The Washington herald., 1911-01-10
ROYAL SIDEBOARDS /.
AT THE YULETIDE

may spend their Christmas. the Christ
mas table is always prepared at
Windsor. This is an old established
rule. and all is hustle in the mammoth
Kitchens of the castle at that time.
These kitchens are situated in the base
ment of the Oldest part Of the castle and
date back to the reign Of Henry VIII.
Much Of their antique appearance Is
still retained. There is . great open fire.
place at one end, and there the much
married monarch's banquets. were pre-
pared.
An arduous task for the royal cooks
Is the preparation of the plum puddings,
OF which a very considerable number
Is always made. These are sent to every
member Of the royal family, as we'll as to
many foreign royalties. Three go every
year to the Queen of Spain. since her
marriage, and when King Alfonso was
induced to taste them last year. he was
so pleased with them that recently he
wrote to King George. asking that few
more might be spared him this year.
request which. 1t Is needless to say.
was readily complied with.
These puddings are made from re-
cipe that has been in use for many gen.
erations back and never Is varied from.
This year many of the youthful friends
Of the young Prince of Wales and Prince
Albert received each one Of the royal
puddings.
The central feature Of the royal side
board on Christmas Day is a huge round
Of beef. cut from one of the finest beasts
bred on the royal stock farms at Wind
sor. and roasted at Windsor Castle. This
joint. it may be added, never sees an
oven, but is roasted in the old fashion,
from the jack. In former times dogs
were used to turn the spits, but this was
discontinued by the direction Of Queen
Victoria, and 1t is now done by electricity.
Kaiser Wilhelm regularly every Christ
mas sends a boar's head to Windsor,
and this is prepared and sent to wherever
the King may spend Christmas, like
wise forming a feature of the Christ
mas dinner table. Upon more than one
occasion, native Indian princes have sent
huge heads of wild boars to Windsor.
and on Christmas Day of the jubilee
year of Queen Victoria no fewer than
seven Of these were to be seen there.
Only the hot joints are cooked at Sand
rinSham. where the royal pair generally
stay over the holidays. Everything else
is sent from Windsor Castle The tur-
keys and geese all are raised at Sand
ringham. but game for the royal table
is obtained from Windsor and from the
Norfolk estates Of the King.
Both the King and Queen, as we'll as
Queen Alexandra are fond of game in
every shape. which, in consequence.
forms a very large portion of the royal
menu. large game pies especially being
much in demand. The largest of these,
which generally measures three feet in
diameter, is made at Windsor, and the
crust is highly ornamented.
Many more dishes are prepared at the
Windsor kitchens. including the dinner
for the military knights of Windsor. This
is body Of army officers who have dis
tinguished themselves in the field but
who have fallen on evil days. Their din
ner on Christmas Day is of a substantial
order, and the cost invariably Is borne
from the kings privy purse. There also
Is the castle household to prepare for,
which is no mean task in itself.
Whenever the late King Edward was
at Windsor at the Yuletide, he was
fond of visiting the kitchens and watch
ing the cooks at work. Naturally. 1t is
one of the chief delights of the younger
members of the royal family to go down
there to see what Is going on. 1t Is Of
record that on one occasion the present
Queen tucked up her sleeves and made
some mince pies and sweet cakes to dis
patch to Queen Victoria. who. according
to the usual custom in the latter years of
her life. was passing the festive season
at Osborne House.
Unlike Queen Alexandra. the present
Queen preferred to do her own Christmas
shopping on the first Christmas of her
husbands reign. She visited the many
shops in person rather than have a Sc
lection of goods sent to Buckingham
Palace from which to make her choice.
Queen Mary of England is credited
with being an exceedingly good ,"shop-
per-" and with giving a minimum amount
Of trouble to those detailed to attend her
requirements. There is certainly one
thing which many Of her sisters of high
or low degree may well learn from her.
namely: She knows exactly what she
wants when she enters a store: at least
so the London West End merchants
agree. Nor does she spare any pains to
explain her wishes to ''meie assistants"
I recollect an amusing experience
which the present Queen had a few years
since in a West End shop. when she still
was the Princess of Wales. The clerk
who waited upon her failed to recognize
her. and when she inquired for a GER
tain material she was told that it
could be obtained for her. but that the
price might be too high. Never mind"
replied the princess. Il dare say my
husband will pay the bill when it is sent
to him." Tableau.
Queen Mary this time found Christmas
shopping a good deal heavier than usual,
as the King had decided to maintain the
custom of his late father of presen ting
small gifts to every member of the royal
household, in addition to their many
relatives abroad. Practically all of those
presents were selected by Queen Mary.
Her usual companion on these shopping
expeditions was Princess Mary, and occa-
sionally lady in waiting joined the
party. 1t was matter Of surprise that
the Queen managed to enter and to leave
crowded shops without even being recog-
nized.
Queen Alexandra has carefully pre-
served all the letters Of coincidence which
she received upon the death of the late
king. and they now are numbered among
her most treasured possessions. The let
ters have been divided into categories,
those from royalties and intimate friends
and those from thousands OF King Ed
wards subjects in England and all parts
Of the empire, many Of them being quite
poor people and also from children.
Next to ex-King Manuel of Portugal,
the most important person nowadays at
Wood-Norton is the Marquis de Lavradi.