Ada Lovelace at the table

In a grand 19th-century British household, the day revolves around four codified moments served by the staff: the hearty breakfast (often colonial-inspired), the light luncheon at midday, the five o'clock afternoon tea, and dinner, the most formal evening meal, followed by several courses and sweets. One never speaks of "starter-main-dessert" but of successive courses: soup, fish, relevés, roasts, entremets, and savoury.

The aristocratic Victorian table blends the national British roast with flavors brought back from the colonies (curry, ginger, nutmeg, Seville oranges). The hallmark is the art of accompaniments: a sauce, a mustard, a marmalade that makes a simple product sing.