Article posted: 10/7/2012 8:14 AM

How Jefferson brought creme brulee to America

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This book cover image released by Quirk Books shows "Thomas Jefferson's Creme Brulee: How a Founding Father and His Slave James Hemings Introduced French Cuisine to America," by Thomas J. Craughwell.

Quirk Books

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And we thought we owed Julia Child a word of thanks for bringing creme brulee and champagne to American palates. According to author Thomas J. Craughwell's new book, it was Thomas Jefferson in the 1780s who was responsible for such then-exotic delights.