A December Menu.

One of the promises I make here is that from time to time I will give you a historical menu. Of those that I have given to date, most have been for meals held ‘on this day.’ Instead, today I am going to give you an eighteenth century ‘suggested’ menu for December.

Our source is: 

THE

HOUSEWIFE

BEING

A MOST USEFUL

Assistant in all Domestic Concerns

WHETHER

In a TOWN OR COUNTRY Situation.

It was published in 1781 by Laetitia Montague, ‘Sometime Companion to a Lady in one of the first Families in the Kingdom.’

And here it is - the menu for the month of December. Remember, my sunbaked and heat-frazzled loyal readers in the Southern Hemisphere, that at this time December is in the  Northern Hemisphere winter! 

 DECEMBER

FIRST COURSE                                SECOND COURSE

Crimped Cod                                       Roast Pheasants

Plumb Pottage                                      Partridges

Chine of Mutton                                  Ducks and Larks                     

Roast Turkey                                       Scollop Shells of Oysters

Chine of Bacon                                               Potted Lamprey

Collar of Brawn                                               Potted Venison

Roast Sir Loin of Beef                         Teal

Shoulder of Mutton in                         Oysters

            Ragout                                     Roasted Chickens

Leg of Veal stewed                              Tarts and Custards

Marrow Pudding                                  Jole of Sturgeon

Jugged Hare                                         Scotch Collops

Minced Pies                                         White Fricassey of Tripe                     

Pullets with Oysters                             Pulled Chickens

Goose or Turkey in

            Ragout

ForeQuarter of Lamb

            roasted

This is, as you will note, a typical dinner service of the time, with two courses each containing a large variety of dishes, with a trend to ‘finer’ foods in the second course, but no clear distinction between savoury and sweet dishes. We would now refer to this as service à la Française, but at that time it was simply the norm. Fear not, the folk of the day did not go without ‘dessert’ – but more on this tomorrow.

As our recipe for the day, I chose ‘Pulled Chickens.’ And who better to supply the recipe than Hannah Glasse?

Pulled Chickens.

Take three chickens, boil them just fit for eating, but not too much; when they are boiled enough, flay all the skin off and take the white flesh off the bones, pull it into pieces about as thick as a large quill, and half as long as your finger. Have ready a quarter of a pint of good cream, and a piece of fresh butter about as big as an egg; stir them together till the butter is all melted, and then put in your chicken with the gravy that came from them; give them two or three tosses round on the fire, put them into a dish, and send them up hot.

Note, the legs, pinions, and rump must be peppered and salted, done over with the yolk of an egg and breadcrumbs, and broiled on a clear fire; put the white meat, with the rump, in the middle, and the legs and pinions round.

The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy (1784 edition) by Hannah Glasse.