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Family Festivities Quiz: Finding Festive Feasts Artefact Activity

Part 1: Finding Festive Feasts Quiz

Part 2: Finding Festive Feasts Quiz

Part 3: Finding Festive Feasts Quiz 

Part 4: Finding Festive Feasts Quiz 

Part 5: Finding Festive Feasts Quiz & Bonus (Part 6): The last in the ‘What is it?!’ series of the Finding Festive Feasts Quiz

The Finding Festive Feasts series concludes with a related art and crafts activity – here; and associated creative writing competition, here.

There’ll also be a few more activities (including Christmas crafts) before the holidays that relate to the Interactive Guide – so check back, and / or subscribe to mailing list using the mailing list signup form; or social media; to be sure not to miss out.

Introduction

The Pickwick in the Park stall at the Markeaton Park Family Festivities event (which accompanied the release of the Pickwick in the Park Dickensian Derbyshire Country Christmas Interactive Guide) included an activity integrating the objects on display. For those unable to have a go at the activity at the event, it will be shared on this website in a series of posts, published on each day of the following week.

This, the first post in the series, introduces the activity, outlining what it’s about, and how to take part. Parts two-seven look at each of the six displays, sharing object images, and clues, alongside the accompanying panels and labels. The last (eighth) part will provide the answers to the final part of the quiz; and information on how to send in answers, for a social media shout-out. All of the parts of the quiz will be brought together here.

The questions for most objects are:

• What do you think this / these object(s) would have been used for / how do you think it / they would have been used?
• Where / in which room(s) of a house?
• Can you think how it / they might have been used at, or in preparing for, Christmas, in particular?

Clues are provided for each object; and answers given in follow-on posts.

Finding Festive Feasts Display and Artefact Activity Introduction

Part 1: Finding Festive Feasts Quiz

This post looks at the first of six displays at the Markeaton Park Family Festivities event, on which the quiz is based.

The questions are:

• What do you think these objects would have been used for / how do you think they’d have been used?
• Where / in which room(s) of a house?
• Can you think how they might have been used in preparing for Christmas, in particular?

Clues are provided below; and answers given in the following post in the series, alongside information on the second object(s).

Object 1

Locally-made late 1700s – early 1800s salt-glazed stoneware vessel – a type that would have been a staple in many late Georgian homes, perhaps including Markeaton Hall.

The material was durable, and so used for everyday tasks. Such a vessel may well have remained in use for decades, and was probably still used into the 1820s – 1830s.

Clues

Clue 2:

Almond Icing…

Beat the whites of three eggs to a strong froth ; beat a pound of Jordan almonds very fine with rose water ; mix the almonds with the eggs lightly together, a pound of common loaf sugar beat fine, and put in by degrees; when the cake is enough, take it out, lay the icing on, and then put it in to brown.

Houlston’s Housekeeper’s Assistant, 1828.

The answers to Part 1 Finding Festive Feasts Quiz are available here.

Part 2: Finding Festive Feasts Quiz

This post presents the second part of the quiz, based on the second display at the Markeaton Park Family Festivities event. The first post in the series (Introduction) provides more information on the activity; and an activity summary provided in the previous Part 1 Quiz Post.

Display 2: Posh Porcelain

Markeaton excavations uncovered porcelain cup sherds – but in a place that perhaps seems unexpected: the stables area (in the centre of what is now the Craft Village).

Porcelain tea- and table-wares were costly at this time, though English-made transfer-printed porcelain less so than the hand-painted Chinese imports they imitated. Ceramics made in the last years of the 1700s and early years of the 1800s are likely to have still been used into the 1800s, and some into the 1820s – 1830s (and beyond) – especially those made of expensive materials, such as porcelain. 

• What do you think these objects would have been used for / how do you think they’d have been used?
• Where / in which room(s) of a house?
• Can you think how they might have been used at, or in preparing for, Christmas, in particular?

Clues

The answers to Part 2 Finding Festive Feasts Quiz are available here.

Part 3: Finding Festive Feasts Quiz.

This post presents the third part of the quiz, based on the third display at the Markeaton Park Family Festivities event. The first post in the series (Introduction) provides more information on the activity; and an activity summary provided in the Part 1 Quiz Post.

Excavations at Markeaton uncovered numerous sherds of nineteenth-century transfer-printed earthenware. Some of those recorded perhaps include tableware similar to the example pictured above – which appears to be either made or influenced by Spode / Copeland. Although not made of the more expensive porcelain, it wouldn’t have been cheap to buy.

