Charles III Coronation: From cheese quiche to 15th century delicacies, London's hotels are cooking up feasts fit for a king. Photo / Max Mumby, Getty Images
Charles III Coronation: From cheese quiche to 15th century delicacies, London's hotels are cooking up feasts fit for a king. Photo / Max Mumby, Getty Images
With just over a week until the coronation of Charles III, London’s top hospitality has been losing its head.
It’s a once-in-a-century event that hotels and tourist attractions have been trying to mark with a menu befitting a King. But a relatable, constitutionally appointed King, with just the right measure of opulence expected of a monarch overseeing a cost of living crisis - such is the coronation conundrum.
There will be no Louis IVX stuffed peacocks on next week’s menu.
In an effort to give visitors a sense of occasion and a taste of royal treatment, special menus, regal hotel suites and souvenirs have been devised for the occasion.
Whether taking inspiration from Good King Wenceslas, Bad King John or just Ethelred the Unready, the results have been mixed, but undeniably regal.
Food is an important part of any coronation. The appointing of Charles III is no different.
70 years ago, the ascension to the throne of Elizabeth II was marked with anointing roast chicken with a mixture of curry powder and mayonnaise - “Coronation Chicken”, the result.
The crowning of Queen Victoria was celebrated with fluffy sponge cake.
Let them eat quiche: The palace published its own royal recipe for the coronation. Photo / The Royal Household, Supplied
Last month the palace published a recipe for ‘Coronation Quiche’, flavoured by “spinach, broad beans and fresh tarragon”. It’s likely to appear on menus and tables around the realm.
However, some restaurants and hotels have taken regal ingredients and have run wild.
The Hilton Bankside hotel has been drawing crowds ahead of the big event, with a 40kg chocolate coach.
The edible replica of the coronation carriage is almost two metres tall and 180cm long, made from chocolate coated in gold powder.
The hotel, which is charging £300 ($606) a night over the coronation weekend, told the Daily Mail the “intricately designed sculpture took a monumental 25 days to build”.
Heston Blumenthal - a British chef whose favourite kitchen cooking implements include an atomiser and liquid nitrogen - has his own take on a coronation feast.
In partnership with the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park hotel, the chef has gone back in time to create a menu of classics from coronations past. On the menu is veal sweetbread as served at the crowning of George IV in 1821 and fflampayne - a pudding last seen at the coronation of Henry V in 1413.
Heston Blumenthal has reconstructed a 15th century Coronation classic of 'fflampayne' for the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park hotel. Photo / Supplied
Dug out of the middle ages cookery book “Noble boke off cookry for a prynce houssolde or eny other estately houssholde”, hopefully it’s just as much of a royal court pleaser, 600 years later. The cookery book suggests it’s a perfect accompaniment to jousting.
When it comes to coronation cocktails, ideas have flowed more easily.
There isn’t a boozer in London that hasn’t put their own twist on a royal cocktail.
The Royal Lancaster in Hyde Park has mixed a limited edition cocktail called ‘the Monarch’, which promises “elegance in every sip”. At £18 ($37) and composed mainly of gold leaf and vermouth, it’s one not to be rushed. It also includes a dash of Darjeeling Tea, the monarch’s favourite beverage.
Royal tea: The Goring hotel is toasting his majesty with coronation Darjeeling tea. Photo / Supplied
The Royal Goring Hotel is also serving up an afternoon tea menu on the theme of Coronation Darjeeling, with a blend of royal Darjeeling (“the Champagne of teas”) and a variety of regal dainties, such as Coddled Clarence Court eggs. From £75 ($152) per head.
The St James’s Hotel in Mayfair is offering front row seats to the Coronation Procession and - at £775 ($1567)per night, with a two-night minimum - is charging a king’s ransom for the privilege. This five-star Royal residency is throwing in Breakfast, Champagne tea and an assortment other royal treats, in honour of their neighbours at Buckingham Palace.
While horse-drawn carriages are in high demand that week, and mostly reserved for royalty, the package does include a “London Tour with classic Mini Coopers”.
