Comments on: Jane Austen and Christmas: The Christmas Eve Dinner at Randalls

By: myenglishcountrygarden

myenglishcountrygarden — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:49:04 +0000

Appalling,but when we ate it later in the evening,the hackin didn’t have any transference of taste, did it?I am continually kicking myself for forgetting my camera for that meal! I was too worried about forgetting the Christmas Stockings.

By: Karen

Karen — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:18:28 +0000

Oh my. I do remember those intestines . . . phew!

By: jfwakefield

jfwakefield — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:57:14 +0000

Its going to coincide with the PSB showing which IIRC is the end of January-I do hope you can make it

By: jfwakefield

jfwakefield — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:56:05 +0000

I think if you had an inattentive partner at table it would have been awful! Woe betide the woman who sat next to Mr Hurst!

By: Ramya

Ramya — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:21:20 +0000

An Emma season would be great! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas. “See” you in the new year.

By: Ramya

Ramya — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:19:39 +0000

Thanks, Julie. The poor women! They couldn’t even ask for wine. I’ll try to keep all this in mind when reading the next dinner scene in Austen. A “Jane Austen and Food” topic would be fantastic! Looking forward to it.

By: myenglishcountrygarden

myenglishcountrygarden — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:09:45 +0000

OK then, perhaps we’ll do it bit by bit after the Austen Only Emma season, which Im planning for the New Year to coincide with the PBS showing of the new adaptation

By: imogen88

imogen88 — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:21:59 +0000

Jane Austen and food would be a must for you, Julie, with all those experiences with Ivan Day’s classes. He is simply amazing.

By: myenglishcountrygarden

myenglishcountrygarden — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:22:36 +0000

I’ve replied to Ramya’s questions and I do hope you might find the answer illuminating

By: myenglishcountrygarden

myenglishcountrygarden — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:21:52 +0000

Service of food was a la Francasie- that is done by the diners themselves, not by the staff. Dishes were laid on the table ( in large formal settings as you have noted dishes were repeated on both sides of the table) by the staff and guests we expected to help themselves. If it was a small family dinner then the hostess could serve everyone. In larger meals such as this the male guests were expected not only to help themselves but to serve the ladies sitting near to them .Men were advised in conduct books to serve ladies tiny portions, and note that ladies could not ask for wine but had to wait for their attentive male neighbour to suggest she might like to take some,then ask the servant to bring the wine to them.

I think the interest in these posts alls for a Jane Austen and Food topic…perhaps this is something I might attempt next year