• Home
  • Audio/Podcasts
  • Austensites
  • AV/E-Texts
  • History
  • JA Novels & Bio
  • Links
  • Original Sources/19th C. Texts
  • Social Customs During the Regency
  • Teacher/Student
  • Writer/Literature Resources

Jane Austen's World

This Jane Austen blog brings Jane Austen, her novels, and the Regency Period alive through food, dress, social customs, and other 19th C. historical details related to this topic.

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« Downton Abbey, Season 4: Withdrawal Symptoms
Mary Brunton »

The Royal Kitchens at Kew

March 12, 2014 by Vic

The Royal Kitchens at Kew were opened in May 2012 to visitors for the first time in over 200 years. They were virtually untouched since the mid-1700s, during the era of King George III. This introductory video, The Royal Kitchens at Kew: a food history, provides a brief overview of the kitchen in 1788-1789, showing all the features of a typical Georgian kitchen:

The following video helps you step back in time to 6 February 1789 when George III was given his knife and fork back after his first bout of ‘madness’. Using similar cooking utensils as the Georgians, working in a Georgian kitchen, and making the soupe from an 18th century recipe, the chef hopes to recreate food that has the look and taste of cuisine 200 years ago. During this period, soup was often served by the male head of the household. We can easily imagine Rev. Austen or Mr. Bennet performing this office.

Mutton was a staple back in the Georgian era. This video demonstrates how one can make Mutton smoured in a frying panne. I am struck by how easy the ingredients are to come by today. I would love a charcoal stove like the one depicted, but would be afraid to burn my house down!

This video demonstrates the making of a rich chocolate custard tart. During this age, chocolate was used as a drink. Chocolate bars would not be “invented” until the 19th century. I love the chef’s messy style – it reminds me of my own cooking.

The kitchen is closed for the winter and is set to reopen March 29, 2014. To print the Georgian recipes in PDF format, click here.

Share with others:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Posted in 18th Century England, Georgian Life, Jane Austen's World | Tagged Georgian food, Royal Kitchens at Kew | 20 Comments

20 Responses

  1. on March 12, 2014 at 21:31 hocuspocus13

    Reblogged this on hocuspocus13.


  2. on March 12, 2014 at 22:46 Linda Chudej

    Wonderful videos! For awhile I was “lost” in a bygone era & loving it. Thank you.


  3. on March 13, 2014 at 01:21 Carolyn

    Fascinating to see the simplicity in technique and preparation of these dishes with little more than a knife, one burner, a few bowls and basic ingredients. Thank you for sharing this trip back in time.


  4. on March 13, 2014 at 01:30 Kathy N

    What splendid fun! He makes it look wonderfully simple, as do modern cooking shows, but imagine the learning curve for having the fire an even, perfect temperature. And beating the eggs with one’s fingers – imagine!


  5. on March 13, 2014 at 04:25 generalgtony

    Yes you MUST all go to Kew. It is one of my missions in life to get everybody to got to Kew..

    All the best,
    Tony


    • on March 13, 2014 at 18:54 cathyallen

      Ah, Tony, if only I COULD; alas, I live in Southern California, so it won’t happen anytime soon.

      Vic, this was fascinating; thank you! I’ve read about Ivan Day’s Georgian Cooking CLASSES at AustenOnly (sadly, the website is no longer operating, and it is sadly missed!), and it, too, was all fascinating stuff. For anyone interested, here’s the URL: http://austenonly.com/?s=Ivan+Day


  6. on March 13, 2014 at 11:40 marylandis

    Reblogged this on Hints and Echoes and commented:
    This is one of the most exciting things I’ve heard of in the way of restoration. It appears they will be able to recapture the past in a way that is very seldom possible.


  7. on March 13, 2014 at 11:44 marylandis

    This is one of the most exciting restoration efforts I have ever heard of. Will be interested to hear news of the project as they work on it.


