Christmastide in the Poldark Novels

Christmas is often mentioned in the Poldark novels.  It is December, 1787 and Demelza's first Christmas as Ross's wife and they are at Trenwith.  Demelza was not keen to go but Ross insisted and Demelza was the hit of the party by singing one of her songs that Ross would request frequently throughout their married lives.  In the television series we see it is when Ross falls in love with his wife.  The song of course is I do pluck a fair rose for my love....

Dinner began at five and went on until seven forty. It was a meal worthy of the age, the  house, and the season. Pea soup to begin, followed by a roast swan with sweet sauce, giblets, mutton steaks, a partridge pie, and four snipe. The second course was a plum pudding with brandy sauce, tarts, mince pies, custards, and cakes, all washed down with port wine and claret and Madeira and home-brewed ale.

Winter Pea Soup

1  8 oz package of dried split peas 

(soaked overnight in cold water, then drain)

Add to pot: 8 c. water or ham stock

1 onion diced

3 ribs celery, diced

Simmer until the peas fall apart & soft

Add 1 c. diced ham

salt & pepper to taste

To thicken: make a beurre manie - equal parts flour & butter (kneaded) 

such as 1/4 c. flour & 1/2 stick butter 

Stir in the beurre manie as much as needed to get the consistency needed

This can be left slightly chunky (as long as the peas are thoroughly cooked) or pureed. Keeps in the refrigerator for several days.

In Demelza we learn that the Sawle Church choir had been there singing carols.  One of the songs they sang, "Remember, O Thou Man." This carol dates to the early 1600s and is quite lovely.  I found someone on Youtube singing:
 https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-adk-adk_sbnt&hsimp=yhs-adk_sbnt&hspart=adk&p=remember+o+thou+man#id=2&vid=86f55761db307cc241ebed668250c5d6&action=click

But even her enjoyment of the two carols was a little spoiled by anxiety as to how she had best behave when they knocked on the door. She sent Jane Gimlett for the cakes she had made that afternoon and took down a couple of bottles of canary wine from Ross's cupboard..... Demelza nervously gave them all a drink and took one herself.....She pressed cakes on them and refilled their glasses, and when they rose to go, she gave them a handful of silver - about nine shillings in all - and they crowded out into the misty moonlit night, flushed and merry and opulent.  There they gathered around the lantern and gave her one more carol for luck before filing off up the valley toward Grambler.

Mini-gingerbread cakes and the mini-bundt type pan I baked them in. Gingerbread is popular at  Christmas and in England and Cornwall, dried fruits were added to many desserts. These cakes have raisins and chopped candied orange peel. She (Demelza) pressed cakes on them... a small cake like this is hand sized and easily carried away and probably eaten before arriving home.

Gingerbread Cake

4 c. flour

2 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. allspice

(mix together in medium size bowl)

In a sauce pan, over low heat until butter melts:

8 oz (2 sticks) butter

1/2 c. molasses

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 cup milk with 1 egg beaten in, and 2 tsp. soda

1 c. raisins soaked in 1/4 c. brandy

1/2 c. chopped candied orange peel

Add hot liquid to flour. Mix well, then add milk with egg, beat well, stir in raisins & brandy & candied peel.  Bake in individual bundt pans or 10 x 12 pan.  Bake at 400 for 10 minutes and then at 300 for approximately 30 minutes.

In Jeremy, the year is 1790, and Ross and Demelza are back at Trenwith.  This time though they both feel reluctant to go, because of Julia's death and how Francis betrayed Ross.  Demelza is surprised to see Elizabeth dressed in a frock of startling crimson velvet with cascades of fine lace. "So she's still interested in Ross, thought Demelza with a sharp twinge, and any gratefulness to me won't make the least difference.  I might have known. Nevertheless she went forward with a smile on her face and was graciously welcomed.

It wasn't the sort of meal they'd had before, either, though it was the best put on for two years.  They had ham and fowls and a leg of mutton, boiled, with caper sauce, and afterwards batter pudding and currant jelly and damson tarts, and black caps in custard, and blancmange.