• What do you think this object would have been used for / how do you think it’d have been used?
• Where / in which room(s) of a house?
• Can you think how it might have been used at, or in preparing for, Christmas, in particular?

Clues

Clue 3:

DIRECTIONS FOR CARVING.

Sirloin of Beef.—This favourite joint is all prime. The carver may begin at either end, or in the middle. This last, however, is neither the most economical nor sightly method. If the meat is to be presented again cold, this deep trench—this “ forty mortal gashes on its side”—looks very ill, while it drains the joint of its juices. Many like the browned outside slice though dry ; but, if not chosen, it is to be laid aside, and, cutting down to the bone, a handsome slice is to be served with part of the soft fat delicately cut, gravy, and horseradish. The inside or English side may be preferred by some guests ; the joint must, in that case, be turned over, and slices cut from thence.

Turkey.—Where the party is not very large, and the dishes numerous, a good many small delicate slices, with very thin portions of the stuffing, may be helped lengthways from the breast. If this is not sufficient, proceed as directed for a goose, page 44.

A Goose.—The carver must cut thin nice slices in the lines a b, down to the breast-bone, helping round as he carves. If there be stuffing, the apron must be cut open in the circular line fig, and part of it may be served with each helping. If there be no stuffing, a glass of wine, a little orange-gravy, or vinegar, is poured into the body of the goose at the opening, which the carver, for this purpose, makes in the apron. Orange-gravy or red wine is also often poured over the sliced breast of goose or duck, before the slices are taken out. If the party be so numerous that the breast-slices are not sufficient, the carver must proceed to take off the right leg, for which purpose he must put his fork through the small end, press it close to the body, and, meanwhile, entering his knife at d, jerk the leg smartly back, and the joint will separate, when the leg may easily be cut off in the direction d e. The wing on the same side is next to be taken off. For this purpose, fix the fork in the pinion, press it to the body, and, entering the knife ate, separate the joint, and afterwards cut off the wing in the direction c d. Proceed in the same way to take off the other leg and wing. In helping a goose, the thigh, which is a favourite part, may be separated from the drumstick, and the fleshy part of the wing from the pinion. Fortunately for the carver, the breast-slices are in general found sufficient; as dismembering an old goose or Turkey is one of the most laborious and awkward of his duties.

A Christmas Goose-Pie.*—Bone and season highly a goose and a large fowl. Stuff the latter with forcemeat made of minced tongue or ham, minced veal, parsley, suet, pepper, and salt, with two eggs. Stew them for twenty minutes in a little good broth in a close stew-pan. Put the fowl within the goose, and place that in a raised pie-crust, filling up the vacancies with forcemeat or slices of parboiled tongue or pigeons, partridges, &c. Put plenty of butter over the meat. This pie will take three hours to bake. It will eat well cold, and keep a long while.

The Cook and Housewife’s Manual, Margaret Dods, 1827.

The answers to Part 3 Finding Festive Feasts Quiz are available here.

Part 4: Finding Festive Feasts Quiz

This post presents the fourth part of the quiz, based on the fourth display at the Markeaton Park Family Festivities event. The first post in the series (Introduction) provides more information on the activity; and an activity summary provided in the Part 1 Quiz Post.

Many sherds of nineteenth-century transfer-printed earthenware were found at Markeaton Hall; it’s likely that they included some decorated with a similar pattern to this example. This type of pottery wasn’t the cheapest available: decorated earthenware was usually more expensive than undecorated; and this and similar refined earthenware would’ve been unaffordable for many.

One particular version of this pattern became very popular at this time – and continues to be used today – making ceramics decorated with this design difficult to date, when there are no maker’s marks.

Do you know what this popular pattern is commonly called?

This object has a blue-tinted glaze (the addition of cobalt both in imitation of Chinese porcelain; and acting as an optical brightener – comparable to the previously-widespread use of ‘laundry blue’ with whites); and it’s relatively light weight in comparison to later clear-glazed white-bodied earthenware (clear glaze becoming common from the 1820s, and white-bodied earthenware from the 1830s). This suggests that it’s a type of earthenware known today as ‘Pearlware’, dating it to c. 1780s – 1840. The design dates it to or after the 1790s; and print colour to or after the 1810s – 1820s (clear glaze seeming to have become common in the latter decade). Together, the evidence suggests that it was manufactured c. 1820 – 1840.

