The Savoy, Christmas Eve 1899.

Herewith the menu, prepared by Escoffier himself, for Christmas Eve, 1899 at the Savoy Hotel in London.

Caviar frais      Bouquet de crevettes     Royal natives

Tortue claire       Bortsch à la russe

Suprêmes de soles à l'aurore

Filets de rougets aux laituces

Poulardes royales

Timbales de truffes au champagne

Selle de chevreuil grand veneur

Mousseline d'écrevisses

Délices de bécasses

Sorbets dame blanche

Ortolans cocotte

Cailles à l'orange

Salade des capucins

Asperges nouvelles

Foies gras pochés au Clicquot

Soufflé Chantilly

Ananas glacé

Mandarines à l'orientale

Biscuits aux avelines         Mignardises

Galettes écossaises

Fruits

Vins

Johannisberger cabinet, 1874

Pommery, extra sec, 1884

Château Coutet, marquis de Lur-Saluces Mise du Château Etampé, 1861

Grande Champagne, 1830

Grandes liqueurs

Café turc

As the Recipe for the Day, I give you Escoffier’s blushing pink (like the goddess Aurora’s dawn light) sauce for your sole.

Aurore Sauce.
Into ½ pint boiling veloute put the same quantity of very red tomato purée and mix the two. Let the sauce boil a little, pass it through a tammy, and finish, away from the fire, with 3 oz butter.

Quotation for the Day.

The merry Christmas, with its generous boards,
Its fire-lit hearths, and gifts and blazing trees,
Its pleasant voices uttering gentle words,
Its genial mirth, attuned to sweet accords,
Its holiest memories!
The fairest season of the passing year –
The merry, merry Christmas time is here.
George Arnold.