1953

“Europeans” living in Africa and Asia, after about four years of hard work, used to take a long vacation to visit their homeland, the so-called “home leave”. Before World War II, home leaves lasted for nine months!  The reasons for this long duration being, that sea voyages were slow and tedious, that  people should be given the appropriate  time to recover from any ill affects of a tropical climate, and enjoy their vacation.   In the early 1960s, when passenger jet airliner flights became affordable and popular, traveling home by sea became a misty memory, and home leave was cut short to three months.     

My first “home leave”, accompanying my parents on a sea voyage, was when I was a baby.   The second was when I was almost four and nearly drowned in the swimming pool. The third was when I was eight and a quite a horror.  Once, I ensconced myself behind an armchair with a book and was lost for hours, my poor parents nearly went berserk. When we returned to India, after the war, I was an awkward young teenager, naïve, shy and concerned.

In mid-May, 1953 my parents and I boarded Anchor Line R.M.S. CILICIA, sailing from Karachi to Liverpool.  We were taking a long home leave to Greece, via Great Britain and the Continent.  Our friends came to bid us bon voyage.  Farewells and embraces and then anchors aweigh!   This was my first sea voyage as a young adult, and I was determined to enjoy it. A 15-day cruise on a wonderful ship, without a care in the world!

The first few days we all felt awfully sea sick, except my father.  But after Aden, we sailed into a calm Red Sea, on to Port Said and through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean.  The weather was beautiful; with the tiniest whiffs of breeze by day and a moon that kept us company by night.   We swam, enjoyed wonderful meals, went to the “pictures” to see the latest films, played bingo, bridge and danced to exhaustion.   We made new friends that we would never meet again after landing.  Cruise friendships.   But the highlight of the entertainment programme was a Fancy Dress Ball, held on the 13^th night, with great success.

And a few sad, nostalgic lines from the web:

“In 1980 R.M.S. CILICIA was towed to Bilbao for breaking up…..For this final voyage she was still in Anchor Line Colours.” 

This was a very popular gourmet dish, served on the R.M.S. CILICIA. The recipe must have been something like this:

BOILED LOBSTER BRUSHED WITH ASPIC

1½ -1¾ kg (3 – 3½ lb) lobster or 2 lobsters of equal size

Wine Court Bouillon:

2 celery stalks, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

1 large onion, sliced

1 sprig thyme

1 bay leaf

3-4 parsley sprigs

½ litre (2 cups) dry white wine

1½ litre (6 cups) water

2 tbsp salt

2 tsp black peppercorns

Aspic:

250 ml (1 cup) hot court bouillon, strained

1 envelope (1 tbsp) gelatine powder

6 tbsp iced water

4 tbsp white wine

A few drops of lemon juice or more, if preferred

Lemon mayonnaise:

375 ml (1½ cups) homemade mayonnaise or use any well known brand

Lemon juice according to choice

½ tsp finely grated lemon rind

Mix everything together

Garnish:

1- 2 black truffles, thinly sliced

Baby courgettes and carrots drizzled with olive oil and lemon dressing

Cherry tomatoes

Parsley
Chives, 6-8 stalks snipped

Place the vegetables into a large fish kettle, add the herbs, salt, peppercorns and the liquids and bring to the boil.  Simmer gently for about ½ hour.

Make the aspic by placing the gelatine in iced water for 10 minutes.  Pour the gelatine mixture into the hot court bouillon and mix very well together until the gelatine dissolves.  Then add the wine and the lemon juice and place the aspic over hot water, to keep it liquid.

Meanwhile tie a few chopsticks, securely, around the lobster/lobsters with kitchen string, in order to keep it/them flat. (I’m continuing in the singular.)  Place the lobster  in the fish kettle, and cover it completely with the strained court bouillon.  Bring  to the boil and simmer for about ½ an hour for one lobster and 20 minutes for two. Hold under a running tap, until completely cold.  Discard the string and the chopsticks and wipe the lobster dry.

Place the lobster on its stomach and remove the part of the shell that is just over the tail, with kitchen scissors. Keep cutting along both sides in order to remove the stomach part of the shell. Continue cutting through a depression which surrounds the head.  Cut and remove a strip of shell near the head.  Remove the tail meat in one peace and with a small, sharp knife make a shallow incision, lengthwise and remove and discard the intestine canal.

Slice the lobster into thick medallions, brush them lavishly with the liquid aspic and garnish each with a truffle slice.  Place the medallions, in one layer, in a covered dish in the refrigerator.

Discard the stomach part of the shell.   Also discard the gravel sack from the head. Wash both the hard shell and the head, wipe them dry and place them in a bag in the fridge.  Also try to extract meat from the claws which is, incidentally, delicious.   As it’s difficult to avoid breaking the claws, just place them whole, in the bag with the shells.

