1st Class Dinner on the Titanic: An Edwardian Menu

Dining aboard the luxurious R.M.S. Titanic during the Gilded Age was a lavish affair, with first-class dinners comprising up to ten courses. As Lynne Hockney, producer of "Titanic Etiquette: A Time Traveler's Guide" and expert in Edwardian table manners, explains: "Dining was a social occasion that could last several hours." Dishes were served from the left and removed from the right. Drinks were poured from the right and never more than two-thirds full (half a glass for wine). The elegant appetizers served aboard the ill-fated ship included oysters, consomme olga, cream of barley soup, roast squab & cress, pate de foie gras, and salmon in Mousseline sauce with Cucumber. Main courses included filet mignon, lamb in mint sauce, beef sirloin with chateau potatoes, baked haddock in sharp sauce, curried chicken and rice, and roast turkey with cranberry sauce. Finally, desserts included Waldorf pudding, peaches in chartreube jelly, chocolate and vanilla eclairs, and French and American ice cream. Guests also ended their dinners by sipping coffee and snacking on assorted fruits, nuts, and cheese. Our menu below includes several of the actual dishes served during the legendary last dinner on the Titanic.

Canapes a L'Amiral

A canape (known in Italy as tartine) is a small, prepared and usually decorative hors d'oeuvres, held in the fingers and often eaten in one bite. Crackers or small slices of bread or toast cut into various shapes serve as a base for such savory foods as meat, cheese, fish, caviar, foie gras, purees or relish. Traditionally, canapes are made from stale white bread, cut in thin slices and then shaped with a cutter or knife. Shapes might include circles, rings, squares, strips or triangles. These pieces of bread are then prepared by deep frying, sauteeing, or toasting. This particular dish as follows was the first course on the last dinner on the Titanic, and was paired with Oysters a la Russe. Our recipe makes twenty hors d'oeuvres, one per serving. As a note, saute shrimp in their shells to enhance their flavor. If desired, peel and devein raw shrimp before sauteing. If desired, substitute lumpfish caviar for caviar. (Lumpfish caviar costs around $4.75 for a 2-ounce jar and usually can be found near the canned meats in supermarkets.)

20 slices (about 1/2-inch thick) baguette
1 teaspoon lime juice
10 small cooked shrimp, halved lengthwise
20 fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons caviar (see Cook's Note below)

Shrimp butter:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large shallot, peeled, ends removed, minced
1 clove garlic, peeled, ends removed, minced
8 ounces shrimp in shell, rinsed
1/4 cup brandy
4 ounces cream cheese, softened (regular or reduced fat)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash of vanilla

To make canapes:
1. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast under broiler for 1 minute per side or until lightly golden. Remove from broiler and set aside.
2. Drizzle lime juice over cooked shrimp halves; stir and reserve.

To make shrimp butter:
1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until softened.
3. Increase heat to high and add the shrimp. Saute shrimp for 4-5 minutes or until the shells are pink and the flesh is opaque.
4. Remove the shrimp and cool. When cool enough to handle, peel and discard shells.
5. Transfer shrimp mixture to a food processor fitted with the steel blade or a blender.
6. Return skillet to the heat and add brandy. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds or until the brandy is reduced to a glaze. Scrape the glaze into the shrimp mixture.
7. Pulse shrimp mixture until it is coarsely chopped.
8. Add the cream cheese, butter, tomato paste, salt, pepper and vanilla. Process until almost smooth and set aside.

To assemble canapes:
1. Place shrimp butter in a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tube.
2. Decoratively pipe the shrimp butter onto the toasted baguette slices, or spread mixture on slices using a table knife.
3. Top each with a cooked shrimp half, parsley leaf and a small amount of caviar.

Creamed Carrots

This dish was part of the fifth course dinner entree on the Titanic's final dinner. Our recipe makes four servings, about 1/2 cup per serving.

