How to: Serve a Victorian Dinner

Carson and Mr. Lang making do serving dinner during war times

Serving a Victorian Dinner: Tips for a Success

*Note: these instructions are all based on what the footmen would be required to do in order to smoothly serve a dinner.  If others must step in to help them out, all chaos breaks loose...

A footman should, when serving a dinner:
-serve with the left hand, standing on the left side of the person they are serving.
-remove each guests' knife, fork, plate and spoon and replace it with clean dishes after each course (as soon as the guest is through with them so as to ensure they do not stare at a dirty plate when they find themselves lacking in conversation)
-never uncork wine or champagne bottles loudly.  The goal is not to start an ambitious display of sight and sound.  If the bottle is properly cooled prior to the dinner, it should be able to be removed in a soundless manner.  A napkin should be available on the footman's arm at all times in order to wipe the mouth of the bottle.
-any dishes placed on the table or on the buffet should be removed without spilling (goes without saying)
-never correct his master either in etiquette or conversation.  Despite the fact that the footman is present the entire meal, he should never "hear" the gossip at the table.
-after dinner, a footman will deliver a tea tray to the drawing room and help the hostess distribute the tea before he is done for the night.

Many thanks to Isabella Beeton for publishing all of her valuable knowledge in Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management which is published by the Oxford University Press, 2000.

A Formal Invitation

Elizabeth McGovern tending to affairs in Season Two

          In modern society, throwing a party is relatively cost-efficient.  Sending invites over Facebook eliminates the need for postage or stationery, paper plates and plastic utensils are perfectly acceptable and much more affordable than fine china and the silver, and if one goes about the party potluck style, all one may have to finance for the party is the bathroom cleaner so the guests have a clean restroom to use (and to make your mother proud).
       
Now compare to the requirements in preparing a Victorian invitation to dinner...
-cards or invites were to be distributed a fortnight (vocab word of the day- 14 days/2 weeks) to a month in advance
-guests must be selected to have an equal balance of talkers to listeners
-arriving fashionably late for dinner is not acceptable and all plans must be made to ensure it does not happen

The invites were a perfected science.  Mrs. Beeton suggests the following format when inviting acquaintances over for dinner.

Mr and Mrs (fill in your name) present their compliments to Mr and Mrs (inset guest name here), and request the honour, [or if you really want to get fancy: hope to have the pleasure] of their company to dinner on Tuesday, the 14th of February next.


(insert address)
February 3rd, 2012 (this is the date you sent out the invites)
R. S. V. P.

Of course naturally one accepted unless there was a Romeo and Juliet family feud occurring whereupon one was expected to snub the host and decline the invitation.  Accepting didn't meaning clicking a button that said <GOING> on Facebook.  Should you ever receive a proper dinner invitation, I would suggest answering in the following manner:

Mr and Mrs (this is the guest's name) present their compliments to Mr and Mrs (insert hosts' name), and will do themselves the honor of accepting their kind invitation to dinner on Tuesday, the 14th of February next.


(insert address)
February 3rd, 2012

Naturally, should you ever find yourself in a situation where you may need this information, I hope you are well stocked on fine stationary, fountain pens and wax seals so that you may go for the full effect.


Many thanks to Isabella Beeton for publishing all of her valuable knowledge in Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management which is published by the Oxford University Press, 2000.

A Dinner at Downton

Dining before fast food was invented

          Isabella Beeton published an expansive book in 1861 and wrote: "Man, it has been said, is a dining animal.  Creatures of the inferior race eat and drink; man only dines" (page 363 of Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management).  A staple for many, many  years as the resource for the lady of the house in managing everything, nothing but Julia Child's cook book could replace Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management for more detailed and intimidating recipes and household tips.  None the less, browsing through it is rather like getting a behind-the-scenes personal tour of a Victorian home, and how could I possibly say no to that?
       As there appears to be ten people dining at Downton in the scene pictured, I have borrowed a December menu from Mrs. Beeton as an example of the reason why dining would take hours back then.

First Course

Mulligatawny Soup (a soup of chicken, curry, rice and apple)

Fried slices of Codfish

Soles a la Creme

Entrees

Croquettes of Fowl (which sounds like chicken playing croquet) 

Pork Cutlets and Tomata Sauce

Second Course

Roast Ribs of Beef

Boiled Turkey and Celery Sauce

Tongue, garnished (honestly, I am rather glad this dish has gone out of fashion)

Lark Pudding (note, yes this does refer to the song bird which 150 years ago was commonly available at the market.  Do not go to your local grocery store in search of it in modern times)

Vegetables

Third Course

Roast Hare

Grouse

Plum-pudding

Mince Pies

Charlotte a la Parisienne (sponge cake, almonds and lots of sugar)

Cheesecakes

Apple Tart

Nesselrode Pudding (a chestnut and maraschino dessert-very popular in Victorian times)

Desserts and Ices

Three thoughts on this menu

1) If I were Mrs Patmore, I would definitely insist on putting my feet up at the end of a meal.

2) How did ladies fit into their corsets at the end of the meal?

3) If I were the cook, I may be tempted to call for takeout.

For a behind-the-scenes look at dining at Downton, please read Mail Online's article.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2038720/Downton-Abbey-How-dine-style--salt.html

Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management is published by Oxford University Press, 2000.