Who were these mères? In the early twentieth century, affluent bourgeois households in the Lyon area employed female cooks who became known for their refined cuisine. After World War I and the economic crash of 1929, most families could no longer afford to keep a cook. Finding themselves without work, some of these women opened small, family-run dining establishments, which served simple yet perfectly prepared cuisine…

Read more about my recent research trip to Lyon, France on the Gastronomy at BU blog.