Georgian cook-along films

Three authentic 18th century dishes to create at home, with these step-by-step video guides: Soupe Barley, Mutton Smoured in a Frying Panne and Chocolate Tart.

Soupe Barley

This is Soupe Barley – a thick hearty broth popular at the time

The meals served here at Kew Palace always started with a soup. Interestingly, in this period the soup was often served to the guests by the male head of the household – but probably not the King himself!

Download the recipe as a pdf
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Chocolate Tart

This is a rich, chocolate custard tart – made using a red hot shovel!

Chocolate was as popular 200 years ago as it is today – but this dish is unusual as it was normally a drink. It was still many years before you could buy a chocolate bar.

Download the recipe as a pdf
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Mutton smoured in a frying panne

Coming soon...

Smoured means seared or covered in brown. This is a light, fresh dish with an almost Mediterranean flavour.

Today mutton isn’t as common as lamb – but it was far more popular in the past. Lemons would have been imported from the Mediterranean, but there was an entire farm growing food here at Kew – and a range of local suppliers (including an man called Savage Bear – “Purveyor of Roots and Herbs”)

A King fit for food...

Join chef Robin Mitchener, part of the historic kitchens team at Historic Royal Palaces, in the Royal Kitchens at Kew: untouched for 200 years, now brought back to life and opened to the public for the very first time.

These are three of the dishes served to King George III on 6 February 1789, the day he was well enough to eat with a knife and fork again, after one of his well known periods of illness.
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Visiting the Royal Kitchens at Kew

The kitchens open to the public on 18 May 2012. To find out more about visiting these unique surviving kitchens for yourself, click here
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