  8. on March 13, 2014 at 12:14 Patty

    Thanks for the fascinating post, Vic. I’ve downloaded the Soupe Barley and plan to try. Looks easy.


  9. on March 13, 2014 at 12:33 ellaquinnauthor

    Reblogged this on Ella Quinn ~ Author and commented:
    Great post on kitchens!


  10. on March 13, 2014 at 12:34 First Night Design

    Lovely to read all about the Kew kitchens. Must get down there soon! You might be interested in my recent Jane Austen post: http://wp.me/p1mFAV-1Se


  11. on March 13, 2014 at 12:34 ellaquinnauthor

    Fabulous post. I tweeted and reblogged.


  12. on March 13, 2014 at 13:46 Emily

    Reblogged this on Living Adventurously and commented:
    18th Century England: The Kitchens at Kew


  13. on March 13, 2014 at 14:20 Maureen Mackey

    Great post! I enjoyed it very much.The cook makes the recipes look so easy – I actually want to try the chocolate custard.I knew the Georgians didn’t have chocolate candy bars but I didn’t know they had chocolate custard. Lucky them!


  14. on March 13, 2014 at 15:23 firecook

    I love this stuff about old school kitchens .Hope you don’t mind if I reblog this.:0)


  15. on March 13, 2014 at 15:35 firecook

    Reblogged this on culinaryspirit and commented:
    Old School cooking where cuisines came alive and where chefs, cooks etc came from.


  16. on March 13, 2014 at 20:41 robban2013

    Thank you so much for sharing those videos. I doubt I would have seen them othewise. I like the idea of cooking with the original utensils, but I do hope nobody had to wash them up the old way.


  17. on March 13, 2014 at 20:47 Kathie Wilson

    I enjoyed that SO much. I worked for fifteen years at Gunston Hall, the 18th century plantation owned by American patriot George Mason. 18th century history has a special place in my heart, and 18th century cookery is particularly fascinating. Thanks for this wonderful piece and new “favorite”. Kathie


  18. on March 13, 2014 at 21:22 booksnbakery

    i loved this!! thanks for sharing it! i want to adjust the recipes to fit my eating restrictions


  19. on March 17, 2014 at 17:42 Anna M. Thane

    Thank you so much for this brilliant post! A real treat for everyone fond of cooking and history. I wish I could join the team in finding the taste of the past.



Comments are closed.

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 7,125 other subscribers
  • Items of Interest

  • Follow Jane Austen's World on WordPress.com
  • Blog Stats

    • 16,622,900 hits
  • RECOMMENDED BOOKS AND RESOURCES

  • Fashionable Goodness: Christianity in Jane Austen's England is now available! By JAW contributor Brenda S. Cox. See Review. Available from Amazon and Jane Austen Books.
  • Praying with Jane: 31 Days through the Prayers of Jane Austen, Rachel Dodge, and a bookmark with the quote "A whole family assembling regulary for the purpose of prayer is fine!" Jane Austen, Mansfield Park
    We also recommend JAW contributor Rachel Dodge's devotionals based on Jane Austen's prayers and classic literature. Reviews:
    Praying With Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen;
    The Secret Garden Devotional;
    The Anne of Green Gables Devotional;
    The Little Women Devotional.
  • Book cover of Bath: An Adumbration in Rhyme by John Matthews
    Bath -An Adumbration in Rhyme. Edited by Ben Wiebracht. Read the review of the book at this link. Click to order the book on Amazon US or Amazon UK
  • In Sri Lanka lies the grave of Rear Admiral Charles Austen CB, Jane Austen’s Brother

    The neglected tombstone found in an overgrown burial ground.

    Rear Admiral Charles Austen CB

    Died off Prome, the 7th October 1852, while in command of the Naval Expedition on the river Irrawady against the Burmese Forces, aged 73 years.”

    The grave after restoration

    Read the full article in The Sunday Times. June 27, 2021.

