# Aubrey Maturin Dinner Menu with Recipes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 21, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aubrey-maturin-dinner-menu-with-recipes/568463 "2011-01-21T16:41:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aubrey-maturin-dinner-menu-with-recipes/568463/1 "2011-01-21T16:41:12Z")
My lovely wife is a hardcore lover of the Aubrey Maturin books (Those Master and Commander novels). I have gifted her with the full set in hardback, plus many in paperback as well when she travels. I bought her 3 different reference style books for Christmas (per her request). Now, in response to another thread, I want to hold a small dinner party for her in complete Royal Navy style. For this, I call on the Dope for help. I cook, and I am decent in the kitchen. However, I want to try to do this tomorrow night, so recipes that need 3 days of lead time won’t work. Please pass on any good recipes that don’t require too much in the way of specialized ingredients only available in a back alley of London that sometimes leads to the Neverwhere. I live in Southern California. There IS an English food specialty shop I can get to tonight. I am planning on having my sons serve as Midshipmen in white t-shirts and neckers. My older one will ensure that glasses of (Claret?) are always full. From other threads: Parsnips in butter (easy to handle) Biscuits with some brown rice tossed in as Weevils What else should I make, and does anyone have the recipe? ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aubrey-maturin-dinner-menu-with-recipes/568463/2 "2011-01-21T18:46:39Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > Please pass on any good recipes that don’t require too much in the way of specialized ingredients only available in a back alley of London that sometimes leads to the Neverwhere. I live in Southern California. There IS an English food specialty shop I can get to tonight. > > I am planning on having my sons serve as Midshipmen in white t-shirts and neckers. My older one will ensure that glasses of (Claret?) are always full. > > From other threads: > > Parsnips in butter (easy to handle) > Biscuits with some brown rice tossed in as Weevils > > What else should I make, and does anyone have the recipe? My menu (from the other thread) is online at [http://www.raggedclown.com/2011/01/17/the-captains-table/](http://www.raggedclown.com/2011/01/17/the-captains-table/) Syllabub is heavy cream whipped and floated in red wine and sugar. Easy. The center piece of my menu is Jack’s favourite pudding - spotted dog. Not exactly easy but not too difficul eithert. Tasty too if you don’t object to suet (available at butchers everywhere). Marchepane is marzipan. I plan to make little achor shapes and dolphins - and weevils of course. Strasbourg pie is made from foie gras and bacon! I plan to substitute duck pate for foie gras as a nod to my guests liberal sensitivities. I am interpreting kickshaws as “whatever i decide to put on little plates when the guests arrive”. I’d lend you my copy of “lobscouse and spotted dog” but southern california is a long way from northern california. The book is excellent and has lots of easy recipes if you can get a copy - maybe on kindle? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aubrey-maturin-dinner-menu-with-recipes/568463/3 "2011-01-21T18:50:29Z")
Don’t forget several pots of viciously strong “true Arabian mocha” coffee after dessert. And Stephen wondered why he had to drink laudanum to get any sleep! ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aubrey-maturin-dinner-menu-with-recipes/568463/4 "2011-01-21T18:51:11Z")
I’d be happy to type in a recipe from the book, if there is something you have in mind. The book includes almost everything that Jack ate during the entire series - including turtle, porpoise, miller and - my favourite - boiled shit. A lot of the desserts and puddings are especially easy and … interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aubrey-maturin-dinner-menu-with-recipes/568463/5 "2011-01-21T19:11:06Z")
\*\*kevlaw \*\*- being a complete thief, I will just copy YOURS! (Menu that is) Any recipes from your list for the Strasbourg Pie and the Spotted Dick you are willing to share are greatly appreciated. I will also order the book today, though it won’t arrive in time. ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aubrey-maturin-dinner-menu-with-recipes/568463/6 "2011-01-22T01:08:10Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > \*\*kevlaw \*\*- being a complete thief, I will just copy YOURS! (Menu that is) > > Any recipes from your list for the Strasbourg Pie and the Spotted Dick you are willing to share are greatly appreciated. I will also order the book today, though it won’t arrive in time. I am flattered. Strasbourg pie: the recipe in the book serves 20 and calls for foie gras. I’m serving 5 and will substitute pate. 1lb foie gras 1lb bacon 1lb puff pastry 1 Egg beaten with 1tsp of water Make a pie base. Line it with bacon!! Put in pate. Add more bacon!!! Make pie top. Cut holes in top. Decorate with anchors 🙂 cement pie closed with egg. And brush egg over whole top. Bake at 450 for 10mins. Reduce to 350 for another 20 mins. ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aubrey-maturin-dinner-menu-with-recipes/568463/7 "2011-01-22T01:17:09Z")
Spotted dog: 4 cups flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1 3/4 cups currants 1/2 lb suet (grated) 1 cup of milk 2 eggs lightly beaten Mix first five ingredients in bowl Add currents. mix. Add suet. Mix. Grease pudding basin (improvise!) Tie a damp, floured cloth over top. Steam the whole thing in a pot of boiling water for two hours. Serve with custard. Google “suet puddings” for more details on the steaming business. You can probably buy a suet pudding at the local british store, but i am looking forward to making my own. My mum was very excited to hear that i was making it as she used to make them for us as kids. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aubrey-maturin-dinner-menu-with-recipes/568463/8 "2011-01-22T01:20:34Z")
[QUOTE=kevlaw] Marchepane is marzipan. I plan to make little achor shapes and dolphins - and weevils of course. [/QUOTE] You should have a prize for whoever gets the lesser one of course. Those who’ve read the first novel especially should appreciate the presence of goat cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aubrey-maturin-dinner-menu-with-recipes/568463/9 "2011-01-22T02:13:01Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > You should have a prize for whoever gets the lesser one of course. Getting the smaller one is prize enough. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aubrey-maturin-dinner-menu-with-recipes/568463/10 "2011-01-22T03:35:10Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > Biscuits with some brown rice tossed in as Weevils You can do [better than that](http://www.hotlix.com/insect_candy/larvets.html) for a Weevil substitute. Though unfortunately, it doesn’t look like they sell _unflavored_ Mealworms.