I’m so pleased that my new book is out in the world!
PUBLISHED: 14th MARCH 2022
Published by Crimson Cloak Publishing
Food:
Food plays a big part in my story as the Thorntons and friends (and enemies) so often discuss matters over a meal or afternoon tea.
Thornton Park – The story starts at Thornton Park and as such Mrs Preston works her magic with various dishes.
The Byrd brother and sister visit Thornton Park before they all depart on their expedition.
Since Thomas Thornton upgraded the kitchen by installing the new refrigeration, Mrs P has delighted in serving Vichyssoise – cold soup made of leeks, onions, potatoes and cream. It can be warmed but Mrs P wouldn’t serve it any other way but cold.
Poached Salmon with a mousseline sauce followed. – On April 12, 1912 R.M.S. Titanic, the “unsinkable ship,” ended her doomed voyage across the Atlantic. Salmon Mousseline was on the Titanic’s menu, and served during the very last dinner on board the ill-fated ship.
Sauted Chicken Lyonnaise followed at Thornton Park as the main course. Alexandra loved this French dish of sauted chicken with onions and sauce. It was also served in First Class on the Titanic.
In fact, the entire menu had been designed by Mrs Preston especially for Alexandra’s birthday. Yet another of Alexandra’s favourites—Chocolate Charlotte Russe, another French dish—was served for dessert.
Preston, the Thornton butler, poured wines suitable to each course, some of which had come from Archer’s Vineyard, others from Brown Brothers, and other Australian wineries.
Food on Norfolk Island
One meal consisted of an entrée of avocado with a squeeze of lemon, served on lettuce leaves, followed by roast beef and baked potatoes, kumaras and beans.
Kumaras or kumeras are also know as sweet potato. A dessert followed of baked china pears with cinnamon. China pears taste like they’re a cross between apples and pears, also known as Nashi pears.
For a light lunch, Pumpkin the cook at Norfolk Island, served banana fritters, with fried cheese balls, on a garden salad. For dessert, Pumpkin prepared fresh fruit – banana, paw paw, pineapple with passionfruit in orange juice.
This particular fruit salad recipe is one my mother used to make. Bananas Fritters is another my mother and I used to make.
Another lunch comprised baked fish in banana leaves – Trumpeter fish or Coral Trout is a well-loved fish on the island – accompanied by kumara and beans, and for dessert pink guava jelly and custard.
Chocoes is a vegetable that is less commonly used today but in the 1920s and, in fact, the Great Depression and during World War II, chocoes were easy to grow and a cheap vegetable to buy.
Flummery for dessert was another favourite years ago. It makes a light ending to a meal. In The Feathered Nest, Pumpkin makes a Lemon, Orange and Passionfruit Flummery.
I’ve hope you’ve enjoyed this brief culinary tour. I’ve added links below to various recipes you might like to try.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13392/classic-vichyssoise/
Sauté Chicken Lyonnaise
https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/banana-fritters-easy-recipe/z2iwa39b
https://www.food.com/recipe/guava-jelly-40343
https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/chokos-deluxe/nbqmxvzo
Others links follow to my website and social media sites.
https://www.facebook.com/EllenReadWriter/
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