your content. Keep up the great work❤

[@lisam5744]

I found your channel right after it started and I've been hooked since. Your channel gets my two happy places...cooking and history. You're my Tuesday at 11am (eastern time) look-forward-to. Congrats on 2 million subscribers. May you get two million more!

[@cassandsakura359]

This was a very good, easy yet complex meal. I reccomend going for more than one piece per person, adding a side like roasted potatoes or sautéd vegetables. Some rolls wouldn't be amiss either.

[@agxec2932]

"Eating fast and lots of meat" - Well don't most soldiers worldwide eat like that in their army mess canteens today? Guess Napoleon set the trend. Napoleon definitely loved his proteins (beef, chicken etc) cooked in a simple manner. "He ate really really fast" - like many soldiers worldwide and bodybuilders today

[@MrMegaManFan]

My favorite scene in Bill & Ted is still Napoleon freaking out when he throws a gutter ball.

[@connorgolden4]

Congrats on 2 million Subscribers Max! Been here since the early days when you were at 100K and a handful of videos! Back then I was still ImperialxWarlord! Luckily I’m on break for my new job and can spend it watching another amazing video of yours!

[@kimdavies456]

You are without a doubt my favorite KZbin channel! It’s so fascinating to not only see older recipes from hundreds of years ago but learning the history behind it. Thank you for this gem of a channel and congratulations on 2 million!!! You deserve it 🎉

[@max1247]

I gotta tell you as one Max to another, this recipe is excellent. Amazing taste.

[@norbis3939]

I feel like Napoleon would be ordering WingStop from Doordash if he was still alive.

[@LordJazzly]

Another interesting fact about chicken marengo: It is ordinarily too slow to escape a full-grown Felis sapiens, but has been known to manage the feat by putting on the occasional burst of extraordinary speed.

[@michaelnash2138]

"Too slow, chicken marengo! Too slow for THIS Cat!"

[@ericthompson3982]

Congratulations, Max! I didn't realize until recently how close to the beginning of your channel I started watching you. Been an admirer ever since. You deserve all the success!

[@MalReaver]

I've heard of Chicken Marengo before but had no idea what the dish was or where it was from. Thank you for clearing that up! I have ordered a signed copy of the cookbook and can't wait to browse thru it ♥

[@OlivierMosimann]

19:09 As you said in the beginning about butter… We traditionally cook the mushrooms in butter with échalotes or onions in… Butter or pig fat (saindoux) for most cooks !🙃

[@melissahollowell7255]

There is an episode of The Love Boat in which Chicken Marengo is mentioned numerous times. Bonus--it stars Roddy McDowall. (Season2; Episode 17)

[@guytansbariva2295]

I love the love boar, and I'm only in my 20s lol. I cut the cable years ago, and only get over the air digital TV. But those American TV shows from the 50s-90s are better than most of what's on today.

[@elvisg7]

Would “Death in Paradise” be one of these British murder mystery shows. I love that one.

[@Firegen1]

Ahhh a series classic. I wonder if Max ever Midsomer murders

[@KetchupwithMaxandJose]

Max shouted yes it is!

[@KetchupwithMaxandJose]

@@Firegen1and another scream of yes for Midsomer

[@JohnLeePettimoreIII]

0:13 _"Does this hat make my ass look big?"_

[@devilfruit3415]

"the chicken is too dry" "What can we do" "Theres nothing we can do"

[@humanitiestheproblem]

I came upon your channel just as you hit 1m subs, I binged all your videos and looked away for a few mere months and you hit 2m. Congratulations on your success, happy to see it!!!

[@trashpanda_0605]

Turns out I've been eating like Napoleon my whole childhood. This was my mum's go-to meal, except she used lard.

[@AGMundy]

Congratulations on reaching 2 million subscribers. Yet again Max appears in a hat and looks lovely.

[@ryanmccarthy8625]

The detailed description of that original recipe for this dish has me salivating right now. 💯

[@chadreese9501]

Me and TWO MILLION others think Tuesday is the best day of the week! Congratulations and thank you as always!

[@adamsermet5953]

Just bought your cookbook for my mum for Christmas. Love your work Sir.

[@toottootfinn9455]

18:32 - Napoleon's face when the sauce splits had me dying. Nice work thank you for the laugh editor!