1 pound carrots, peeled, ends removed, julienned
1 cinnamon stick (or substitute 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

1. Place the julienned carrots in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Add the cinnamon stick and bring the mixture to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook 6-8 minutes or until the carrots are fork-tender. Drain the carrots and remove and discard the cinnamon stick.
3. Return the carrots to the saucepan. Add the butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper; mix well.
4. Add the lemon juice and cream. Bring to a boil for 1 minute or until cream is slightly thickened.
5. Adjust the seasonings if necessary. Transfer the mixture to a shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

Asparagus Salad with Champagne-Saffron Vinaigrette

This salad was the eighth course on the Titanic's last dinner. Our recipe makes six servings.

1 1/2 pounds asparagus, rinsed
Boiling salted water
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
Pinch of sugar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 sweet red or yellow pepper, diced
Leaf lettuce

1. Holding the asparagus halfway up the stalk, snap off the woody ends at a natural breaking point and discard.
2. In a wide, deep skillet or large pot of boiling salted water, cook the asparagus spears 3-5 minutes or until they are tender but not limp.
3. Drain and run spears under cold water until completely cooled. Drain well and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, stir the saffron into the teaspoon of boiling water. Let it stand for 2 minutes or until it is softened.
5. Stir in the champagne vinegar, mustard and sugar. Whisk in the olive oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add the asparagus and diced pepper; toss gently to coat with the vinaigrette.
7. Line a platter with lettuce leaves and arrange the asparagus mixture on top.

Calvados-Glazed Roast Duckling with Applesauce

This delectable entree was the fifth course on the Titanic's final dinner. Our applesauce recipe makes two servings, with 1/2 cup applesauce per serving.

1 duckling (about 4 pounds)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 shallots, peeled, ends removed, halved
1 small tart apple, washed, cored, quartered
1/2 cup chicken stock or reduced-sodium canned chicken broth
1/2 cup calvados or apple cider
1/2 cup brown sugar

Applesauce:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 small shallots, peeled, ends removed, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 tart apples, peeled, cored, chopped

To make duck:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Remove the giblets and neck from the duck; rinse and pat it dry inside and out. Trim the excess fat from both ends of the cavity.
3. In a small bowl, combine the thyme, salt and pepper. Rub the thyme mixture over the entire duck, inside and out.
4. Place the shallot halves and apple quarters inside the cavity. Using poultry pins or a basting needle, truss the cavity closed. Twist wing tips behind back.
5. Place the duck, breast side up, on a rack in a large metal roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes. Shield the breast with foil, then reduce the oven temperature to 350. Bake for 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer registers 180 when inserted into the leg.
6. Remove the duck from the oven (keep the oven set at 350 degrees) and place it on a heated platter or keep it loosely covered with foil to keep it warm.
7.Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium-high heat; skim off and discard fat.
8. Stir in the chicken stock and calvados or apple cider. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to scrape up any brown bits. Boil for 5 minutes or until mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup.
9. Stir in the brown sugar and continue to cook 3-5 minutes or until mixture is slightly syrupy. Pour into a heat-proof bowl.
10. Return the duck to the roasting pan. Remove the foil and brush the duck with half of the glaze. Place in oven and bake for 5 minutes.
11. Brush the duck with remaining glaze and roast for 20 minutes longer.
12. Increase the oven temperature to 475 degrees and roast for 5 minutes or until skin is well browned and crisp.
13. Remove to a heated platter. Tent with foil and let the duck rest 15-20 minutes before carving.

To make applesauce:
1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute 5 minutes or until they are softened.
2. Sprinkle the sugar over the shallots and continue sauteing them, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until shallots are well browned and very soft.
3. Stir in the cider vinegar and apples. Reduce heat slightly. Cover and cook 7-8 minutes or until apples are tender.
4. Mash mixture until smooth and serve with duck.

