The times., 1897-03-14

older citizens OF the town can well remem-
Der the enthusiasm caused by the presence
OF England's future queen, and among
those who testified their loyalty in very
practical manner was Richard Eolland, the
founder OF a firm which is now known
wherever the English language is spoken
lie presented the little princess with a
small tox OF cakes, and evidently her ma
jesty has preserved a pleasant recollection
OF the famous establishment III Eastgate
Row for on her accession. in 1897, MI Bol
land was one of the earliest appointed of
the queens warrant-h olders, and twenty
five years later the members OF the historic
firm weIe pleasantly surprised with her
, majesty's express Command to make the
Prince and Princess OF Wales wedding
cake. Since that time Messrs. BoHand &
Son have fully earned the title bestowed
on them by the late G.. a. Sala, OF His
to!rc bride cake makers to the royal
family
How few British brides realize that they
owe one OF the pleasantest customs con-
nected with modern wedding ceremonies to
the late prince consort and to Queen Vic
toria's close family ties with Germany.
There is no mention of either bride or birth
custom, though introduced from Germany
became modified to suit English taste and
what we now know as wedding cake is a
thoroughly British production. Indeed, the
recipe frona which Chester wedding cake is
still made is over Il hundred years Old, and
is kept n profound secret, only one the best,
quality being made. 1t may be assumed
that the usual ingredients butter, sugar,
mixed peels, flour, dried cherries, almon dis,
spice. and last, bat not least, champag gne-
brandy d considerable part in the
mixture.
The baking takes place once or twice
week in Il huge oven, itself the size of "a
small kitchen, and each cake is baked
much in the shape in which it will finally
appear Oh wedding breakfast table This
result is achieved by the pouring Of the
mixture into round tins, each containn z
seven, fifteen, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty
or sixty pounds weight. The actual pro-
cess Of baking lasts from five to seven
hours, and at this stage. when the tins are
turned out in the cakeroom, each cake re-
sembles nothing so much rs one of the cele-
brated Cheshire cheeses. No cake is sent
ont until it has matured for at least six
months, and the demand is Of such an eX-
tensiye character that a stock OF over
1000 pounds is always kept in the season
ing room Silver and golden wedding cakes
are also a speciality of the house, and
those. as is natural, are generally orna-
mented with gold or silver ornaments, as
the case may be, and on the two cross ban
ners are inscribed the original date and an
niversary of the wedding In more than
one instance the Messrs. Bolland have been
asked to keep portion of a wedding cake
safely slowed away till the twenty fifth
anniversary comes around again, and then
the slice of the original wedding cake is
proudly brought out for the occasion.
great deal of sentiment attaches to
bride cakes. and when an engagement
takes place between English-speaking folk
in Australia, in a frica, India, to saynoth-
ing of the South Sea Islands and many
another far-away corner of Great Britain.
the bride elect generally decides to send
'home'' for her5wedding cake. And when
a long over-seajj tourney is in question the
precious object isScarefully packed in a
tin-lined, air-tight case;
As may easily be imagined by any 81
those W no have had to conduct the arrange
ments for even quiet wedding breakfast,
wedding cake is not only an expensive, but
also q very weighty commodity. A very
ordinary bridal cake for large party viii
weigh at least fifty pounds, and some
times a three-tier cake-that is to say one
made up of three separate parts, weighing
sixty, forty, and twenty pounds each
Will be only Just sufficient for big country
wedding, where maybe the tenantry OF
the brides father, as well as the whole
neighborhood, are expected to share in
the rejoiciDgs
A wedding day is one of the fe W occasions
on which appearances play quite as great
part as realities, and an attempt is al
ways made to make the decorations on the
cakein some way ysymbolizethe rank, favor
lite occupation or profession of both the
happy pair. When Lord Brassey's daughter
was married perfect model Of her fathers