FoodNet

The "Queen" cookery books: Breakfast and Lunch Dishes

1904

Page 52

Presented as published in 1904. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
vinegar (two parts oil to one of vinegar) till it is a smooth, thick sauce, is an excellent accompaniment to curry, or, indeed, any cold meat. By the way, it is interesting at the present time to know that bananas, if not over ripe, make a delicious sambal. Bombay Duck are small fish, usually procured tinned in this country. They should be set in the oven on a pastry rack or drainer for a few minutes to crisp them, and are then served piping hot with the curry. CHAPTER YU. LUNCHEON. Lunch is a meal that varies in different houses, and may be roughly divided into three classes — First, the family lunch, the direct descendant of the halt' past one or two o'clock dinner of fifty years ago, Avhen the children in nursery and schoolroom make their appearance, and at which a fairly heavy joint and an innocent nursery pudding are a sine qua non; second, the lunch proper, which is akin to tiie French dejeuner ; and, third, the shooting or skating lunch. Of the first it is hardly necessary to speak here, as it is neither more nor less than a plain, middle of the day dinner, in which, in most house- holds, the servants share. It is where there are children, a practical, sensible meal, but it is not, on the face of it, a form of refreshment to which you Avould naturally invite your smartest acquaintances, though it is often patronised by friends Avho “ drop in” as the phrase runs. To make the second form, the lunch-(Zf'^'e'?'?ier a success, you require a carefully- chosen and rather light menu, a daintily set out table, light beverages (as a rule), anti pleasant company. The nearer this class of eiitertaiiiment approaches to the dejeuner, the more certain is it of LUNCHEON. 107 mocting Avitli approval. In sninmcr a disli of daintily duossed lisli, or a nice lisli salad ; a disli of cutlets (either mutton, lamb, or veal), Avith a suitable vegetable garnish, or one of broiled or bi’aised fillets of beef served with any good sauce, such as bcaimaise ; a roast chicken with watercress salad, or broiled jjigeons or game served with iced tartare sauce; a moscovite or a parfait, as your appliances admit of ; with some pretty little savoury, such as anchois a la creme Pomel, &c., will make a dainty lunch enough. In winter soup may be given, generally clear (served in little cups, for choice), with any nice garnish to taste ; or in very cold weather, when a drive in the country has preceded the meal, mulligatawny, ox tail, or hare (thick or clear), or a potage Victoria, Velours, or a la reine, may be substituted for the consomme'. This might be folloAved by a casserole of fowl, rabbit or any other of the chicken recipes given among the hot breakfast dishes, a well-made hash of venison or mutton (in a well-heated hash dish), a salmon or lobster mayonnaise, and an omelette au rlium, finished Avith Stilton cheese, caviare, foie gras, &c., according to what may be available, and Avill be found generally acceptable. These are naturally the merest suggestions, and can be amplified to suit any taste or circumstance. Needless to observe that in the country, and in winter especially, the sideboard has a well marked part to jday in the menu, as pates of all kinds, pressed or spiced beef, cold roast game, galantine, boar’s head, braAvn, &c., are all available for lunch. But however you arrange your menu, 108 BREAKFAST AND LUNCH DISHES.