One Raised Pie—Two Mayonnaises of Fowl—Two Lobster Salads—One Piece of Roast Beef—Four Dishes of Fowl—Two Dishes of Pheasant—Four Dishes of Tongue—Four Dishes of Ham—Four Jellies with Fruit—Two Creams with Noyeau—Two Flancs with Apple Meringue—Two Iced Cabinet Puddings—Two Puddings à la Eloise—Six Various Pastry—Eight Various Compotes—Four Pièces Montées in China with Bonbons, Cossacks, &c.—Four of Fruit, as Pears, Grapes, &c.—Four of Dried Fruit, &c.—Four of Biscuits, &c.
This perhaps may appear extravagant, but we always have them, some country friends stopping a few days with us, so that I manage to make the best of everything, and make my week’s account look very well. We sometimes have as many as sixty on an evening.
Our Children’s Parties are as follows, there are generally about fifty present:
16 Dishes of Sandwiches. 4 Dishes of Lamb. 4 Dishes of Ham. 4 do. of Slices of Beef. 4 do. of Tongue. 6 do. of Fowls. 10 Dishes of Slices of Galantine of Veal. 1 Dish of Dressed Beef. 24 Dishes of Various Pastry, Custards, Jellies, Bonbons, &c.
But I remember when in business, on those occasions we only used to have a large quantity of Sandwiches and Patties, and used to amuse the children by labelling the Dishes as Sandwiches of Peacock’s Tongues, Patties of Partridge’s Eyes, &c., and also a large quantity of plain Sweets; and at that period Mr. B.’s birthday party was not so extensive or recherché as at present. It consisted of something like the following:
A Roast Turkey—2 Dishes of Fowls—1 Ham—2 Pigeon Pies—1 Piece of Boiled Beef—4 Lobsters—4 Salads—4 Jellies—4 Tarts—4 of Preserved Fruit, &c.—4 of Pastry; with about twelve of various kinds of Fruit, &c.
You will have seen by the previous Bills of Fare that I have not at all encroached upon the high-class cookery, they being selected from the receipts I have given you; in order that you may see the difference, I inclose the Bill of Fare, of a dinner given by—Bass, Esq., M. P., at the Reform Club, the other day, and a copy of yesterday’s Post, containing one given in the country. You will find that the dishes mentioned in these Bills of Fare are not to be found in our receipts.
Festivities at Grendon Hall.
A series of festivities are taking place at the seat of Sir George Chetwynd, Bart., Grendon Hall, Atherstone, Warwickshire, to celebrate the christening of Sir George’s infant grandson. The christening took place on Tuesday, at Grendon church, and in the evening a grand dinner was given in celebration of the event, under the able superintendence of M. Alexis Soyer. As the dinner, which was provided for twenty persons, was of a very recherché description, we subjoin the bill of fare.