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The daughter of a butcher, Madame de Pompadour was married to a man at the lower end of the aristocratic spectrum thanks to her mother's efforts. She met Louis XV at a ball and became his new favourite. She remained his favourite for twenty years. Guided by her own ambition she received the title of Marquess in 1745. Pompadour had the power to form or break the ministries as well as putting anyone in jail at the Bastille. She also had full access to the treasury of the king. She protected philosophers and intellectuals, including Voltaire and Rousseau.
The Marquess mananged to keep the king's interest and passion alive by using all means available to her. Soulavie states in his book "Anecdotes from the French court" that she was also willing to procure young girls for the king as long as he stayed with her.
She would play dress up for the king and organize an harem with very young girls who worked at court.
Another one of her tricks included food. She loved truffles and chocolate, apparently these ingredients were very "helpful" to her purposes. There is a belief that the cup of champagne was designed after her breast.
To better grasp what actually went on in court, you can read Le festin joyeux. This booklet will teach you how to organize a banquet. The author appears to be the officier de bouche of the King, J.Lebas. He also created recipes that combined food and music that are reported on La cuisine en musique, en vers libres.
There 145 recipes spacing between shrimps, lamb, pate, galantine, cream, fish, mushrooms and soles.
This story is taken from the book Tacuinum dè Eccellentissimi, ali&no publisher.