Punch Romaine

This drink was the sixth course of the Titanic's final dinner, and was served immediately after the main course. What followed was roasted squab, asparagus salad, foie gras, and dessert. Our recipe makes eight servings, about 1 cup per serving without rum. As a note, the simple syrup can be stored in a sterilized container in the refrigerator for up to one month.

6 cups crushed ice
1 cup simple syrup (see recipe below)
2 cups champagne or sparkling wine
1 cup white wine
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Orange peel, slivered, optional

Simple syrup:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water

To make punch:
1. In a blender, combine the crushed ice, simple syrup, champagne, white wine, orange juice and lemon juice. Blend until mixture is well combined.
2. Spoon the mixture into individual dessert cups. Drizzle with rum, if desired, and garnish with a sliver of orange peel. Serve immediately.

To make simple syrup:
1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently until sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Bring to a boil and cook one minute or until syrup is clear. Remove from the heat and cool. Makes 2 cups.

Tea with the Queen: A Victorian Menu

Henry James wrote, "There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as an afternoon tea." Afternoon tea was invented by Anna Duchess of Bedford (1783-1857), one of Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting. During this time, the noble classes ate large breakfasts, small lunches and late suppers. Every afternoon, Anna experienced what she referred to as a "sinking feeling," so she requested that her servants bring her tea and petite-sized cakes to her boudoir. Many followed the Duchess' lead, and thus the ritual of afternoon tea was birthed. In fact, a culture of sorts emerged around the tradition of drinking tea. Fine hotels began to offer tea rooms, while tea shops opened for the general public. Tea dances also became popular social events at which Victorian ladies met potential husbands. Our special "Tea With the Queen" menu includes our favorite tea recipes, as well as one recipe for Victorian lemonade, as an alternative to tea.

Tea Sandwiches

Tea sandwiches are traditionally light, delicate sandwiches sliced small enough to be picked up with the fingers or a pair of sandwich tongs. Teas sandwiches can be cut into triangles or, using cookie cutters, shapes for special occasions. White or wheat bread, with the crusts cut off, can be used for these sandwiches. The following recipes are modern interpretations of Victorian tea fare.

Choice of bread, sliced
Butter
Seedless cucumber
Canned tuna, drained
Tuna seasoning (your choice)
Mayonnaise
Cream cheese
Smoked salmon
Eggs, boiled (or egg salad of your choice)
Watercress
Choice of garnish, if desired

Cucumber Sandwiches:
1. After cutting off the crusts of the bread and cutting the bread into triangles or shapes, butter both sides of the bread.
2. Cut seedless cucumber (sold in gourmet supermarkets, always wrapped in cellophane) into very thin slices, and place between bread slices.
3. Garnish if desired.

Tuna Sandwiches:
1. Mix one can of tuna (drained) with tuna seasoning and enough mayonnaise to make a thick spread.
2. Spread on prepared slices of bread. You may add thin slices of cucumber if desired along with garnish.

Salmon Sandwiches:
1. Spread cream cheese on prepared slices of bread.
2. Place thin slices of smoked salmon (Nova is particularly good) between slices of bread.

Egg Sandwiches:
1. Mix sectioned boiled egg and mayonnaise (or use store bought egg salad) and season as desired.
2. Spread on slices of prepared bread.
3. Add thin slices of cucumber if desired, along with garnish.

Watercress Sandwiches:
1. Spread cream cheese on prepared slices of bread.
2. Rinse and dry watercress and lay between slices of bread.
3. Garnish if desired.

Scones with Lemon Curd and Clotted Cream

Scones are traditionally served with afternoon tea and accompanied by lemon curd and clotted cream. You can add a variety of treats into the batter, such as raisins, fresh apple bits, orange peel, cranberries, and chocolate chips. Lemon Curd is a traditional spread for scones, and is usually served with Devonshire (or clotted) cream. Our lemon curd is rich and smooth, and can be kept refrigerated for up to two weeks. Unfortunately, Americans cannot make clotted cream or Devonshire cream, as we do not have the same breed of cows as in England. Instead of buying an expensive import, ERAS offers a simple recipe for clotted cream, which is perfect for spreading on scones.

