Luncheon on the Lusitania, 1911.

It is about time I returned to my Food History Almanac (in progress) for inspiration, and today I have an excuse as it is the birthday of my friend Jan.  I am sure she will share this virtual luncheon with you aboard the famous but ill-fated Lusitania.  I should point out, lest I lose her friendship, that I am not implying that Jan was born in 1911 -  but I understand that time-travel is discounted on one’s birthday.

SECOND CABIN

R.M.S “Lusitania”

Tuesday December 19^th 1911

LUNCHEON

Lettuce             Sliced Tomatoes

Bordeaux Sardines

Puree of Split Peas

Fillets Flounder, Florentine

Steak and Kidney Pudding

Roast Mutton and Onion Sauce

Corned Brisket of Beef with Cabbage

Spinach            Parsnips, Crème

Baked, Boiled, & Mashed Potatoes

COLD

Roast Beef                   Brawn              Ox Tongue

Galantine of Veal                      Bologna Sausage

Beetroot

Plums and Rice Small Pastry

Sago Pudding

Ice Cream

Apples             Oranges           Dates   Roasted Peanuts

Cheese             Tea      Coffee

For the dish of the day I have chosen the Galantine of Veal because frankly, the other dishes did not sound birthday-special enough. Also, this seems like an elegant way to use up some of the Christmas ham – maybe for the New Year buffet table?

Galantine of Veal.

3 or 4 lb breast of Veal

1 lb sausage meat

1 lb Ham or Tongue

2 hard-boiled eggs

truffles, seasoning, aspic jelly, glaze.

Prepare the meat as in breast of veal stuffed and roasted. Season the sausage meat rather highly and spread it on the top. Cut the hard-boiled eggs in pieces lengthwise and the tongue or ham in strips, and place these in rows on the top of the sausage meat. Two or three truffles and a few pistachio nuts may also be put in if wished. Roll and sew up the meat, then tie it in a cloth very firmly and in the shape of a bolster.

Put the bones from the veal into a saucepan with stock or water to cover them and a few pieces of flavouring vegetable. Bring this to the boil, put in the roll of veal, and cook slowly from two and a half to three hours.

When done, lift it out, and if, owing to the shrinking of the meat, the cloth looks wrinkled, take it off and re-roll it, and press till cold between  two boards or dishes with a three or four pound weight on the top.

When cold, take the galantine out of its cloth, and trim the ends. Brush over the surface with a little melted glaze, and apply two coatings if necessary.

Serve garnished wit aspic jelly or some nice salad.

 [From The Woman’s Book: Contains Everything a Woman Ought to Know (1915)]

Quotation for the Day …

There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents ... and only one for birthday presents, you know.
Lewis Carroll