Two hours before your guests arrive, remove all you need from the fridge.   Place a large serving dish and the liquid aspic on the kitchen table.  Reconstruct the lobster on a bed of parsley, and with a little aspic stick the medallions attractively over the shell.  Arrange the baby courgettes, the baby carrots and the cherry tomatoes in separate piles, and sprinkle with chopped parsley and snipped chives.    Serve the lobster with a potato salad the lemon mayonnaise.    

The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on the 2^nd June 1953.

The 25-year-old Queen had already ascended on the throne after the death of her father, King George II, in February 1952.   The Coronation Ceremony was delayed as a period of mourning had to be strictly kept, according to tradition.

Apparently, sixteen moths of meticulous planning and preparation took place, so that the ceremony would proceed without the slightest flaw, the smallest hitch.   It was the first major event that was televised, in black and white, by the B.B.C. The Ceremony took place at the Westminster Abbey and was shown to millions of spectators in the United Kingdom and films were flown all over the world, almost beating time.

I revert to my story.  We landed in Liverpool on the 1^st or 2^nd of June 1953.   We booked in a hotel, and walked around to see the city.  We stopped to look at an  interesting, old church, when a clergyman came out of the garden gate and said.  “We have a television set, do come in and watch the Coronation Ceremony”.  Of course we accepted, and we sat there among twenty strangers, who were talkative, jubilant and very proud of their young Queen.

With eyes glued to the screen, we watched the royal procession being greeted at the Westminster Abbey by the high officers of the State, the high ecclesiastics that would perform the Coronation and the nobles appointed to carry the regalia, all dressed in magnificent robes. The Queen wore an elegant white, dress, by Norman Hartnell, which was beautifully embroidered with emblems of the Empire.    Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh stood handsome and composed next to his young wife.  

The Coronation ceremonial rites lasted about 2½ hours.  After being given the four symbols of authority, the orb, the sceptre, the rod of mercy and royal ring of sapphires and rubies, the Archbishop of Canterbury placed St. Edward’s Crown on the Queen’s head and completed the ceremony.  The congregation shouted “Long Live the Queen” and their stentorian voices echoed loud in the streets of London and all over the country: “Long Live the Queen”, “Long Live the Queen”. The whole nation rejoiced and celebrated.

We left Liverpool for London and stayed in a hotel in Kensington.   For about a month the atmosphere was  exuberant, and wherever we went, the question was always the same: “Did you watch the Coronation?”    In restaurants, dishes were renamed as “Coronation Chicken” or “Buckingham Treacle Tart” or “Crown Apple Crumble”.   Needless to say, that “Queen of Puddings” was very, very trendy in Great Britain, in 1953.

Here are a few recipes of traditional British dishes, renamed to match that year:

ROYAL DOVER SOLE

 Dover sole is highly esteemed for its delicate, succulent flesh, with which, delicious dishes can be prepared, with very few ingredients.  This old-fashioned recipe could have been served, sixty-one years ago, in Coronation England.

4 x 500 g (1 lb) Dover soles, cleaned and skinned

5 tbsp butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

3 cups fine, dried breadcrumbs, seasoned with salt, pepper + a pinch of each, nutmeg

                                                                                                      and ginger powder

Lemon juice

Lemon slices and parsley twigs

Pat the soles completely dry and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Mix the eggs with 1 tbsp of melted butter, very well together.

Dip both sides of the soles in the egg mixture, press into the seasoned breadcrumbs and place into a buttered dish.  Dribble the remaining butter around the fish and sprinkle it, evenly, with the remaining breadcrumbs.   Cook the soles in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 8-10 minutes or until the fish flakes, turning over once.

Serve the Dover sole sprinkled with lemon juice and garnished with parsley and lemon slices.

 CORONATION ROAST BEEF

Today, I would rub the meat all over with half a garlic clove and place sprigs of rosemary on top of the fat, to give the dish extra taste and savour.   Of course, in those days nobody touched garlic.

2½ kg (5 lb) sirloin of beef

Freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Rub the meat all over with pepper and place it, fat side up, in a deep roasting tin and roast it in an oven, preheated to the highest level, for 20 minutes.   Then lower the heat to 180 C (350 F) and roast the beef, until it is cooked according to preference.  

My English friends tell me to allow 15 minutes per 500 g (1 lb) for undercooked   (rare) meat and 20 minutes per 500 g (1 lb) for medium.   Some say that roast beef should be basted frequently, others insist that it shouldn’t be touched during the cooking period.  But they all agree that it should be served underdone.  So when the meat is cooked to perfection, transfer it to a heated dish and let it rest for15 minutes, before carving.

  

YORKSHIRE PUDDING

  

Yorkshire pudding is the absolute partner for roast beef.

  

2 eggs, well beaten

120 g (4 oz) plain flour

A scarce tsp salt

250 ml (1 cup) milk + a little more, if necessary

2 tbsp cold water

2 tbsp of meat dripping for baking or any other cooking fat.