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup buttermilk (or milk)
1 lightly beaten egg
2 large eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup sour cream

To make scones:
1. Mix baking powder, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt and cut in 6 tablespoons of butter until the mix is crumbly.
2. Pour in the buttermilk until the dough is sticky. Be careful not to overmix. The dough should cling together.
3. Turn out onto a floured surface and shape drop or use a biscuit cutter to form biscuit sized scones. The secret of tender scones is a minimum of handling.
4. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush with egg for a shiny brown scone.
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-20 minutes, until light brown.

To make lemon curd:
1. Wisk 1 cup sugar and 2 large eggs in a bowl until blended.
2. Sift in 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice.
3. Pour into a saucepan and cook over low-medium heat stirring constantly for 20 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a boil (lest it curdle or burn), but allow it to gradually thicken.
4. When the mixture thickly coats the back of a metal spoon, remove pan from heat and stire in 1/4 cup butter until melted.
5. Pour the mixture into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 4 hours. The lemon curd will thicken as it cools.

To make clotted cream:
1. Mix 1 cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons Confectioner's sugar using an electric mixer. Whip until stiff peaks form.
2. Gently fold in sour cream and mix until thick.
3. Place in refrigerator and chill until time to serve. If made ahead of time, it will keep in the refrigerator up to 4 hours.

Cherries Jubilee Cake

Many special dishes were created in Queen Victoria's honor during her 64-year reign. Among them was a dessert called Cherries Jubilee, which was invented for Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebration in 1897. This Jubilee Cake, which uses Cherries Jubilee as a filling, is a truly fancy dessert in grand Victorian style.

5 eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream cheese filling:
8 oz. cream cheese softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons cherry jelly
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Cherry filling:
1 quart pitted black cherries
1/2 cup claret
1 cup or less sugar (to taste)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

To make cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Beat the egg whites until they stand up in soft peaks.
3. Beat in the 1/4 cup of sugar a tablespoon at a time.
4. Without washing the beater, beat the egg yolks with the lemon juice until thick and lemon-colored.
5. Gradually beat in the 3/4 cup of sugar.
6. Pour the yolk mixture over beaten egg whites and fold together gently with a spoon or spatula until well blended.
7. Sift the flour and salt together and fold into the egg mixture.
8. Spoon the batter into two unbuttered 9-inch layer pans.
9. Cut through the batter gently several times to break any large air bubbles.
10. Bake about 30 minutes. Test by pressing lightly with a finger. If the cake springs back, it is done.
11. Invert on a wire rack and cool.

To make cream cheese filling:
1. Cream the sugar and cream cheese together.
2. Add remaining ingredients and beat until thick.

To make cherry filling:
1. Dissolve the sugar in the claret and pour over the cherries. Let stand for several hours.
2. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of the cherry juice.
3. Heat the cherries in a sauce pan to the boiling point.
4. Lower heat and stir in cornstarch mixture. Simmer, stirring constantly until thickened.
5. Remove from heat, add spices and lemon juice and allow to cool.

To assemble cake:
1. Place one layer of sponge cake on a cake platter and spread a layer of cream filling about 3 inches wide around the perimeter of the top of the cake.
2. Cut out the center (in a heart shape if you are using heart-shaped pans) of the other layer, leaving a 3-inch border.
3. Put aside the center piece you cut out. Place the layer with the cut-out center on top of the other and press down to make the layers stick together.
4. Decorate by placing a paper doily on top of the cake and sifting confectioners' sugar over the doily.
5. Carefully remove the doily and fill the center of the cake with the cherry filling.

Victorian Kisses

This lovely confection is a forerunner to the modern day variety by Hershey's!

