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Old English Dishes: Cookery

An olden Christmas feast wherein the wild boar forms the pièce de résistance is also figured in King's "Art of Cookery," the only English work except "The Philosopher's Banquet," by "W. B.," that has discoursed on gastronomy to any considerable extent in verse: "At Christmas time be careful of your fame; See the old tenant's table be the same.

Then if you would send up the brawner's head, Sweet rosemary and bays around it spread!

His foaming tusks let some large pippin grace, Or midst those thund'ring spears an orange place, Sauce like himself, offensive to its foes, The roguish mustard, dang'rous to the nose.

Sack and the well spiced Hippocras the wine, Wassail the bowl with ancient ribbands fine, Porridge with plumbs, and turkeys with the chine."