Definition: dunand

Regarding Emperor Napoleon's maître d'hôtel, one day, the Emperor asked why pork crépinettes were never served at his table.

It is said that Dunand was taken aback by the question for a moment, then replied:

"Sire, what is indigestible is not gastronomic."

An officer who was present added:

"Your Majesty could not eat crépinettes and work immediately afterwards.

"Bah! Bah! Those are just tales. I will work despite that."

"Sire, said Dunand, Your Majesty will be obeyed tomorrow at breakfast."

And the next day, the head butler of the Tuileries served the requested dish; only the crépinettes were made with partridge meat, which was different.

The Emperor ate with delight.

"Your dish is excellent," he said, "I congratulate you."

A month later, around the time of the break with the Prussian court, Dunand put crépinettes on the menu and served them for breakfast.

That day, Murat and Bessière were supposed to have lunch at the palace, but urgent business had taken them away from Paris.

Lunch consisted of six courses, including veal cutlets, fish, poultry, game, a dessert, vegetables and soft-boiled eggs.

The Emperor had just swallowed a few spoonfuls of soup in his usual manner when, quickly turning away from his first plate, he saw his favourite dish; his face contorted; he stood up, pushed the table away and overturned it, with everything on it, onto a magnificent Isfahan carpet; he walked away waving his arms, raising his voice and slamming the doors of his office.

Mr. Dunand was struck down and remained on the floor, motionless and broken like the beautiful porcelain service: what breath had swept through the palace? The sharp-tongued squires were trembling, the frightened footmen had fled, and the distraught butler had gone to the Grand Marshal of the Palace to seek his advice and appeal to his kindness.

Duroc, in his immaculate uniform, appeared cold and proud, but he was neither of these things at heart; he listened to the account of the scene. When he heard it, he smiled and said to Dunand:

"You do not know the Emperor; if you will believe me, you will go at once and have his breakfast and the dish of crépinettes prepared again; you are not to blame for this incident; it is solely a matter of business. When the Emperor has finished, he will ask you for his breakfast."

The poor maître d'hôtel did not need to be asked twice and ran to have this second breakfast prepared; Dunand carried it to the apartment, and Roustan presented it. Not seeing his beloved servant at his side, Napoleon asked gently and eagerly where he was and why he was not serving him.

He was summoned.

He reappeared, his face still pale, carrying a magnificent roast chicken in his trembling hands.

The Emperor smiled graciously at him and ate a wing of the chicken and a little of the crépinettes, then praised the lunch; then, motioning to Dunand to approach, he touched his cheek several times, saying to him with emotion:

"Mr Dunand, you are happier to be my butler than I am to be the king of this country."

And he finished his lunch in silence, deeply moved.

When Napoleon was on campaign, he often rode out on horseback in the morning and did not dismount all day. Care was taken to put bread and wine in one of his saddlebags and a roast chicken in the other.

He usually shared his provisions with one of his officers who was even worse off than he was.

Chicken Marengo (source: Auguste Escoffier's Culinary Guide):

Sauté in oil, deglaze with white wine, reduce, add crushed and seeded tomato purée and a pinch of crushed garlic. Cooked mushrooms - sautéed or blanched (Escoffier's culinary guide does not specify) - Truffle slices and add a little veal stock.

As a garnish: fried croutons - crayfish, cooked in court bouillon - fried eggs and chopped parsley.

The origin of chicken Marengo may be linked to the Swiss roots of Dunan, who remembered a chicken with crayfish speciality from the Jura region. Others say that this recipe originated in Algeria, in the village of Marengo (now Hadjout).