[@kavvg3805]

I'm glad you included the full breadth of Bonaparte, from his military conquests to his Excellent Adventures

[@dolphincrescent54]

Mr. Miller, I'd love to see you tackle Napoleon's relationship to rabbits, and his infamous defeat he suffered at the hands (or paws) of these creatures. Yes, that really happened.

[@slwrabbits]

all hail the mighty bunny rabbits!!!!!

[@Brent-rm2ws]

Tell me more!

[@SlavicCelery]

Leave it to bugs to topple a regime. Very on brand for him.

[@shawnmiller4781]

I wonder if it was related to the magicians bunny that bit me when I was seven

[@slwrabbits]

@@Brent-rm2ws mental floss has a good article, should come up if you search napoleon rabbit

[@qinelenleawatanabe2162]

Grats on the 2M milestone and Happy Thanksgiving to all

[@lellyt2372]

Congratulations on 2 million subscribers Max, well deserved (and double that would not do your channel justice) I love my copy of your book, unfortunately I couldn't get a signed copy though. I haven't managed to cook anything yet as I have been unwell, but my children and I love flipping through it and planning what we will cook when I am able (hopefully in the next few weeks, just in time for christmas) Apart from the wonderful recipes, it is really a beautiful book. So very glad I stumbled on your channel last year, hours and hours of my two absolute favourite things, cooking and history, done with humour and knowledge and a wonderful screen presence. It seems like you give me the answers to the questions I would have about recipes and ways of cooking and I love the time I spend watching you. Your channel has made my long hours of infirmity happy and interesting and I thank you from the bottom of my heart 💖

[@gatamadriz]

Have a lovely Thanksgiving, Max! You have seen me through a pandemic and the aftermath. I cannot thank you and Jose enough. Be well!

[@_helmi]

This recipe is actually very simple to make. I shall try this soon. A little adjustment is to add pre-sautéed mushrooms to the strained sauce. Fantastique!

[@SamuraiGuy24]

perfect hat choice

[@LocIsBac]

He's probably had it for years just waiting for the moment to use it

[@paulwagner688]

This is definitely something I'm going to have to try. That sauce looks so simple and tasty. I've tried a couple of the French sauces you've done and they've all been so delicious.

[@RedBaroness]

Bahahahaha! The classic Augereau quote. As a Napoloeonic historian of over 30 years, this episode tickled me to no end - thanks for doing the research - on both the poulet AND the pictures and historical anecdotes. This is what makes me come back and back again - your dedication to the history.

[@jessegalinski3124]

Literally the best Cooking Channel on KZbin. I hope all is well and your family are doing great. Keep the Contant coming.

[@jessegalinski3124]

Content* voice to text

[@pthaloblue100]

I genuinely appreciate your efforts to deep dive into history, call out the mythical stories and get as close as you can to the reality Max! I'm really looking forward to making this dish since I shouldn't eat tomatoes anymore and this version sounds delicious! Perhaps that is another proof that this dish didn't originally have a tomato based sauce, that would have been really acidic and caused a great deal of pain, especially if a person already has " laying on the floor to feel better" type of digestive issues.

[@IlastarothTayre]

Congratulations on the 2M!! I am so glad to have been here these whole 3 years, you truly deserve this success 💜

[@raymonrodrigues2019]

Dear Max I am a history buff right from school and later on a yearner always for good food. So you hit the nail right on the head when I happened to come across your channel Wow!! Excellent work of combining history with food( Man from ancient times has always looked forward to finding new foods and improving his/ her culinary adventures. Keep surprising us always with your findings( all the sweat included). Good Health and Good Luck.🎉

[@reeyuh526]

That's the thing I like about French dishes, and really most of the Mediterranean cuisines. Whether it is opulent or rustic, it's still very delicious.

[@denniss5512]

Found your channel today. I am a fan of history and you have captured my attention. Watched hours of your contnent this evening. I can't wait to share this with my mom tommorow. She is an elderly, retired teacher ( 86 yrs young) who loves to cook. These videos will give us a great chance to reconnect and share some new experiences.

[@TastingHistory]

Aww, welcome to the channel. I hope your teacher enjoys it too!