A Downton Dinner, Planning an 9 Course Meal

I’ve been working out of town since we returned from our backpacking trip so haven’t cooked or thought about food much until the last few days. I’ve just returned home this week and am quickly trying to get back into home life all the while preparing for a Downton dinner party. The difference between this party and our last one is that this party will be a party with friends dressed for dinner and lots of courses.

I’ve not had much time to do research but it looks like the dinner must consist of: 1. Appetizers, 2. soup, 3. roasted foul, 4. Wine jelly, 5. a meat with veges, 6. salad, 7. cheese, 8.dessert.  Trying to put this together has been a challenge as I’ve had no time, however we will get a simple dinner done.

A friend, Aletha will bring the Appetizers. For dessert, another friend, Ross, will bring Treacle Tart, mentioned in Season 3, Episode 1. Dolly will bring Rice Pudding.

I’ve spent time on planning the dinner tonight, again looking at all of the Downton Abbey food sites. Here is my thought: a Potato Leak soup, some sort of Salmon dish, Roasted Chicken au jus (remember when the cat got the roasted chicken?), Wine Jelly, Roast with Yorkshire Pudding and gravy, Asparagus salad with a mustard vinaigrette and then various cheeses.

We hated our dining room chairs so gave them away a year or so ago. Now we had no time to order any and even less money that we wanted to spend on chairs. We found some at Target, plain wood, nothing fancy. Dale just put them together and those will be what we use along with our dinette chairs.

It looks like we will have 11 people around the table. Most in costume.

I wanted to make a dress but unfortunately, just arriving home, there is no time. I found a layered dress that I’d bought years ago, made from a kind of sheer fabric that I’ll put over a longer skirt. I have a hat that is the main thing that I want to wear. The elastic is gone so I’ll need to repair it but hopefully can get it to work. We will buy a white shirt and white tie for Dale. He can wear that with his dinner jacket. He will look like a waiter!

My grandmother bought dishes I believe in about 1916 so we will use as many of those dishes as possible. Also, my mom has a bunch of collectible dishes that I’d hoped to see about selling for her. I think I’ll look thru those dishes tomorrow and see if we can use any for our dinner.

I’ll post photos as I can.