France was beset with famine following the seven year war (1756-1763). Native son Antoine Auguste Parmentier, who had been fed the so-called poisonous potato root in a German prison-of-war camp, returned to France to find his country men starving. He set up potato soup kitchens throughout Paris to assist the poor. Then he sent artillery rounds of potatoes into genteel society, staging elaborate "potato theme" dinners for the movers and shakers of the day--including, apparently, America's rakish new diplomat, Ben Franklin. These extraordinary affairs featured potato soup, potato entree, potato entremets, potato salad, potato bread, potato cake, and potato cookies, all topped off with a potato digestif. Imagine. Ultimately, Louis XVI recognized his work by saying, "France will thank you some day for having found bread for the poor." in fact, he is best honoured by the pleasure his country take in digesting potage Parmentier.