Tea at Trianon: Luck of the Irish Table

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Thursday, March 9, 2023

Luck of the Irish Table

Colcannon

The holiday is as old as the death of the Apostle of Ireland in the fifth century. From Victoria:

Authentic regional fare highlights our delectable St. Patrick’s Day menu. The holiday originated in the seventeenth century as a religious festival honoring the patron saint of Ireland but has become an international celebration of the country’s rich culture and cuisine. A savory rub of Dijon mustard, garlic, and shallot imparts character to our succulent Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb, an entrée that tempts the eye and the palate. A crunchy panko coating with rosemary, thyme, mint, and lemon zest lends taste and texture to this beloved springtime specialty. (Read more.)