9 eggs
White sugar
Lemon

1. Beat the whites of nine fresh eggs to a stiff froth.
2. Mix egg white mixture with fifteen spoonfuls of fine white sugar and five or six drops of essence of lemon.
3. Drop mixture on paper with a teaspoon, sift sugar over them, and bake them in a slow oven.

Plum Puffs

Here is a recipe for "Plum Puffs" from the Anne of Green Gables Treasury by Carolyn Strom Collins and Christina Wyss Eriksson (Viking Press, 1991). This recipe yields 2 to 3 dozen puffs.

1/2 cup water
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. granulated sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 cup plum jam (or any other fruit jam)
1/2 cup cream cheese OR whipped cream
Sifted Icing Sugar

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a baking sheet lightly.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the water and butter until boiling. When the butter has melted, turn the heat to low, add the flour and sugar all at once and mix them in thoroughly (a wooden spoon seems to work best for this). Continue to beat the mixture over low heat until it leaves the sides of the pan, about 1 minute.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Add one egg and beat the mixture until it is smooth. Add the second egg and beat again until smooth.
4. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart; they should be about 1 inch around. (The puffs will double in size as they bake.) Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
5. Take the puffs out of the oven and turn the heat off. Close the oven door. With a toothpick or thin skewer, poke a tiny hole or two in each puff to let the steam out. Return the puffs to the turned-off but warm oven for about 5 more minutes to ensure that the insides are done. Remove the puffs from the oven and cool them on a rack.
6. When cool, gently split the puffs in half and fill each one with a spoonful of jam and a dab of cream cheese or whipped cream. When all the puffs are filled, arrange them on a platter and sift icing sugar over the top.

Victorian Lavender Lemonade

During the Victorian era, drinking lemonade on one's porch was a popular pasttime in the summers. A "ladies-only" light luncheon may also have been served. Below is our simple recipe for lavender lemonade, a drink enjoyed during the 19th century. Consider serving your lemonade in an antique style, glass footed pitcher and tumblers. Victorians believed the violet-hued glass preserved good tidings within their homes. Below is our easy recipe for this refreshing beverage, perfect for your Victorian picnic.

5 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 stems of fresh lavender
2 1/4 cups lemon juice

1. Boil 2 1/2 cups of water with the sugar.
2. Add the lavender stems and remove from heat.
3. Place on the lid and let cool.
4. When cool, add 2 1/2 cups of water and the lemon juice.
5. Strain out the lavender.
6. Serve the lavender lemonade with crushed ice and garnish with lavender blossoms.

Victorian Food & Cooking

The Victorian era was a period of extravagant entertaining for the upper middle and high classes. Victorian meals consisted of as many as nine courses, although many dishes were light and petite-sized. Fine ingredients, such as exotic spices imported from distant countries, were used in lavishly prepared meals. Culinary schools were established for the first time in history, while popular recipe books by chefs such as Agnes B. Marshall and Isabella Beeton became all the rage in England. Detailed measurements and instructions were written down for the first time during this era. New kitchen gadgets such as the can-opener and Ball-Mason jars were introducted. In addition, Victorians began adopting a host of manners and customs surrounding mealtime, in accordance with Beeton's maxim: "A place for everything and everything in its place." Through her widely-read recipe books, Beeton also popularized such phrases as "Dine we must and we may as well dine elegantly as well as wholesomely."

The institution of afternoon tea became highly popular during the Victorian era. Afternoon tea was invented by Anna Duchess of Bedford (1783-1857), one of Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting. During this time, the noble classes ate large breakfasts, small lunches and late suppers. Every afternoon, Anna reportedly experienced what she referred to as a "sinking feeling," so she requested that her servants bring her tea and petite-sized cakes to her boudoir. Many followed the Duchess' lead, and thus the ritual of afternoon tea was birthed. In fact, a culture of sorts emerged around the tradition of drinking tea. Fine hotels began to offer tea rooms, while tea shops opened for the general public. Tea dances also became popular social events at which Victorian ladies met potential husbands.