I struggled writing this post. I wanted to simply list some menus and recipes from The French Cook, or, The Art of Cookery, by Louis Eustache Ude from 1815. Unfortunately, the recipes in the original book are difficult to locate because the dish names on the menus don’t match the recipes. After spending more time on this little project than I intended, I found a second addition of the book from 1822. Everyone must have complained to Ude, so he made an easy to read version. However, he used the same images for the courses as he did in the original edition, despite switching to English for the dish names, as well as changing some of the dishes. So, I doubt there is a direct correspondence from the French to the English in this post, but I have tried to blend the two editions together to match the illustrations.
I shall endeavor to include more menus in the coming days. If you want to look up the actual recipes, I suggest the 2nd edition of The French Cook on Google Books. Also, Nancy Mayer has a great explanation of table Settings and removes on her site. Bill of fare for a dinner of four entries in summer time.
First course
Le Potage printannier, or spring soup.
Les tranches de cabilleau, sauce aux huitres, or crimp cod and oyster sauce.
Two removes
La poularde à la Montmorencie, or fowl la Mcntmorenci, garnished with a ragout a I’Allcmande.
Le jambon de Westphalie, à l’essence, or ham glazed with Espagnole.
Four entrées
La fricassée de poulets aux champignons, or fricassee of chicken and mushrooms.
Les côtelettes d’Agneau sautés, sauce à la Macédoine, or lamb chops saute, with asparagus, peas, &c.
Le sauté de filets de poulets gras, au suprême, or fillets of fat chicken, saute au supreme.
Les tendrons de veau glacés aux laitues, à l’essence or petits pdtes of fillet of fowl a la bechamelle.
Second course
Le chapon, or fowls roasted, garnished with water cresses.
Les cailles, or six quails
Four entrées
Les pois à la Françoise.
La gelée de fraises.
Les asperges en bâtonets, or asparagus with plain butter.
Les puits d’amour garnis de marmalade, or orange jellies in mosaiques.
* Later edition includes Cauliflower with veloute sauce and Petit gateaux d’ la Manon.
Two removes of the roast.
La tart de groseilles rouges.
Le soufflé au citron, or souffle with lemon.
* Later edition includes Ramequin d la Sefton.
First Course
Second Course
Ude writes, “From the above statement it will be easy to make a bill of fare of four, six, eight, twelve, or sixteen entrees, and the other courses in proportion”
Nancy Mayer explains Regency Marriage Laws and How to Dissolve a Regency Marriage. This is an excerpt from an article by Nancy Mayer. You can read the entirety of it on her website The Regency Researcher. As many of you know, I’m her web mistress. After March 25, 1754, when the Hardwicke Act for the Prevention of Clandestine Marriages went into effect, couples marrying...
On Morning Calls and Hosting Dinner Parties, Balls and Routs in the Late Regency In my last post, we examined gentlemen’s etiquette, so it’s only fair to see how the ladies are behaving. I’m excerpting from the British edition (the book was later released in America) of Domestic Duties; Or, Instructions To Young Married Ladies On The Management Of Their Households, And The Regulation Of Their Conduct...
Hot Regency Fashion Trends for Winter 1816 From Repository of Arts, Literature, Fashions, by Rudolph Ackermann, Frederic Shober. 1816 Promenade dress. A high dress of cambric muslin trimmed at the bottom with a single flounce of work. The body, which is composed entirely of work, fits the shape without any fullness. A plain long sleeve, finished by a triple...
Regency Mixology Hungover from the holidays? How about a little hair of the dog? This is a post about British alcohol in the Regency period, but I’ve inserted some French paintings from the same era for no other reason than because they make me happy. And it’s my blog. My expression. I...
Nursing Your Regency Infant Two blog posts in two days! Can you tell that I’m procrastinating? I found this little article “Management of Children” in the British journal The Housekeeper’s Magazine, and Family Economist published in 1826. I’ve included pictures of feeding bottles and a breast pump found at the British Science Museum. Do...
How To Behave Like A Regency Gentleman Lately, I’ve been super busy moving to a neighboring state and battling the novella that didn’t want to end. My husband and I need new-to-us furniture for our home, so we’ve been haunting a local antique auction. There, I’ve discovered that I possess a surprising skill—I can roughly date prints....
Educating Your Daughters – A Guide to Regency Era Boarding Schools Excerpted from The Female Preceptor, Essays On The Duties Of The Female Sex, Conducted By A Lady in the years 1813 and 1814 The images come from the Journal Des Dames et Des Modes. Ponder’s End, Middlesex At the above place, Mrs. Tyler had established a Boarding School for Young...
Lost in the Regency Mail When I wrote my first book RAKES AND RADISHES, I had to do a great deal of research on the exciting details of British mail delivery. Not only did I need to learn how a person retrieves her mail, but also the timing of communications. That was years ago, and,...
Regency Era Wife Selling I found this little bit of atrocity searching Google Books using the keyword “pastimes.” I had hoped to find some genteel crafts that ladies did to while away their evenings, maybe some embroidery or paper craft. No such luck. The following is excerpted from Popular Pastimes, Being A Selection Of...
4 Replies to “Regency Menu for Four”
While this sounds nice, I think I’d prefer a nice Welsh Pasty or a good shepherd’s pie. I have the 2nd edition of this book and it’s fascinated. I also have found some old early 19th century housekeeping books on Google that outline more “every day” food.
What amazes me the most is there was no refrigeration. I can’t imagine doing such a gourmet meal and not having a fridge.
Great blog post. Thanks for sharing!
amy
Amy,
Thank you for your kind comment.
Please share your books! I’m always looking for great sources.
While this sounds nice, I think I’d prefer a nice Welsh Pasty or a good shepherd’s pie. I have the 2nd edition of this book and it’s fascinated. I also have found some old early 19th century housekeeping books on Google that outline more “every day” food.
What amazes me the most is there was no refrigeration. I can’t imagine doing such a gourmet meal and not having a fridge.
Great blog post. Thanks for sharing!
amy
Amy,
Thank you for your kind comment.
Please share your books! I’m always looking for great sources.
Thanks,
Susanna