Capital Economy, Business and Finance
“How can you govern a country with 246 varieties of cheese?” Charles de Gaulle asked of the French.
The late general would be delighted to see the nation simplify its cuisine by turning from Escoffier to Moulinex, with air fryers the most popular household purchase in 2024.
Sales of other home equipment – including ovens and fridges – fell 4 per cent while air fryer sales jumped 140 per cent, shifting more than 2.6 million units.
Sadly, the five ‘mother sauces’ of French cuisine developed in the 19th Century by the chef Auguste Escoffier – béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise and tomato – are unsuitable for air fryers.
France’s top 10 cookbooks include three on the air fryer, according to Laurent Cours from the trade association GIFAM.
Cours blamed the stagnant housing market, cost of living and consumer confidence for the slowdown in household appliance sales and suggested the government introduce a tax credit.
