Wednesday 18 May 2016

The Coronation Feast of George IV

On Thursday 19th July 1821, George IV entered Westminster Abbey for his coronation, kicking off a day of ceremony, celebration and, because it was our Georgie, excess. You can read all about that magnificent occasion here; the day closed with an enormous banquet... but what was on the menu?


Coronation portrait of George II by Thomas Lawrence
King George IV by Lawrence, 1816


Hot Dishes 
160 tureens of soup: 80 of turtle, 40 of rice, 40 vermicelli
160 dishes of fish: 80 of turbot, 40 of trout, 40 of salmon 
160 hot joints: 80 of venison. 40 of roast beef with three barons, 40 of mutton and veal 
160 dishes of vegetables: potatoes, peas and cauliflowers 
480 sauce boats: 240 of lobster, 120 butter, 120 mint,

Cold Dishes 
80 dishes of braized ham 
80 savory pies 
80 dishes of daubed geese, two in each 
80 dishes of savoury cakes
 80 pieces of beef braised 
80 dishes of capons braised, 2 in each 
1,100 side dishes of various sorts 
320 dishes of mounted pastry 
320 dishes of small pastry 
400 dishes of jellies and creams 
160 dishes of shell fish 80 of lobster and 80 of crayfish 
161 dishes of cold roast fowls 
80 dishes of cold house lamb 

Total Quantities 
7,442lbs of beef 
7,133lbs of veal 
20,474lbs of mutton 
20 quarters of house lamb 
20 legs of house lamb 
5 saddles of lamb 
55 quarters of grass lamb 
160 lambs sweetbreads 
389 cow heels 
400 calves' feet 
250lb of suet 
160 geese 
720 pullets and capons 
1610 chickens 
520 fowls 
1730lbs of bacon 
5501bs of lard 
9121bs of butter 
84 hundred of eggs 

All of which are independent of the eggs, butter, flour and necessary articles in the pastry and confectionary departments.

The total supply for serving up the Banquet was 6704 dinner plates, 1406 soup plates, 1499 dessert plates, 288 large ale and beer pitchers. 

You can find out more about George's magnificent life of largesse in Life in the Georgian Court, now available to order worldwide!

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10 comments:

Carol Hedges said...

I am reading this at 7.37 in the morning and feeling slightly sick as a result! Boy were they gluttons in those days!

Catherine Curzon said...

And George was one of the worst of all!

Demetrius said...

Gosh, I wonder how many Nectar points he got?

Catherine Curzon said...

I bet he spent them all on MORE FOOD!

Sue Bursztynski said...

What, no dessert? :-)

Susan Appleyard said...

I wonder what the desserts were like.

Catherine Curzon said...

A future post!

Catherine Curzon said...

Understated, I'm sure!

Unknown said...

not much fish. few vegetables. being rich folks they'd have sugar desserts. no mention of culinary or medicinal spices/herbs. tonics. aperitifs as they were then. see any salad greens? anything like that? Aqua vita of any sort? Larks' tongues? the rice is interesting. Wonder what that is exactly? Not a lot of that around at the time. Didn't see a swan, wild boar or other exotic. Taters makes sense though they didn't much know what to do with them. one hell of a lot of animal source saturated fatty acids. Except coconut. No hydrogenated corn oil or margarine or oreos. No corn at all actually. No gourds. Nothing much from the Indies. or Africa or the Americas except the taters. Where are the eels. Eels used to be a really big thing among big shots. Seal? Porpoise, Whale, Walrus? No adventurous suppliers! the sugar had to be W. Indies slave cane sugar. no other big source around. no mention of salt. salt was a big deal. the 'holder' of the Salt. Above or below the Salt.

Catherine Curzon said...

It's a lot of food, to be sure, but not very adventurous food!