It is the 100th
anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, a fact which all who haven’t
been hiding under a rock will know very well. Memories of the
ill-fated passage have been ubiquitous in the media – memorial
cruises, documentaries, films, and personal profiles of survivors,
victims and the descendants of both. As I sit writing this post I am
simultaneously watching the new television rendition of Titanic
written by Julian Fellowes and produced by the “creators of Downton
Abbey.” So far, pre-iceberg, it is everything you would expect with
such a pedigree – all imaginable stereotypes present and correct,
Sir. Whether it will add anything useful to the collective narrative
remains doubtful.
If the sinking of the
Titanic was one of the landmark events of the twentieth century, it
truly defined the Edwardian age. Newspapers were consumed with
coverage for months thereafter (in the United States largely spurred by William
Randolph Hearst and his vendetta against White Star chairman Joseph Bruce Ismay). It was one of the few dark events to blight the
seemingly innocent and carefree days before the outbreak of the First
World War. One historian recently theorized that the contrast of courage and cowardice demonstrated aboard the ship reflected the prime value Edwardians placed on both physical and moral bravery. The Titanic (as both an actual ship and as an “idea”)
also emphasized the near limitless glamour and opulence of the Edwardian
age for the wealthy, and the desperation and narrow opportunities of
the world which the poor inhabited.
The food on board the
Titanic has continued to fascinate, including the famed "last meal." Naturally at Eating Like
an Edwardian we well understand the reason for this interest.
Edwardian food, with its massive portions and rich offerings (which
seem almost obscene to the modern observer), epitomized the age.
Several years ago I looked through the book Last Dinner On theTitanic: Menus and Recipes from the Great Liner, though I must say
that I have never attempted any of the recipes. It is full of facts,
anecdotes and tasty offerings that fuelled 6,000 meals a day on board
ship. (Some recipes listed here.)
The First-Class Menu
As served in the first-class dining saloon of the R.M.S.
Titanic on April 14, 1912
| First Course |
| Hors D'Oeuvres Oysters |
| Second Course |
| Consommé Olga Cream of Barley |
| Third Course |
| Poached Salmon with Mousseline Sauce, Cucumbers |
| Fourth Course |
| Filet Mignons Lili Saute of Chicken, Lyonnaise Vegetable Marrow Farci |
| Fifth Course |
| Lamb, Mint Sauce Roast Duckling, Apple Sauce Sirloin of Beef, Chateau Potatoes Green Pea Creamed Carrots Boiled Rice Parmentier & Boiled New Potatoes |
| Sixth Course |
| Punch Romaine |
| Seventh Course |
| Roast Squab & Cress |
| Eighth Course |
| Cold Asparagus Vinaigrette |
| Ninth Course |
| Pate de Foie Gras Celery |
| Tenth Course |
| Waldorf Pudding Peaches in Chartreuse Jelly Chocolate & Vanilla Eclairs French Ice Cream |
To coincide with the
anniversary of the Titanic, a hotel in Hong Kong has reportedly recreated the last meal on the ship, for which participants
forked out approximately $2000 to attend. The bill of fare was an
exact replica of that served on the Titanic even if, as the executive chef
Philippe Orrico suggested, the portions were reduced because people are
no longer prepared to stomach gargantuan meals. Our general appetite for luxury might remain the same, even if the full scope of our appetite has been curbed.
Update: A story from Vanity Fair about New York "foodies" recreating the last meal on the Titanic.
Update: A story from Vanity Fair about New York "foodies" recreating the last meal on the Titanic.
2 comments:
What were the portion sizes of these astonishing meals? Were they no more than today's amuse bouche? It is unfathomable to have more than a tiny taste of these courses, one thinks. Do ellucidate please, Sir!
What-ho Reggie Darling! Thank you for your comment.
My understanding of fine dining in the era is that large platters would be elaborately prepared, with servers dishing out the desired servings to each diner. So some individuals would naturally eat more than others; ladies, for example, certainly did not tend to partake at the standards of Edward VII... (It was said that he took a whole chicken with him to his bedside, just to forestall the extreme danger of wasting away from hunger during the night!)
The average upper-class Edwardian male would consume 3000-4000 calories per day. Perhaps some burnt them off with hunting, riding, and other country pursuits. But many more spent longs days lounging at their clubs on Pall Mall. All the same, I have to imagine that some individuals would forgo a course or two at meals. After all, no matter how accustomed one became to this pace of eating, there is only so much that one could physically consume!
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