06 January 2013

It's the first Sunday Supper of the new year, and the Third Season of Downton Abbey premieres tonight! We love this PBS series, so tonight's Sunday Supper is all things Downton! I was searching on the internet for various British classic dishes when I found a reference to the "Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook!" It includes both "upstairs" and "downstairs" recipes, and they all include various notes and hints about the era and its food. I found a copy of the cookbook locally, and I prepared the entire dinner from recipes in the book.

The entree featured Roasted Rosemary Cornish Hens, and I have not cooked them in years. Cornish hens are actually a young domestic chicken which originated in the county of Cornwall. While inexpensive, the young birds were considered a delicacy by the aristocrats. I paired the cornish hens with British Brussel Sprouts with Pecans and Daisy's Noisette Potatoes, small potato balls braised in clarified butter. Noisettes actually originated in France, according to the book, but the British aristocracy loved all things French. For dessert, I baked Mrs. Patmore's Madeira Pound Cake. The cake does not actually have Madeira in it, but you can drink the wine with the cake. I served it with fresh raspberries and Devonshire Cream. All in all, it was a great British meal and the perfect cuisine to put us in the mood for the Downton Premiere!

Last week, I was honored to have my Bill's Sunday Suppers blog syndicated by the Cherokee Tribune! My friend and Managing Editor, Rebecca Johnston has been trying to talk me into this for a while, so I finally embraced the idea for the new year. The first article got some great response, and I look forward to more posts. Until then, I wish you much luck and great food, whether you live the "upstairs" dream or serve honorably "downstairs."

The Menu:

- Roasted Rosemary Cornish Hens

- British Brussel Sprouts with Pecans

- Daisy's Noisette Potatoes

- Mrs. Patmore's Madeira Pound Cake with Raspberries
and Devonshire Cream


For a nice twist on traditional whipped cream, try a British twist:

Recipe for Easy Devonshire "Clotted" Cream

1 - 3 Ounce Cream Cheese

1 Tablespoon Sugar

Pinch Salt

1 Cup Heavy Cream

Cream the cream cheese, sugar and salt together. Add heavy cream and beat to soft peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use.