Legacy of the Brothers Michelin

R and I are preparing for a trip to Paris soon, and I'm researching sights to visit and places to eat. This has started me thinking about France and its food heritage.

Food and artisans are taken seriously in France and the French are justifiably proud of it. President Nicholas Sarkozy even put a bid to declare French cuisine a "world intangible heritage"—and last November 2010, it was awarded thus by UNESCO. Paris and Lyon have large international food and agricultural salons  twice a year, with many smaller fairs spread through the year in different régions and départements. In 1992, France started a new autumn tradition, La Semaine du Goût, which has spread abroad to other countries in Europe and beyond. Basically it's a national week devoted to taste and gastronomy—a chance for people to appreciate and learn about local foods and their cultural heritage, as it applies to cuisine. The French even take the art of table setting to a higher level in Le Grand Prix Des Arts de la Table. Viva la France!

Recently I learned about Le Meilleur Ouvrier de France awards—a future post will cover MOF, but today I wanted to know what's all the fuss about les etoiles? Back in February, I noticed that our local bookstore featured a stack of Michelin Guides Rouges in its main display window. Now that I'm living in France—the birthplace of the Michelin Guide—I wanted to know, "What is the Michelin guide, is it related to tires, and what do the stars mean anyway?"