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Annette Poulard
at the age of 25
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Once upon a time there was a story about a young,
courageous and talented woman and a chef-mother
who had profound effect on French gastronomy.
Annette Poulard, nicknamed as the Mère
Poulard, is part of history and the patrimony
of Mont Saint Michel.
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Born in 1852, Annette was about twenty when Mont Saint Michel reopened to the world after its past as a dreaded prison during the French Revolution of 1789.
This is also the time period when the young Annette agrees to marry the baker's son from Mont Saint Michel, Victor Poulard, who stands by her loyally and discreetly
through her entire life, a life that Annette Poulard decides to devote to her two passions, cooking and Mont Saint Michel.
The tradition of hospitality is a thousand years old in Mont Saint Michel:
beginning with the Middle Ages, the residents of Mont Saint Michel, called the "Montois", welcomed the pilgrims into their inns, where they found room and board.
It is therefore most natural that Annette and Victor open their inn in 1888 to receive the pilgrims and food lovers who hurried there, anxious to taste the cuisine of the woman who would become known as the « Mère Poulard».
So quickly recognized and famous, the enormous talents
of Annette and the approximately seven hundred recipes that she perfected standing behind her ovens caused her to be nicknamed the « Mère Poulard », a title of honor which distinguishes chef-mothers, in other words, the most talented female cooks.
Among her numerous recipes, the omelet will become famous throughout the entire world.
In the 1880s, the sea-wall road that connects Mont Saint Michel to the continent did not exist and the travelers who arrived on foot, on horseback, or by carriage were dependent on the tides in order to cross the bay.
Therefore, they arrived at all hours, exhausted after a long trip, often having had their patience tested.
The Mère Poulard, in order to warm and comfort her guests, always kept a big fire going in the fireplace
and prepared the marvelous recipe, the omelet of the Mère Poulard, at the very last minute, as soon as they arrived.
Captivated by this initial discovery of Mère Poulard's cuisine, those food-loving travelers kept unforgettable memories and, after returning home, spoke very highly about it.
In this way, the fame of Mère Poulard and her omelet grew the world over.
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