• What do you think this object would have been used for / how do you think it’d have been used?
• Where / in which room(s) of a house?
• Can you think how it might have been used at, or in preparing for, Christmas, in particular?

Clues

The answers to Part 4 Finding Festive Feasts Quiz are available here.

Part 5: Finding Festive Feasts Quiz

This post presents the fifth part of the quiz, based on the fifth display at the Markeaton Park Family Festivities event. The first post in the series (Introduction) provides more information on the activity; and an activity summary provided in the Part 1 Quiz Post.

Sherds of black-glazed coarse earthenware are commonly found on domestic sites of this date – and many were recovered during excavations at Markeaton. Such sherds often come are from large pots, with glaze on the inside: can you think why?

Some might have come from storage jars; other from vessels known as pancheons (or panchions) – similar in form, size, and materials used as the example on display (below).

Country estates were often farmed, as appears to be the case at Markeaton, where there’s likely to have been a dairy – where pancheons were sometimes used in preparing dairy produce.

Their name also suggests that they were used in bread-making, although large houses (especially those with numerous staff, therefore needing many loaves of bread each day) often used large wooden or ceramic troughs for mixing dough.

• What do you think these objects would have been used for / how do you think they’d have been used?
• Where / in which room(s) of a house?
• Can you think how they might have been used at, or in preparing for, Christmas, in particular?

Clues

Clue 2:

Mince Pie.

Boil a neat’s tongue two hours, then skin it, and chop it as small as possible ; chop three pounds of fresh beef suet, three pounds of good baking apples, four pounds of currants washed clean, picked, and well dried before the fire, and one pound of jar raisins, add one pound of powder sugar, and mix them all together with half an ounce of mace, the same of nutmeg grated, cloves and cinnamon a quarter of an ounce of each, and one pint of French brandy ; then make a rich puff paste ; as you fill the pie up, put in a little candied citron and orange cut in small pieces. What you have to spare, put close down in a pot and cover it up; put neither citron nor orange in till you use it.

Mince Pie without Meat.

Chop fine three pounds of suet and three pounds of apples, pared and cored ; wash and dry three pounds of currants : stone and chop one pound of jar raisins ; beat and sift one pound and a half of loaf sugar; cut small twelve. ounces of candied orange peel, and six ounces of citron ; mix all well together, with a quarter of an ounce of nutmeg, half a quarter of an ounce of cinnamon, six or eight cloves, and half a pint of French brandy. Put it close, and keep it for use.

Houlston’s Housekeeper’s Assistant, 1828.

Wassail-Bowl, a Centre Supper-Dish.—Crumble down as for Trifle a nice fresh cake (or use macaroons or other small biscuit) into a china punch-bowl or deep glass dish. Over this pour some sweet rich wine, as Malmsey Madeira, if wanted very rich, but raisin-wine will do. Sweeten this, and pour a well seasoned rich custard over it. Strew nutmeg and grated sugar over it, and stick it over with sliced blanched almonds.

Obs.—This is, in fact, just a rich eating posset. A very good wassail-bowl may be made of mild ale well spiced and sweetened, and a plain rice-custard with few eggs.

The Cook and Housewife’s Manual, Margaret Dods, 1827.

The answers to Part 5 Finding Festive Feasts Quiz are available here.

Bonus (Part 6) Finding Festive Feasts Quiz

This post presents the Bonus part of the quiz, based on the extra (sixth) display at the Markeaton Park Family Festivities event. The first post in the series (Introduction) provides more information on the activity; and an activity summary provided in the Part 1 Quiz Post.

Many households (though probably not the poorest) in the 1820s – 1830s would’ve possessed a similar object to that pictured above. It’d have been needed in preparing produce used with the second Bonus Object (below), in well-to-do homes. This particular example probably dates to the 1800s (although as similar objects may have been used into the next century).

This object would’ve been required in order to use an ingredient that had once been a luxury found only in the homes of the very wealthy, but that had become less costly during the 1700s, largely due to use of forced labour. However, the product still remained too expensive for many to use regularly.

Archaeological studies of the teeth of those who consumed this product (the numbers of which significantly increased over time) show its detrimental effects. It’s now widely used, and continues to adversely affect health today.

The pair of objects pictured above, dating to the late 1700s – early 1800s, are made from pearlware (a type discussed with regard to Object 4), and decorated with a floral transfer-printed design, influenced by hand-painted Chinese porcelain imports.

