Guardsmens' Bill of Fare.

Well, I have not solved my iPad/Safari/Blogger problem, but I have a  long-winded workaround. Thanks to the computers in the common area of St Catherine's College, Oxford, where I eagerly await the Symposium on Food and Cookery, I am going to attempt to post yesterday (Wednesday's post.), after emailing it to myself.

With a bit of luck and some clever scheduling, I just might be able to fit in an attendance at the Changing of the Guard ceremony while I am in London. Touristy, I know, but I love it. There is something about men in uniform, marching, isnt there, girls?

As a complete contrast to yesterday's menu, and in honour of fine men (and women) in uniform everywhere, I give you the bill of fare for the Queen's Guard dinner at St James' Palace on Friday, 23rd of March 1855. I found it in The household manager: being a practical treatise upon the various duties in large or small establishments, from the drawing-room to the kitchen, by Charles Pierce (London, 1857).

The Queen's Guard Dinner, St. James's Palace,
Friday, 23rd Of March, 1855.

Les Huîtres.

Potages.

A la Créci aux croutons.        De macaroni au consommé.

Poissons.La merluche sauce aux œufs.
Les truites grillées à la Tartare.

Relevés.Saddle of mutton.
Les poulets garnis d'une langue et des chouxfleurs.

Entrées.Les côtelettes de mouton à la Soubise.
Le vol au vent aux ecrévisses.
Les Kromeskys de ris de veau.
Les filets de bœuf piqués sauce poivrade.

Rots.Les pigeons, and la pintade piquée.

Relevés.

Les pommes au riz.      Les fondus en caisses.

Entremets.

La gelée au noyau.               Les epinards au jus.
Les meringues à la Chantilly.   La moélle aux croutons.

Recipes for many of these fine Victorian dishes are scattered through this blog, and I invite you to 'Search' for them if you are interested. My portable office (iPad) for some reason does not let me search - so that I can link to them - the complete archive itself, and frankly, much as I love you all, I am not going to take the time to work it out when there are marches to watch, cathedrals and castles and museums to visit, meals to eat and shopping to do.  For the same reason, the Quotation for the Day will take a short rest until I return.

As the recipe for the day I give you the rice and apples dish, from Soyer's Gastronomic Regenerator (1848)

Pommes au Riz.Peel and quarter twelve good-sized apples, put them into a preserving-pan, with three quarters of a pound of sugar, the thin rind of a lemon in strips, the juice of another, and a wineglassful of water, pass them over a sharp fire, and when tender lay them upon the back of a hair sieve to drain, then put six ounces of rice into a stewpan, with a quart of milk, place it upon the fire, stir until boiling, then place it upon a very slow fire to simmer very gently until quite tender, placing a little fire upon the lid, if it becomes dry before it is tender add a little more milk, then add a quarter of a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, and four eggs, stir them well in, stir over the fire until becoming again thick, when put it upon a dish to get cold, then form a stand with it upon your dish eight inches in diameter and three in height, but hollow in the centre, where dress some of the apples, more rice over, then more apples, forming a pyramid; you have previously reduced the syrup drained from the apples, which pour over the whole, and garnish with some very green angelica, forming any design your fancy may dictate. Pommes au riz may be served hot as well as cold.