A Great War Gourmet Delight: Oysters à la Foch

Marshal Foch in New Orleans

By Donna G. Wagner

On 8 December 1921, the local Knights of Columbus chapter held a dinner at renowned Antoine's restaurant in New Orleans to celebrate a visit by Marshal Ferdinand Foch. Jules Alciatore, one of the sons of the original Antoine, created a dish in his honor called Oysters à la Foch.

Most of the world-famous dishes at Antoine's were conceived by Jules, who also invented Oysters Rockefeller in 1899. Oysters Foch consists of slices of toast spread with pâté de foie gras (or another

liver pâté) and topped with fried oysters and Colbert sauce. The pâté on the toast represents the mud on Foch's soldiers' boots, the Colbert sauce their spilled blood. 

Oysters à la Foch

Jules had studied in Strasbourg, Paris, and Marseilles before taking over his father's restaurant in 1887. Having served as a chef in Strasbourg during the German annexation gave him a special reason to honor the Marshal. Foch's November 1918 triumphal procession marked the return of Alsace and Lorraine to French governance.

Foch Arrives in Strasbourg, November 1918

Now here's the recipe which I have prepared for Mr. Hanlon, editor of Roads to the Great War.  He reports that the dish passed with "Red, White, and Blue Flying Colors."

PS:  I plan to prepare Oysters à la Foch again for Mr. Hanlon when he returns from his latest battlefield tour, but please don't mention this to him.  DGW