Blancmange - means white dish. A lovely sweet almond cream dessert

Blancmange

5 oz (1/2 cup rounded) almond paste or filling (the filling still has bits of the brown nut covering)*

2 c. heavy cream

Almond extract

1/2 c. cold water

2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 c. boiling water

4 oz or 1/2 c. sugar

Raspberry Cream

Put the almost paste in a bowl and mix into the cream with a whisk, making sure it is well blended and creamy.  Add several drops of almond extract to taste.  Stir the gelatin into the cold water and let it soften for several minutes, then whisk in the boiling water.  Add the sugar, stirring until dissolved.  Slowly stir the gelatin into the almond cream.  Lightly oil individual or one large mold (I used a canola oil spray).  Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least four hours. To unmold, place the bottom in warm water for a minute or two (not hot!) and loosen the top edges of the blancmange and it should come right out.

To serve with the Raspberry Cream Sauce.  Purchase a good quality raspberry preserve.  Stir in 1/2 cup to 2 cups cream and mix thoroughly (you can strain seeds if you wish) and pour around the base of the blancmange. Do not omit this sauce as it is amazingly good!  Thanks to the Dining at Monticello cookbook for this recipe).

* I looked for the almond paste in a tube but found an almond paste filling.. the difference is that the paste in the tube is completely creamy colored but the paste filling has bits of the brown coating on the nut....as I was pouring the blancmange into the molds, I could see that there were lots of the brown bits so I strained most of them out... but when I unmolded I was pleasantly surprised to see the bits had fallen to the bottom and accentuated the design of the mold!

My French is bad, here is a help with the proper pronunciation: bluh-MAHNZH


Christmas 1792 find Ross and Demelza with Verity and her husband Andrew in Falmouth.  Fifteen miles away his benefactor was eating an even quieter meal of roast beef and plum pudding in company of her uncle...(Killewarren).  Elizabeth was to be there too with Geoffrey  Charles but begged off at the last minute and spent Christmas with George at Cardew.

Wine Jelly is a popular dessert from the 18th century and was considered a real treat because the process was very laborious.  Think about having to boil calves hooves to make your gelatine?  Luckily we can just buy plain gelatine at the grocery store. The original recipe I used came from the Monticello cookbook and it turned out somewhat okay, but I tweeked it, make it easier and even tastier.  Basically, this is the 18th century version of jello shots!

Port Wine Jelly

3 medium size lemons

1 tsp. cinnamon (1/4 tsp nutmeg optional)

2 cups water

1 cup Port

1 cup cold water

1 cup sugar

2 envelopes granulated gelatin (mixed into the 1 cup cold water)

Using a vegetable peeler, take only the yellow rind off the lemons and place in a sauce pot. Next squeeze the juice while straining the seeds into same pot.  Add the cinnamon (1/4 nutmeg too if you wish) and 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the Port and sugar, still until dissolved, strain out the lemon peel and bring the liquid to simmer stage making sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Take from heat and add the gelatin which has been added to the cold water.  Pour into small stemmed glasses.  Place in refrigerator about 4 hours to set.

Wine Jelly made with Port - beautiful and tasty!

 Christmas 1793 they were at Nampara (Warleggan). Ross had gone to see Caroline in London to pay her the interest on the loan and to persuade her to see Dwight... Demelza gave a squeak (at the sight of Ross) as she turned. "Why, Ross, I didn't know. I was up at Prudie's.  How did you come?"  He smiled as he kissed her - it was just a formal salute between them. "On four legs and then two. Should I have brought the carol singers?"......... "Have you three extra bedrooms you could get ready for tonight?"  "Three?.....Why, who is coming? What have you arranged?"  "I have brought Caroline back with me Caroline and her maid."  He tells her that Caroline and Dwight have made up.  "Oh, Ross, I'm very glad! More than glad." He tells her how he contrived it.  "What can I give them for supper?"  "Don't worry, I bought a goose in Truro and some ribs of beef and a fillet of veal."

