The menu for the 1617 banquet that gave birth to the legend that King James I invented sirloin steak after knighting a joint of beef has gone up for auction.
Legend has it that when James I dined at Hoghton Hall in Lancashire he was given a cut of meat so delicious that he decided to bestow an honour upon it.
The story claims that he announced to Sir Henry Hoghton and his guests: ‘Loin, we dub thee knight henceforward be Sir Loin! Arise Sir Loin.’
Those who disbelieve the above would say that sirloin is said to have come from the French word ‘surloynge’, which combines ‘sur’ meaning above or over and ‘loynge’ meaning loin.
The rare menu has 129 dishes on it and it and even has the names of those involved in the preparation of a food as if it were a giant film production.
The food, drink and entertainment put on to entertain James I and his guests was so pricy that it almost bankrupted the Hoghton family and although Richard Hoghton gained mining rights from the King’s royal visit, it was not enough to pay off his debt and as a result he was sent to Fleet Prison. Despite his jail sentence, the greatness of the day goes down in history.
Fascinating
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Isn’t it! I wonder how true it is. It’s just weird enough to be authentic, I imagine all sorts of things happened at these big feasts.
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