Beverages in "Les Entretiens" des cafés de Paris by the chevalier de Mailly

Abstract

Just as the seventeenth century saw the birth and growth of the literary salons, the eighteenth century was the age of the cafés. In 1702, the chevalier de Mailly published a work that gives a very colourful view of this recent but well-established phenomenon and portrays a large gallery of characters, sitting at different Parisian cafés. Firstly, we will draw up a list of drinks mentioned in Entretiens. Secondly, we will analyse how they provide insight into the tastes of the time, as well as into the clients’ social status or personality. In addition, we will see that depending on the consumed amount, those beverages take on either a socializing or a destructive role.