Houses like Trenwith may have had something like this - 18th C Plate warmer.. How inventive? Serving food hot or even warm was probably a huge problem and starting with a warm plate would help immensely.

Perhaps what the common folk did - fry sprats (small fish) in a fireplace.

Now that season two has ended in the UK and soon in the US, I will say I wish there had been more of the ending of Warleggan which ended with Christmas.  For those who have not read the book, I am going to give it to you now (slightly edited):

"Demelza, I wanted to talk to you about her." "No, that I would rather not hear." I think you must. Before I went away I thought not. But there's no other way. "Ross, I've forgotten it. All that time. It will do harm to bring it back now. I would much better prefer that nothing should be said of it." I know but - in fact it can't be forgotten, can it? It is only -overlooked, set aside. Ross said, "I want to tell you Elizabeth means nothing to me anymore." Don't say that, Ross. I shouldn't want for you to say more than you feel-" "But I do feel it-" Yes, at present. But then again sometime, perhaps in a month, perhaps next year.." He said: "Come here, Demelza. Sit down, will you? Listen to what I have to say." He said: "You're so desperately anxious to be fair, not to be self-deceiving, to make the best of what you have... But what you have is all... Will you try to believe that? "Have I call to believe that?" Yes, I wish I could explain about Elizabeth. But in a way I think you must understand. I loved Elizabeth before I met you. It's been a -a constant attachment throughout my life. D'you know how it is when a person has wanted something always and never had it? It's true value to him may be anything or nothing; that doesn't count; what does count is its apparent value, which is always great. What I felt for you has always been assessable, comparable, something human and part of an ordinary life. The other, my feeling for Elizabeth, was not. So what I did-what happened in May, if it could only have happened in a vacuum, without hurt to anyone, I should not have regretted at all. "No?" said Demelza. "No. Because from it I came to recognize things which no doubt I should have had common sense and insight enough to have known without the experience but did not. One is that if you bring an idealized relationship down to the level of an ordinary one, it isn't always the ordinary one that suffers For a time, after that night, things were upside down-for a time nothing came clear. When it did, when it began to, the one sure feeling that stood out was that my true and real love was not for her but for you".

She was very still, eyelids pale, brows straight with a hint of concentration at their inner ends.  He received no hint that she was wrestling with demons, her mind and emotions split: on the one hand struggles against the too easy capitulation ready, so ready, within herself; on the other looking at the love that he now offered with both hands, and finding it, perversely, not enough- not of itself enough as a single isolated factor….

“May I ask a question?” “Of course.”  “How did you come to feel that, Ross? What persuaded you of it?  I mean, the experience itself can hardly have been unpleasant.”  “What experience?” “Of making love to Elizabeth.”  “no… far from it.” He hesitated, a little put out. “But I wasn’t seeking just pleasure.  I was- I suppose in fundamentals I was seeking the equal of what I’d found in you, and it was not there.  For me it was not there.”

“Perhaps it would have come in time.  Perhaps you did not persevere, Ross.”  He glanced at her dryly. “would you have had me do so?”  “Well, I do not know the details of your adventure, but it seems to me you are hardly quite fair on Elizabeth.  At least… I do not very much like her, but she is not a light woman.  You came upon her, I suppose, in surprise.  I should not be astonished if at first she tried to be faithful to her new promise.   I do not know how long you stayed with her or how much you made love to her, but I should think there could be times when she might show to better advantage.”

“Are you defending Elizabeth now”  “Well, yes… or no, I think I am defending women, Truly, Ross, are not all women treated by all men like something inferior, like chattels you take up and put down at will?  I – I’m very happy tonight that you prefer me and I hope you always will.  But I think it is unfair to any woman to judge her, to condemn her, upon a chance encounter, like.  I should not wish to be so judged.  Though indeed I think I have been so judged, quite recently.”

