As we've discussed how cake becomes the centrepiece of a birthday celebration, but when it comes to a dinner party, in particular Christmas dinner, the importance of the centrepiece is central to the coming together of all the food pieces presented. It creates the ultimate mood and atmosphere that is needed to complete the elements of a perfectly laid out elements of dinner, otherwise everything around it alone would look helpless. In Victorian times, the upper class would present lavish dinners with selection of foods for the sake of making an impression. Well elaborated meals with more food was classified as better as it presented a housewife to be the hard working women she was expected to be. My mum and I would slave for ours on end (I lie, mostly my mum!) to create these mahoosive meals for our guests - but there's one thing I'd always remember when everyone was wow-ed by her creations, her response would be: "Oh, it was nothing!". When everyone there knew behind the scenes there was likely to be chaos in ensuring the meal was made to perfection! This is just like what we read of the women of the Victorian time and within literature. There was be no admission to any form of hardwork done (even though it was perfectly clear by the mass of display before everyone's eyes!). This was just the mentality of the people at the time and has definitely continued to flow in to modern day - at least in my household with my mother! In our house, turkey doesn't go down too well as a main dish so the option of the compulsory centrepiece was a leg of lamb. Here's a picture of my very odd looking Christmas 2012 dinner:
Looking into the history of the importance of the centrepiece dates me back to the Victorian era and where better to start looking than in the Victorian household must-have handbook - Mrs Beeton's Household Management. "Beeton retained her journalistic perspective approaching each dish as a novice rather than an expert, and painstakingly describing every stage in its construction. Her style is matter of fact and determingly impersonal" (xiv). She had a focus on the idea of "grandoise pathos" which was a powerful advocate for the pleasures of meat being a well talked about subject in the book. This book was aimed for the lower-middle class women of the time who could use it as a guide in order to present their management of the household as best possible. Beeton describes - "Those who had newly acquired middle class status were anxious to draw a firm distinction between themselves and the arrivistes". We are hit with the the illustration of impressing guests and family again. This is the aim of the centrepiece from the leg of lamb, to the large turkey, which ever meat option it is it was a compulsory asset to complete a dinner presentation. There are sketches and diagrams of how they were to be cut (a role aimed for the father of the family) and therefore complete the routine acquired at the typical Victorian dinner. The centrepiece is the must-needed aspect to complete any given meal, particularly one of importance.
I thought I'd leave this post with a fun poem based upon Christmas dinner (even if we are bang in the middle of that in-between stage of the season!)
Christmas Dinner by Lena Townsend
A Christmas dinner that can’t be beat
Here is the menu of what we’ll eat
Mashed potatoes whipped smooth and fluffy
Green bean casserole; nice and crunchy
Pickles and olives on a perfect relish tray
Cranberry delight that’s been chilling all day
Sweet potatoes such tasty treats
Hot rolls steaming both white and wheat
Homemade honey butter and strawberry jam
A gorgeous honey glazed Christmas ham
Turkey and noodles are piping hot
A fuzzy naval salad; I almost forgot
A slow roasted turkey golden brown
And broccoli rice casserole; pass it around
For dessert we’ve a variety of tasty treats
Tons of scrumptious goodies to eat
Chocolate chip cookies and brownies so sweet
Four kinds of pies including minced meat
It’s all there so fill up your plate
I’m getting mine, I can hardly wait
Is your mouth watering? Because I know mine is!
