It so happened in Germany that the last German Kaiser Wilhelm II did not let anyone finish their meal in peace, and talking about food was just as indecent as talking about illnesses. In such an atmosphere, of course, fertile ground for gastronomic culture could not arise. A prudent Prussian puritan would consider it a great sin to cook a dish with wine or to add an extra drop of vegetable oil to a salad. Thus, the Prussians at the table were silent, dutifully chewing boiled potatoes, poured with white, like chalk, flour sauce. This mucous "seasoning" was "flavored" with vegetables, and meat or a side dish...