  • The Obituary of Charlotte Collins by Andrew Capes

    Click on image to read the story.

  • Comments

    “My idea of good company…is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation.” – Jane Austen, Persuasion

     

    Gentle readers: Please feel free to post your comments and continue the conversation! Due to SPAM, we will no longer accept comments on posts after 30 days of publication. In some instances, links will be removed from comments as well.

  • Administrators and Contributors

    Vic Sanborn, founder of this blog, is supported by a team of talented and knowledgeable writers about Jane Austen and the Regency era. They are:

    • Brenda Cox
    • Rachel Dodge and
    • Tony Grant, who now contributes his photos from London and England

    Click on their names to enter their own blogs.

    In addition, we thank the many experts and authors who frequently contribute their posts and opinions, and who continue to do so freely or at our request.

  • Pin It!

    Follow Me on Pinterest
  • Top Posts

    • Winter, Regency Style
      Winter, Regency Style
    • Keeping Warm in the Regency Era, Part One
      Keeping Warm in the Regency Era, Part One
    • Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
      Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
    • Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
      Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
    • Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
      Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
    • Social Customs During the Regency
      Social Customs During the Regency
    • The Servant's Quarters in 19th Century Country Houses Like Downton Abbey
      The Servant's Quarters in 19th Century Country Houses Like Downton Abbey
    • Pride and Prejudice Economics: Or Why a Single Man with a Fortune of £4,000 Per Year is a Desirable Husband
      Pride and Prejudice Economics: Or Why a Single Man with a Fortune of £4,000 Per Year is a Desirable Husband
    • You can watch Persuasion 2007 online
      You can watch Persuasion 2007 online
    • Ways to Keep Warm in the Regency Era, Part 2
      Ways to Keep Warm in the Regency Era, Part 2
  • Recent Posts

    • Winter, Regency Style
    • Book Review: Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
    • Tracing Jane Austen’s Royal Ancestors Via Her Parents, by Ronald Dunning
    • Happy Birthday, Cassandra Austen!
    • Segmented Sleep: A common Phenomenon Before the Industrial Revolution
  • Links to Jane Austen Blogs

    Click here to enter the page. Topics include Regency fashion, historic foods, Jane Austen societies, British sites, related topics. Click on image.

  • May we suggest?

  • Hello, my name is Vic and I live in Maryland, USA. I have adored Jane Austen almost all of my life. I am a proud lifetime member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me and my team. We do not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, we do accept and keep books and CDs to review.

    If you would like to share a new site, or point out an error, please email us. (Yes, we are fallible. We'll own up to our mistakes and will make the corrections with a polite smile on our faces.) Write us at

    gmailbw

    Thank you for visiting this blog. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.

  • Project Gutenberg: eBook of Stage-coach and Mail in Days of Yore, Volume 2 (of 2), by Charles G. Harper

    STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE: A PICTURESQUE HISTORY
    OF THE COACHING AGE, VOL. II, By CHARLES G. HARPER. 1903. Click on this link.

     

  • Top Posts & Pages

    • Winter, Regency Style
    • Keeping Warm in the Regency Era, Part One
    • Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
    • Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
    • Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
    • Social Customs During the Regency
    • The Servant's Quarters in 19th Century Country Houses Like Downton Abbey
    • Pride and Prejudice Economics: Or Why a Single Man with a Fortune of £4,000 Per Year is a Desirable Husband
    • You can watch Persuasion 2007 online
    • Ways to Keep Warm in the Regency Era, Part 2
  • Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape
  • Disclaimer: Our team makes no profit from this blog. We may receive books (physical or digitized) and DVDs for review purposes.

  • Copyright Statement: © Jane Austen's World blog, 2009-2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jane Austen's World with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Blog at WordPress.com.

WPThemes.


  • Follow Following
    • Jane Austen's World
    • Join 7,125 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Jane Austen's World
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Copy shortlink
    • Report this content
    • View post in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: