A Christmas Menu, 1808.

Here is the bill of fare (and table arrangement) of the Christmas dinner of the Duke of Buckingham in 1808. The expatriate French king Louis XVIII was present, and the bill of fare was prepared by Mr. Simpson, the Duke’s cook. The dinner “Was undoubtedly more substantial than elegant” according to the author of Host and Guest, a book about dinners (Andrew Valentine Kirwan, 1864.)

First Course.

 Rice soup, removed with a Turkey and Truffles.

Semels Souffle and poivrade sauce

Beef Collops à la Tortue and Truffles

Three Sweetbreads larded, and asparagus peas.

Poulard à la Daube, larded, and mushrooms.

Three Chickens à la Reine.

Leg of Lamb, and haricot beans.

Soup, removed with a bacon chine, roasted.

Soup, removed with a haunch of venison.

A Neat’s Tongue

Three Chickens and celery.

Two Rabbits à la Portuguese larded, and sorrel sauce.

Grenadines, and endive.

A Souties of Mutton, and cucumber.

Petit Pâtés of Oysters.

Giblet Soup, removed with a Sirloin of Beef.

Second Course.

Four partridges.

Carmel Basket with Pastry.

Savoy Cake.

Cauliflower à la Flamond.

Jerusalem Artichokes à la Crême.

A Cheesecake.

Mince Pies.

Spinage and Croutons.

French Beans.

Six Snipes.

A Pheasant.

Asparagus.

Red Cabbage à l’Alemande.

Mince Pies.

Apricot Tourte.

Ragout Mellé

Mushrooms

Chantillie Cake.

Carmel Basket, with meringues.

Two Guinea Fowls, one larded.

Quotation for the Day …

Were I a philosopher, I should write a philosophy of toys, showing that nothing else in life need to be taken seriously, and that Christmas Day in the company of children is one of the few occasions on which men become entirely alive."
Robert Lynd