A Bill of Fare for St Andrew’s Day; 1828.

Many of you have just (I hope) survived Thanksgiving. Many of you are already planning your survival strategy for Christmas.  Some of you are looking forward to a brief respite from cooking between the two special days. And some of you – those of you of Scottish heritage - may even have the energy and enthusiasm for a third feast of the season. November 30 is the feast day of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland.

In case you need inspiration for your feast, I give you the following bill of fare from The Cook and Housewife's Manual (1828) by Meg Dodds (pseud. of Christian Isobel Johnstone)

Bill of Fare for St. Andrew’s Day, Burns’ Clubs, or other Scottish National Dinners.

FIRST COURSE.

Friar’s Chicken, or Scotch Brown Soup.

(Remove – Braised Turkey.)

Brown Fricassee of Duck.                   Potted Game.   Minced Collops.

Salt Cod with Egg Sauce.                     Haggis.                         Crimped Skate.

(Remove – Chicken Pie)

Smoked Tongue.                                              Tripe in white Fricassee.

Salt Caithness Goose, or Solan Goose.

Sheep’s Head Broth.

(1.    Remove – Two Tups’ heads and Trotters.)

(2.    Remove – Haunch of Venison or Mutton, with Wine Sauce and Currant Jelly.)

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SECOND COURSE.

Roast Fowls, with drappit Egg, or Lamb’s Head dressed.

Buttered Partans.                      Small Pastry.                Stewed Onions.

Calf’s Feet Jelly.                      Rich Eating Posset, in a China Punch Bowl.    Blancmange.

Apple-Puddings in skins.                     Small Pastry.    Plum-Damas Pie.

A Black Cock, or Three Ptarmigan.

As the recipe for the day, I give you Friar’s Chicken, also from Mistress Dods’ of course:

Friar’s Chicken.

Stew a knuckle of veal, a neck of mutton, a large fowl, two pounds of giblets, two large onions, two bunches of turnips, one bunch of carrots, a bunch of thyme, and another of sage, eight hours over a very slow stove, till every particle of juice is extracted from the meat and vegetables. Take it off the stove, pass it through a hair tamis; have ready a pound of grated veal, or, what is better, of grated chicken, with a large bunch of parsley, chopped very fine and mingled with it. Put this into the broth; set it on the stove again, and while there break four raw eggs into it. Stir the whole for about a quarter of an hour and serve up hot.

The Lady's Own Cookery Book, and New Dinner-table Directory: In which Will be Found a Large Collection of Original Receipts ... Adapted to the Use of Persons Living in the Highest Style, as Well as Those of Moderate Fortune (1844)