Christmas dinner.... by quietpurplehaze

Christmas dinner....

.....in Tudor times.

The aristocracy were fond of roast swan at this time of year. The bird was skinned, cooked, and re-inserted in its skin to be served as a table centre piece.

A six-month old cygnet was preferred, being more tender than an adult bird.

I'm just wondering where the National Trust sourced this swan.....
Oh my gosh, I first thought was how did they get the swan to sit still! Very interesting. When we visited the palace Het Loo in Apeldoorn in July there was a setting with the swan on the table too. So part of the royal way of dining in those times.
December 8th, 2016  
@365projectorgjenfurj

That's interesting - in foreign parts too! I think this was a swan that had had the attentions of a taxidermist!
December 8th, 2016  
How interesting Hazel, I know that the rich eat swan but didn't know it was presented at the table this way, it would put me off for a start but then it was a different type of life then:)
December 8th, 2016  
Bep
Interesting to read, Hazel, but not for me, thank you.
December 8th, 2016  
Very interesting
December 8th, 2016  
I always wondered what a swan would taste like
December 8th, 2016  
That's gross!
December 8th, 2016  
Mmmm not for me
December 8th, 2016  
I am not sure I could sit and eat this, it would put me off. I have eaten snake, kangaroo and crocodile, but at least they cut it up first.
December 8th, 2016  
Glad i live in the 21st century :)
December 8th, 2016  
So is this a sample display or a real meal based on Tudor times made for guests? It's FASCINATING thaatvit would be reinserted on the skin, and I wonder how they achieved that without creating a bacterial nightmare! This was very interesting Hazel!
December 8th, 2016  
@darylo

Yes this is just a display but a bit of googling reveals that this treatment was used for peacocks as well as swans. Not hygienic as you say and of everything we saw of these Christmas traditions, this one fascinated me - horribly!
December 8th, 2016  
My God! It looks like a living! I would not become eat it
December 8th, 2016  
@olenadole

Me neither! (I didn't realise this would upset everyone so much....)
December 8th, 2016  
How interesting that they put it back into its skin. I can't imagine sitting down to such a meal.
December 8th, 2016  
@quietpurplehaze Very true! Thanks for the photo and the history. :)
December 8th, 2016  
Interesting photo and history
December 8th, 2016  
I have cooked many birds but not a Swan, they also used to put a bird in a bird several times taking out the bones so they could get more birds in the biggest bird...
December 8th, 2016  
@tonygig

We had a joint which was a bird or two within a bird (but not put back in the outer skin!) one Christmas but we didn't like it very much.
December 8th, 2016  
I too thought this swan was still alive! Just thinking a dangerous place to sit for a bird at this time of the year!
December 8th, 2016  
Interesting information I never realised they displayed the whole swan. Talk about showing off.
December 8th, 2016  
Interesting info
December 9th, 2016  
Such interesting historic gastronomy...and what well done photography...beautiful soft lighting works so well here.
December 9th, 2016  
I think at Porterhouse College Cambridge, the swan was stuffed with a goose, that was stuffed with a peacock, that was stuffed with a chicken, that was stuffed with a duck etc. etc, right down to a skylark. Unfortuantely the size of our oven prevents us from trying this ourselves.
December 10th, 2016  
@laroque

Oh wow, never tried skylark - or peacock!
December 10th, 2016  
Looks like it's all ready to pounce on the guests!
December 10th, 2016  
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