Title: A Look at "Lenten" on Apple TV+: Exploring History and Pastries, Not Cooking Recipes
Ready for a taste of the unreal? The Netflix series Carême gives you a dish that might leave you feeling underwhelmed. This show portrays the life of Antonin Carême, the celebrated 19th-century French chef, but the serving of facts and history is far from appetizing.
Marie-Antoine Carême, born in 1784, rose from poverty during the French Revolution to become the first celebrity chef, gracing the tables of Napoleon Bonaparte, Talleyrand, and the Rothschilds. Yet, Carême turns this gastronomic genius into a secret agent and lothario - the perfect recipe to stir controversy and confusion.
If you want to dig deeper into the story, a subscription is required. But be warned, Rossini, the inventor of the tournedos with foie gras and truffles, makes an unexpected appearance, with his first credited performance in 1804 in this show. Now, that's a dish best served cold.
Worth the hype? Maybe not. The mix of fact and fiction is as murky as an undercooked sauce. While the creators' script contains authentic elements from Carême’s works, like the belief that meals should be a 2-3 hour affair and his disdain for tardy customers, it also indulges in unproven tales such as the portrayal of Carême's high sex-drive and his curing Napoleon with herbal remedies.
The series is loosely based on Ian Kelly's biography Cooking for Kings, but it freely admits to embellishing the details where historical records are less than robust. In short, don't expect a five-star meal - you might end up feeling like you've been served a plate of foul-smelling frogs' legs. Keep that in mind as you dig into this drama series.
- Alexandre, who was born in 1784 and rose to fame during the French Revolution, is portrayed as a secret agent and a lothario in the Netflix series Carême, a role that might leave historical gastronomy enthusiasts feeling underwhelmed.
- Agreeing with the poorly served facts and history in the series, Alexandra could question why the creators chose to present Carême, known for gracing the tables of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Rothschilds, as a character captivated by movies-and-tv entertainment, rather than his actual accomplishments in gastronomy.
- In the year 1833, Gastronomy would have been better served by witnessing Rossini, the inventor of tournedos with foie gras and truffles, in his prime, as opposed to his unexpected appearance in the Carême series, where he appears with his first credited performance in 1804.
- The series Carême stirs controversy and confusion among those seeking historical accuracy, as it mixes fact and fiction so murkily, simulating an undercooked sauce - a far cry from the fragrant, well-prepared dishes that Carême was renowned for in 19th-century France.