“What do you mean?”  She hesitated, uncertain now of the chasm that gaped before her, then suddenly certain that – though all unplanned – this was the testing jump.

“If we have to talk of this, then there’s something I must tell you.   I have often thought I should, but it did not seem important if you did not care for me any more.  But now if it is true what you say, if you really  mean this…”  “Of course I do.”…..

“And there’s one other thing I want you to know,” he added.  “that is how deeply sorry I am that I ever hurt you in the first place – in May, I mean.  You were so undeserving of any harm.  All these months… I know how you will have felt.  I want you to know that. If you had gone off with McNeil, I should have had only myself to blame.”

She dropped the reins and put up her hands and covered her face with them in a sudden gesture of distress.  She wanted to say something but could not think of nothing at all.

After a minute or two he said: “Does it upset you now to be told that I love you? D’you still prefer McNeil?  Is he still in the district? I’ll go and call on him tomorrow.”  “No Ross, he is gone; and I care nothing, nothing.”

“Then why are you leaving.  Are you not willing to overlook what I said?”  “I can’t” “Why not?”

“Because it is the truth!  That is what I had never realized till you had spoken it.  Oh, I don’t know why.  A sort of blindness.  ‘Tis quite unbearable to think of… Impossible to live with! I don’t know what I shall do.”  He came out and stood beside her.  He looped the reins over a peg. 

“Should we not go inside and talk it over?”  “No! I can’t”  “You cannot forgive me, then.” “I cannot forgive myself.”  “That was a favorite Poldark complaint at one time, but I judged you too wise to catch it.  Look, supposed we go as far as the kitchen.  I don’t see that need compromise either of us too deeply.”

He took the lantern and waited for her.  She hesitated.  He said, “you may leave in five minutes of you wish.”  She followed him into the kitchen.

…. “What is that?”  “Oh… the beer!  I casked it this morning.” …  . “I should have waited till you came home” said Demelza.  They cleared the mess…

He said: “My dear, I bought you something in London.  I had intended giving it to you tomorrow; but in case there is no tomorrow for us, it would be best for you to have it at once.”

She did not turn while he fumbled in his pocket, but then he came up beside her at the window and put a box in her hand. She was surprised to see that his fingers were not as sure of themselves as usual.  She opened the box and saw a gold filigree brooch with a ruby in the centre….. “I bought it in Chick Lane, near Smithfield Bars.  …. She heard him fumbling again, and after a minute he put some tissue paper in her hand. She unwrapped a necklace of garnets.

“Oh, Ross, you’ll break my heart.”  “No, I shall not; not this way surely.  If there-“

“Yes, you will.  You do not know what is going on inside me.”  “Can’t we agree to forget what has passed?  I assure you I should be well pleased to do so.  Is not our fermentation over too?”

“Truly, it isn’t that I –   “I have nothing at all for you.”…. “I don’t think I want a mirror just yet.  Until I can see myself in some less – less disagreeable light.”  “No such ill light exists.  I assure you.”

“Ross, you know that I didn’t need or expect a present like this –   “I know.  But if you suppose or suspect that in buying these things I was hoping to buy myself back into your favour, then you’re right.  I admit it.  It is true, my dear, my very dear, my very dear Demelza.  My fine, my loyal, my very sweet Demelza.”

“Oh no! she said, the tears over brimming her eyes again.  “You cannot say that! You cannot say that now!”  ………….. She touched his hand as she turned away from the window.  “I – I wonder you had money to get home. So generous.  I wish I had something for you.  It is Christmas tomorrow and – “

“It’s nearly twelve,” he said. “Let us sit up awhile and call it Christmas tonight.” (the end of Warleggan)

The expression "no beer to foment" comes up frequently throughout their long marriage.......

I hope you have enjoyed my latest blog and will try the recipes.

Sincerely,

Bonny Wise, I am

Inspired by Poldark

Duels in the Poldark Novels

Dueling seems a barbaric practice to we  modern people, but for hundreds of years it was considered THE way to settle a matter of honor. There are two duels in the Poldark novels.

