The Coronation - 2: Unleash The Quiche!

 Chicken featured on the menu for the silver jubilee of George V and, more famously, at the coronation dinner for Queen Elizabeth II. The precedent for her son as he planned his special nosh-up seems clear but Charles is his own man and vegetarianism is definitely in. The dish of the day for the "Coronation Big Lunch" is to be a quiche.There has been much comment about the choice and the fillings - notably broad beans and spinach - and many commentators on social media have pointed out that the current shortage of eggs in some shopping outlets could make it hard for the nation to join in the gastronomic feast.

The "Big Lunch" is something new to me. Apparently started by the Queen a while back, it encourages anyone wishing to eat a menu with royal approval to do so at a communal event. The burning question is whether the royals themselves will be tucking in on Sunday 7th May, the day after the coronation and the day designated for Chazza's subjects to get stuck in to the pastry. In the interests of research¹, this columnist looked at the royals' own website for details of the coronation events. It is surprisingly coy about the new king's arrangements. In fact it says nothing at all about whether he and his consort will be necking a few quiches, dining off a whole roast swan stuffed into a boar stuffed into a dolphin or just nipping out to the Windsor Pizza Hut with brother Andrew. The royals are expected to attend a concert, to be staged at Windsor Castle by the BBC, on that night, but whether they will be reeling in from the pub or dining in splendour off gold plates at a pavilion attended by mahouts on elephants is not known.

In beautiful Ruislip, events such as the Queen's jubilees have been celebrated with street parties and much jollity but there doesn't seem quite the same enthusiasm for Charlie's do. Hillingdon Council have put up flags and some shops are displaying festive posters but a certain sordid commercialism has crept in - a local baker advertising a pie as "fit for a king", that sort of thing.  It seems unlikely that your correspondent will be partaking of anything at a Big Lunch, never mind the famous quiche. Perhaps one of Sainsbury's standard quiches will do a similar job when Mrs C. and I have our own "Modest Lunch" here at Ramblings Towers.

Footnote
1. Yes, really. We do the groundwork and dare to venture where others do not.