Sift the flour in a bowl, make a well in the centre, pour in the eggs, half the milk and the salt and beat until smooth.  Add the remaining milk and water and stir until well combined.   Place the batter in a jug, cover and put aside to rest for at least 30 minutes, in the fridge.

Heat the oven to the highest level.  Add 2 tbsp of dripping into a 25 cm (10 inch) square tin and place it in the oven until the fat splutters.  Take the batter to the oven and pour it in the sizzling tin.   Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 180 C (350 F) and bake for 15 minutes more until the pudding is puffed, crisp and golden. Divide into squares and serve immediately.

  

HORSE-RADISH SAUCE

Another must for roast beef.

4 tbsp bottled horse-radish strained and squeezed completely dry

2 tsp vinegar

1½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp mustard powder

Salt and white pepper (about ½ tsp of each)

250 ml (1 cup) iced thick cream or a little more, whipped to the stiff peak stage

Stir the first five ingredients very well together.  Pour them over the whipped cream and lightly fold together until thoroughly combined.  Taste and add a little salt, if necessary.  Serve cold with the roast beef.

QUEEN ELIZABETH’S STRAWBERRY TRIFLE

          

Strawberries and cream always remind me of England. Trifle is the absolute British dessert made with fruit, biscuits, cake, jam, fruit macerated in rum, brandy or sherry, custard and cream. This is a version for the whole family.

Plain cake, sliced (see recipe below)

About 300g (10 oz) strawberry jam

500 g (2 cups) fresh orange juice, you might not need it all

2-3 tbsp brandy or Grand Marnier, more for adults

500 g (1 lb) strawberries

Grated rind of 1 orange

Brandy custard (see recipe below)

500 ml double cream, whipped to the soft peak stage, with

2-3 tbsp icing sugar

Plain Cake:

300 g (10 oz) butter at room temperature

300 g (10 oz) sugar

A pinch of salt

1 tsp grated orange rind

300 g (10 oz) self raising flour

4 large eggs, separated, whites whipped stiff

Brandy Custard:

500 ml (2 cups) milk

250 ml (1 cup) double cream

A twist of fresh orange peel

8 egg yolks

90 g (3 oz) sugar or more if preferred

1 pinch salt

1 liqueur glass brandy, Grand Marnier would be wonderful

10-12 or more ratafia biscuits, see recipe below.

Make the cake at least one day before you need it.   Beat the butter and sugar together with the salt and the grated orange rind, until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour, and fold in the whipped egg whites until no traces are visible.  Place in a large loaf tin, lined with baking parchment and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 40-45 minutes.  Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.  Keep for 1 day before slicing.

For the custard, bring the milk, cream and orange peel to the boil and remove the saucepan from the heat.  Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and salt until pale and almost doubled in bulk.  Discard the orange peel and pour the hot milk mixture over the eggs and keep on whipping for 2 minutes at least.  Then pour the custard back into a clean saucepan and simmer gently, stirring with a wooden spoon in a figure of eight pattern and do not let it boil. Add the brandy or liqueur, and when the sauce coats the back of the spoon, remove from the fire immediately and stir for 5 minutes more, until it cools a little. Then place in a bowl, and cover both the surface of the custard and the bowl with cling film and leave to cool completely before using.

One day before you want to serve the trifle, start assembling it.   Slice the cake and make 6-8 sandwiches with strawberry jam. Place them at the bottom of a glass bowl. Combine the orange juice and the brandy and sprinkle over the cake. Reserve 10-12 of the most attractive strawberries for garnishing.  Slice the remaining strawberries and scatter them over the cake. Sprinkle with the grated orange rind.  Spoon the custard over the strawberries and even the surface.  Cover the bowl with cling film and place the trifle in the fridge. 

One hour before your guests arrive, cover the trifle with ratafia biscuits if using, top with whipped cream and garnish attractively with the reserved strawberries. Pipe a few rosettes of cream round the edges, if you wish.

RATAFIA BISCUITS

These are crisp almonds biscuits, a layer or two of which are, occasionally, used in trifles, to give the dessert an unexpected, crunchy texture.

2 egg whites, whipped stiff, with a pinch of salt

30 g (1 oz) melted butter

180 g (6 oz) caster sugar

120 g (4 oz) ground almonds

1 tbsp flour

½ tsp bitter almond liqueur (optional)

Beat butter and sugar and add the almonds and flour and mix very well together.  Add the liqueur, if using, and fold in the whipped egg whites and mix into a smooth, thick paste.

Shape cherry-sized balls with the dough.   Place on a baking tin (lined with baking parchment) 5 cm (2 inches) apart.   Bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 15 minutes or until brown around the edges.  Remove from the oven and let the biscuits cool in the tin.