 In the 18th c. the small-sword was commonly used but late in the century the pistol replaced the sword as the wearing of swords became less fashionable. By the time of the Regency, dueling was on its way out (and out-lawed) but that doesn't mean the practice died out.

There were rules,  such as a gentleman would not challenge a socially inferior such as a blacksmith. A challenge should never be given at the time of the insult, but sent by letter.  Negotiations were handled by the seconds and even if the firing would be simultaneous or take turns receiving fire, as well as the number of shots and the distance between the duelists.  The meeting would be in a remote place typically so the law would not be alerted.  The seconds would inspect the pistols and a final opportunity to issue an apology was given.  If it was to go on then the seconds determined if the duel was to first blood, until one can no longer stand, or to the death.

"The Art of the Duel," by A Traveller, 1836, the proper technique is described: "A person should stand with his right and left shoulder in a line with the object he wishes to hit...let him raise his right arm steadily into a line with the object, bring that part of the arm between the shoulder and elbow close to the side-throw out the muscle strongly, and let it cover the breast as much as possible."

Apparently it was rare, but there is one known example of women dueling! Lady Almeria Braddock and Mrs. Elphinstone, who fought with both pistols and swords in 1792.

Mrs. Elphinstone expected  a cup of tea when she paid a social call to Lady Almeria Braddock’s London home in 1792. The visit went decidedly into unladylike territory when the hostess, evidently enraged by a casual comment Mrs. Elphinstone made about her age (not very  ladylike!), challenged her guest to a duel in Hyde Park (where Ross fights a duel too). According to reports, Mrs. Elphinstone fired her pistol first, knocking Lady Braddock’s hat to the ground (oh the outrage to the hat!). The women then took up swords, and Lady Braddock got her revenge by wounding her opponent in the arm. The “Petticoat Duel,” as it came to be known, ended without further incident when Mrs. Elphinstone agreed to write a letter of apology.  Let us be good examples of tea etiquette.

Back to Ross Poldark (the book) where the first duel takes place.  Verity sees Captain Blamey at Nampara because Ross felt he could trust her and knew her better than her father and brother.  Naturally, Francis and Charles were displeased when they found out she was meeting him at Nampara.

The scene is very much like the series......Captain Blamey calls Francis an insolent puppy.  Puppy here means an inexperienced young person.  The ultimatum is issued but the standard "cooling off" cannot happen because Captain Blamey sails for Lisbon at tomorrow's tide.  Appeals were made, a request for pistols......

Duelling Pistols in box

Francis told Jud to act as referee and to count out fifteen paces for them; Jud glanced at Ross, who shrugged.  Unlike the series, Verity stayed inside..."At the word fifteen they turned. Francis fired first and hit Blamey in the hand.  Blamey dropped his pistol. He bent and picked it up with his left hand and fired back.  Francis put up a hand to his neck and fell to the ground."  We know he lived....apparently satisfaction on both sides, but of course, Blamey could not stay and woo Verity any longer.

In 1809, Ross's friend George Canning, foreign secretary,  dueled with Lord Castlereagh, war minister.  Apparently Canning was trying to get Castlereagh removed behind his back and he didn't like it one bit!  Letters were exchanged and a duel fought on September 21, 1809. The duel took place at  6 a.m. on Putney Heath. First shots missed, but Canning was shot in the thigh on the second.  He lived until 1827, but his career was damaged by the duel.  He did become Prime Minister in 1827 but died a few months later.