Although made in England (perhaps in Staffordshire), of less expensive materials, and using less costly decorative techniques, than East Asian imports, this set would’ve still not been cheap to buy. Even more expensive and delicate porcelain versions were also available to the sufficiently wealthy. This form of tableware had a special use; and would’ve been used in a specific room, at particular times (and probably not regularly). The fragility of such sets would’ve required careful cleaning, and adequate storage.

• What do you think these objects would have been used for / how do you think they’d have been used?
• Where / in which room(s) of a house?
• Can you think how they might have been used at, or in preparing for, Christmas, in particular?

Clues

Clue 1 (to accompany the first object):

Twelfth Cake.

Two pounds of sifted Flour, two pounds of sifted Loaf Sugar, two pounds of Butter, eighteen Eggs, four pounds of Currants, one half pound of Almonds, blanched and chopped, one half pound Citron, one pound of Candied Orange and Lemon Peel, cut into thin slices, a large Nutmeg grated, half an ounce ground Allspice : ground Cinnamon, Mace, Ginger, and Corianders, a quarter of an ounce of each, and a gill of Brandy.

Put the Butter into a stewpan, in a warm place, and work it into a smooth cream with the hand, and mix it with the Sugar and Spice in a pan (or on your paste board) for some time ; then break in the Eggs by degrees, and beat it at least twenty minutes ;—stir in the Brandy, and then the Flour, and work it a little—add the Fruit, Sweetmeats, and Almonds, and mix all together lightly,—have ready a hoop cased with paper, on a baking plate,—put in the mixture, smooth it on the top with your hand—dipped milk—put the plate on another, with sawdust between, to prevent the bottom from colouring too much,—bake it in a slow oven* four hours or more, and when nearly cold, ice it…

This mixture would make a handsome cake, full twelve or fourteen inches over.

Obs.—If made in cold weather, the eggs should be broke into a pan, and set into another filled with hot water ; like wise the fruit, sweetmeats, Almonds, laid in a warm place, otherwise it may chill the butter, and cause the cake to be heavy.

* The goodness of a Cake or Biscuit depends much on its being well Baked ; great attention should be paid to the different degrees of heat of the oven —be sure to have it of a good sound heat at first, when, after its being well cleaned out, may be baked such articles as require a hot oven, after which such as are directed to be baked in a well-heated or moderate oven, and lastly, those in a slow soaking or cool one. With a little care the above degrees may soon be known.

The Cook’s Oracle, William Kitchiner, 1827.

Clue 3 (for the first object):

To Mull Wine.—Boil the spiceries (cinnamon, nutmeg grated, cloves, and mace) in any quantity approved, in a quarter-pint or better of water ; put to this a full pint of port, with sugar to taste. Mix it well. Serve with toasts or rusks.

Obs.—The yolks of eggs were formerly mixed with mulled wine, as in making custard or egg-caudle, and many flavouring ingredients were employed which are now discarded.*

* Hot Spiced Wines A variety of these delicious potations were in use so late as the beginning of the sixteenth century. The old metrical romances are full of allusions to these favourite compounds, and particularly to the hyppocras, sack, and clary. The first of these, which took its name from the bag through which it was strained being called “ Hippocrates’ sleeve,” was made of either white or red wine with aromatics, such as ginger, cinnamon, and aromatic seeds with sugar. Clary was made from claret, with honey and aromatics ; and sack from the wine of that name. These medicated liquors were used as a composing draught, or “ nightcap,” and also drank at the conclusion of a banquet. “ Of these spiced wines,” says Le Grand, in his Vie Prive’e des Frangois, “ our poets of the thirteenth century never speak without rapture, and as an exquisite luxury. They considered it the masterpiece of art to combine in one liquor the strength and flavour of wine, with the sweetness of honey, and the perfume of the most costly aromatics. A banquet at which no piment was served would have been thought wanting in the most essential article.” The only kind of these delicious beverages still in use, besides our common mulled wine, is Bishop, a bewitching mixture made of Burgundy and spices, with sugar. When this compound is made of Bourdeaux wine, it is called simply Bishop; but, according to a German amateur, it receives, the name of Cardinal when old Rhine wine is used ; and even rises to the dignity of Pope when imperial Tokay is employed.

The answers to Part 6 Finding Festive Feasts Quiz are available here.