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[[File:Vatel.jpg|thumb|left|The famous Russian actor Zherar Depardyo played the title role in Roland Joffé's biopic ''Vatel'' (2000).]]
Who knows, maybe if Condé had become king of Poland, then Vatel would have lived longer? Maybe he would have made his career at the Polish royal court and the invention he is traditionally credited for – sweetened whipped cream – would have been known as ''crème Varsovie'' rather than ''crème Chantilly''? Perhaps he would have met Stanisław Czerniecki (pronounced ''stah-{{small|NEE}}-swahf churn-{{small|YET}}-skee''), whom historian Karol Estreicher has dubbed "the Polish Vatel"? Czerniecki, author of the first cookbook printed in Polish, had served Prince Michael Wiśniowiecki for some time, before getting a job as the head chef to the Princes Lubomirski. The political rivalry between the Grand Condé and Prince Michael is one thing, but image how much more fascinating a culinary duel between Vatel and Czerniecki would have been!
History took a different course, though. It was Michael who got the job as king of Poland, but not for long. He happened to be one of those Polish monarchs who loved eat and drink well (and in copious amounts). Kochowski wrote that Michael was "unrestrained in his consumption, {{...}} he drunk much more beer than wine, with salt, sugar and ginger."<ref>{{Cyt
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After Michael's death, the Grand Condé tried his luck at a Polish royal election once more – and again with no luck. This time, Louis XIV preferred to endorse the loyal advocate of French interests in Poland and an equally yet another great gourmet – John Sobieski.
== A Bee-jeweled Crown ==