Killing no murder, or a new ministerial way of settling the affairs of a nation!', a satire by Isaac Cruickshank of the duel between Castlereagh (l) and Canning that took place on September 21st, 1809  In The Angry Tide (1798-1799) much happens to Ross and Demelza. They are in London and keep running into Monk Adderley, a rake if ever there was one! Until Monk comes on the scene they are having a fabulous time and their marriage is on the mend.  Unbeknownst to Demelza or  Ross, Monk has a bet with George Warleggan that he could get Demelza into his bed and sets off to pursue her.  Poor Demelza.. she tries not to be rude to anyone, but he is relentless and Ross doesn't understand.  At any rate, it all comes to a head when Monk takes Ross's seat in Parliament.  Monk is sitting on Ross's gloves, he yanks him up by his cravat, snatches his gloves and drops him back with a thump.
Ross receives a letter challenging him to a duel and asks Dwight to be his second.  "I desire that you meet me in Hyde Park on Wednesday at 6 a.m. with a brace of pistols each, to determine our differences.... I desire that this Meeting be kept a dead secret, for reasons which must be plain to you........ Monk Adderley

Hyde Park today, a corner of it. Photo taken by the author in August, 2016

Dwight Enys tries to intervene, but neither Adderley or Ross will have it.  Fourteen paces are counted according to the book. They both fired simultaneously and it seemed both missed. The light was still not too good.  Ross had heard the ball go past.  "That will do!" Dwight said, moving forward.  Adderley dropped the empty pistol and changed hands, raised the other.  As he saw this Ross did the same. Just as he fired the pistol was knocked out of his hand and he felt a searing pain in his forearm.  To his surprise the force of the ball swung him round. He half doubled, clutching his arm, and then through the smoke saw Adderley on the ground.  UPDATE JULY 2018: The duel and other scenes were filmed at Bowood (https://www.bowood.org) a beautiful property that I have been able to visit two times! Its interesting because in later novels Demelza and Clowance visited Bowood.   I am not going to give away the whole story, but needless to say, Demelza was horrified that Ross had needlessly risked his life.  And why? Read The Angry Tide and see what Caroline thought! 
As you might have noticed, I'm crazy for historic fashions.  In The Angry Tide, Caroline takes Demelza shopping as her clothes were not fashionable enough for London.  The style had changed: waists were high, almost under the armpit, both for day and for evening. Neck and bust were much exposed... Ostrich feathers in the hair, or a few pearls.  This illustration could be what Demelza wore, found on Pinterest.

  Ross said: "That is very pretty. But where is the gown?  "This is it! This is what I bought!"  "That's a petticoat."  "Oh, Ross, you are provoking! You know well it is nothing of the sort." (LOL)  and then: "The vexing thing is, good-looking women look good in anything. Or should I say almost anything?  Well..... He stared at her. On longer inspection I like the frock. I think it has a touch of elegance. I am only a little reluctant that so many men should see so much of you."

Author in her Inspired by Poldark ensemble. Would Ross and Demelza approve? I think Caroline would!

Thanks for reading my blog. By the way, I Tweeted after a recent episode of Poldark and it was picked up and appeared in an article in The Daily Mail in London!
Bonny Wise, I amInspired by Poldark

Inns of Cornwall and Poldark Novels

One reason I love the Poldark novels is that Winston Graham seems to take you there... back to the 18th century and to their way of life. To me this is the most fascinating part of history - how did people live?

Life back then meant traveling on horse or by coach and stopping at an inn or having a meeting at The Red Lion in Truro or going to The Fighting Cocks Inn (both of which were real places).  In the novels, Ross spends a lot of time at The Red Lion Inn.

The Red Lion Inn, Truro, circa 1920.  Unfortunately it is no longer standing

Since Winston Graham grew up in Cornwall, he was able to research and discover authentic inns, so it does not surprise me he knew about The Red Lion or the Fighting Cocks and use them in the novels. One place I am sure Ross never went was The Soldier's Arms in Warleggan!

I was able to find a lot of research materials on this topic (Abebooks, a dangerous site for book lovers!)

