Mini Sausage-Rolls: The Making of Monarchy
In the build up to the Royal Wedding there seems to be little point in talking about anything else as the whole of the western world waits with baited breath for the pomp to begin.
When the tabloids recently leapt on the shocking news that Kate has opted for traditional fruit cake instead of modish sponge, the nation let out a collective gasp.
By Nadia Alkahzrajie
Meanwhile, the restaurant world is gearing up for a weekend of food fit for a king. What this means is anyone’s guess, but it’s likely that we’re in for a weekend of crown roasts.
As for the Royals, there’s some speculation that the traditional wedding breakfast may not be the Romanesque banquet of yesteryears.
Charles and Diana’s wedding breakfast started with fresh strawberries and cream followed by brill in lobster sauce and supreme de volaille Princess de Galles - chicken breast stuffed with a fine lamb mousse.
Paul McGrady, who served as Senior Chef at Buckingham Palace, predicts a modern and informal menu for April 29th, featuring firm favourites of the happy couple for that personal touch.
Of course, we’d expect that years of moving amongst the world’s elite would result in a couple of highly sophisticated palates. But we would be wrong.
McGrady reveals that mini sausage rolls are the h'ors d'oeuvres of choice for the prince, while the guests could have a main course of cottage pie to look forward to:
“That dish, made of ground beef in a brown sauce and topped with creamy mashed potatoes and melted cheese,” explains McGrady, just in case we haven’t had the pleasure of this exotic delicacy.
No doubt the couple will get brownie points for being so down to earth, but you can’t help feeling that this is supposed to be a wedding feast – not Mrs Biggins’ bargain buffet.
I quite like cheese poofs and Vimto, but I probably wouldn’t serve them to guests at a once-in-a-life-time celebration.
The food that is served will represent part of the Royal public image and will be carefully selected with this in mind, especially in the midst of difficult economic times.
While the dress can cost a princely penny and the venue will be ostentatiously impressive, the food is the common ground where the royal couple will touch base with their public.
For some reason, we’re glad that William’s favourite meal is cottage pie and that he’d rather get his chops round a sausage than a piece of smoked salmon.
We’re glad that Kate can make do with gentrified fruit loaf, instead of demanding a profiterole skyscraper with chocolate dipping font.
If it weren’t for the staggering wealth, hereditary privilege and extraordinary removal from the myriad stresses of life on the other side of the moat, they might be just like us.
