In a modest French household at the turn of the 19th century, meals revolved around soup (potage), the true backbone of daily dinner: it was served first, sometimes with bread dipped in to make it more filling. Around this foundation, depending on the day and budget, there might be a piece of meat or fish, preserved goods, and the meal would end with a drink or herbal tea. In the home of an impecunious naturalist like Lamarck, this entourage was often reduced to just soup and bread.

Chervil, sorrel, parsley, purslane, watercress: the garden and wild plants that Lamarck knew better than anyone (he wrote the *Flore française*) perfume almost all these dishes. Fresh herbs are the true spice of the poor scholar.