 OLD CORNISH INNS, and their Place in the Social History of Cornwall, H.L. Douch, 1966

THE TORRINGTON DIARIES,  A selection from the tours of the Hon. John Byng between the years 1781 and 1794, 1954

 EARLY TOURS IN DEVON AND CORNWALL, R Pearse Chope, 1918 with a new introduction by Alan Gibson, 1967

 A COUNTRY PARSON, James Woodforde's Diary, 1758-1802, 1985

The arrival of the stage-coach at The Sun Inn, Bodmin - a water colour by Thomas Rowlandson, ca 1810

Here is what Old Cornish Inns said of The Red Lion- "In Truro the 'top' houses of the eighteenth century were The Red Lion, The Ship, The King's Head and The Queen's Head.  The original Red Lion was an old house which backed on to St. Mary's church in the same was as does it successor; it was kept for many years.... In  August 1769 it was announced that Mr. Foote's great house(which had been built in 1671) would be opened as The Red Lion Inn and Tavern, with a dining-room 73 feet long, panelled in cedar and with a room at the end of it partitioned off by folding doors  There was to be a vast number of lodging rooms with "chambers backwards for servants."  It was said with some justification that this house would be "by far the compleatest in Cornwall for an Inn and Tavern; and there is the most promising opening for an expert landlord to make a fortune."

The other inn in Truro that Ross went sometimes, The Fighting Cocks... this is what the same book says of it: "Not far away from The Bear in Truro was the sign of The Fighting Cocks.  This was near the cock-pit built behind his town house by Samuel Enys; the inn too belonged to the family (Enys!)  The brothers Lander, explorers of the Niger, were born here.  The name of this house was changed ca. 1815 to The Dolphin, the old name with its under-tones no doubt appearing disreputable.  This was always a difficult house to administer for it was near the water-front and the town green".....goes on to mention there was also a Fighting Cocks at Botus Fleming and Mevagissey.

Interesting tidbits from Parson Woodforde's Diary: Feb 3 (1767)  I spent the evening and supped at Ansford Inn, there being a Masquerade Ball there this evening, and very elegant it was, much beyond my expectation in all respects. (doesn't that sound fun?!)

Masquerade balls were very popular in the Georgian era.   It appealed to all social classes, and people.  They dressed up as clowns, shepherdesses, allegorical figures vegetables – whatever took their fancy. They cross-dressed, and, liberated by their apparent anonymity, abandoned all propriety and sense of inhibition.

Another Rowlandson, 1756-1827, was a brilliant caricaturist.

This reminds me of a passage from Demelza:

They sat down on the settle and giggled together. "I shall wear my apple green and mauve," she said presently, "the one I wore at Trenwith the Christmas before last. I don't think I am any fatter now." Ross said, "I shall wear a secondhand wig with curls on the forehead, and scarlet stockings and a coat of green silk embroidered with field mice." She giggled again, "Do you think we should be allowed in as Mrs. and Miss Poldark?" "Or two ends of a donkey, "he suggested. "We could throw lots who was to be the tail." (Demelza Poldark)

What kind of foods were served at an Inn?  Apparently it varied quite a bit in quality and quantity.  Here are the foods mentioned in my research:

tea, bread & cheese
salmon
trout
eggs
bacon
veal
cold meats
beef steak
pig
partridge
scotched collops
Cheshire cheese
West Country tarts
cucumbers
salad
gooseberry pie
rice pudding

Tea, Bread & Cheese

In Warleggan, Ross brings home a pound of Soachong tea, saying "its better than the stuff we get from Trencrom. I thought you would like to try it." Trencom was the "runner" of illicit cargo.  Soachong is Lapsang Souchong I believe, and is a deliciously smoky black tea... so appropriate for Nampara.

Cheese? Winston Graham said Demelza made cheese (as any farmhouse would have) but not what kind.  He also said she didn't like goats milk, so I think she was making a farmhouse cheddar cheese with cows milk.

Bread? I believe once a week yeast breads were made and also quick breads similar to Irish Soda Bread which can be made on the hearth on a daily basis as they go stale more quickly. One thing for sure we know barley was grown and not for beer at this time! Barley bread is mentioned throughout the series.

For tea time, this bread is delicious slathered with butter and easy to make:

ORANGE CARRAWAY BREAD

2 c. white flour
2 c. wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
Cut in 1/3 c. lard (butter should work fine too)
Add 2 tsp. carraway seeds
1 c. chopped candied orange peel
1 1/2 c. buttermilk with one egg beaten in

Make a well in the flour mixture, add the buttermilk with egg and knead a few times until all comes together, gather into a ball.  Flatten the ball to about 2" and take a sharp serrated knife and cut across the middle and then the other direction.  Bake in oven at 450 for 15 minutes and reduce to 400 and bake 20 minutes more.  This can be made ahead, cover in clear wrap and freeze for up to one month.

Salad or Salmagundi (18th c. Salad)
In English culture the term does not refer to a single recipe, but describes the grand presentation of a large plated salad comprising many disparate ingredients. These can be arranged in layers or geometrical designs on a plate or mixed. The ingredients are then drizzled with a dressing. The dish aims to produce wide range of flavors and colors and textures on a single plate. Often recipes allow the cook to add various ingredients which may be available at hand, producing many variations of the dish.

My Salmagundi-spring salad mix, tiny gerkins, radish & hardboiled egg with a whole grain mustard vinaigrette.

 SCOTCHED COLLOPS
A very old dish popular in the 17th and 18th century. Name is obscure... has nothing to do with Scotland or Scottish food! Recipe from Egg Pies, Moss Cakes, and Pigeons like Puffins, 18th Century British Cookery from Manuscript  Sources

 1 1/2 - 2 lbs veal or thin sliced beef (I used beef)
6 T. salted butter
1 c. beef stock
8 anchovy fillets, patted dry, and chopped
1 large shallot, minced
3 T. white wine
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste
lemon wedges

For the forcemeat balls (meat balls)
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 c. bread crumbs (I used store bought)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt & Pepper to taste

If meat needs to be pounded, pound until it is very thin, then dredge in flour and shake off excess.  Saute until just browned (do not over cook) in 3 T of butter, at moderate highly heat.  Remove and put in warm oven to keep the meat warm.

Combine the forcemeat mixture, roll into meatballs (about 1 1/2") and fry them until they are done (they will look better if baked in the oven, but this isn't authentic).  Remove meat balls, add to the skillet stock, 3 T butter, anchovies, mushrooms and shallots and saute until the mushrooms are cooked. Add the meatballs back into the skillet and the collops briefly, add wine and serve it up quickly by placing on a platter, sprinkle parsley on top and squeeze lemon juice over top (about 1 T).

So there's the meal... I can see why men would like this ( my men did!) ..meaty, bread, a little salad.......

And for dessert - RICE PUDDING
a 1791 recipe from Mrs. Frazer..The Practice of cookery, pastry, pickling, preserving, etc. by Mrs. Frazer.. slightly modified

1 c. long grained rice
2 c. milk
spoonful of butter

Simmer while stirring constantly to keep from sticking, about 15 minutes.. Add more milk if needed.
When rice is cooked, set aside. Add 1/2 c. raisins or currants, 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. vanilla and about 1 T. grated lemon zest.

In a separate sauce pan, put three eggs, 1/2 c. sugar, 1 c. milk, and using a whisk, mix together while cooking on medium heat until the ingredients come together and nearly make a custard.  Whisk into the rice mixture.

Pour into an ovenproof bowl and then place is a baking dish with high sides and put 1 1/2" of boiling water in the pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until the pudding doesn't "jiggle".  Recipe said to cover the bowl, all I had was parchment paper and it worked well (not sure it is really needed).

To serve I used a scoop... I didn't have time to make a sauce, so I just poured a little whole cream around the base of the scoop.  You can also use orange zest in this recipe.

Rice pudding, lightly sweet and very satisfying

 That is it for this time.  I do hope you enjoy reading my blogs!  Feel free to leave comments, I appreciate them.

Bonny Wise, I am
Inspired by Poldark