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As blockbuster films go, the stakes are pretty low.
Unlike inAvengers: Endgame, the brave heroes of
Downton Abbeydon’t have to face an intergalac-
tic megavillain bent on destroying half the life in
the universe. Instead they must prepare a fancy
house for the king and queen of England, who
are popping by for lunch.
But for Carson and Lady Mary and the rest
of the beloved show’s characters, it’s serious
business. A lot ofDownton Abbey’s drama takes
place in the downstairs kitchen or around the
upstairs dining room table, and such events as
the arrival of a refrigerator—modern technology
at the time—are major episode events. Lucky
for viewers, we haveThe Official Downton Abbey
Cookbookby Annie Gray (Weldon Owen, $35) for
home chefs who might want to play along. In the
world of commemorative cookbooks, it’s not as
ridiculous as, say,Baking BadorGame of Scones.
Handily, the release of the cookbook corre-
sponds to prime tailgating season. TheDownton PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY 731; PHOTOS: NICK BRIGGS/EVERETT COLLECTION; GETTY IMAGES; ALAMYCRITIC September 23, 2019Abbey era had its own version of sports-related snacking,
and a chapter is devoted to food served at cricket matches,
shoots, and horse races. Because there were no cooks on site,
fare was designed to be portable and easy to serve. It also
had to last for a while in a basket and not be so messy that it
could dirty up linen suits and white dresses.
Shooting lunches often featured a cold roasted bird with a
sauce kept hot in a flask to sustain hungry hunters. A sausage
roll (below), Downton’s answer to pigs in a blanket, could be
conveniently stuffed into a pocket while waiting for a pheas-
ant to be flushed out of the bush. (They also fit into car cup
holders for a more contemporary meal on the go.) At the
refreshment tent at a steeplechase, you might find a savory
meat pie stuffed with ground veal and pork, plus bacon and
hard-boiled eggs in an elaborate crust.
Likewise, potted cheese—a mix of cheese
ends and wine served with toasts—was a snack
that could sustain you for a little while but
wasn’t so heavy that it would ruin a black-tie
dinner. For cricket there were “games cakes,”
desserts that bakers began to market specifi-
cally for sporting events and decorate with
cricket balls and grass made of frosting. Gray
notes that the cakes also could be decorated
with nets and rackets for a tennis match, or with
a boat for sailing.
The cookbook can be bought with The Official
Downton Abbey Cocktail Book (Weldon Owen, $23),
which has a chapter devoted to the kinds of bev-
erages ideal for consumption at outdoor events
where everyone has a witty retort at the ready.
The drinks are designed to be refreshing and not
too alcoholic, such as the Champagne Cobbler, a
mix of sparkling wine, rich simple syrup, berries,
citrus twists, and plenty of crushed ice to cool
down sportsmen and -women in a hurry.
What the books don’t include are the recipes
for the film’s climactic meal, served (one can
hope) to King George V and Queen Mary. But,
as Carson would probably advise you, best to
leave that to the help.A cookbook timed to the movie’s release offers recipes that will
posh your favorite pregame. By Kate KraderThe Downton Abbey Guide
To Tailgating
SAUSAGE ROLLS
Makes 11
·Vegetable oil, for brushing
·12 oz. Italian sausage meat,
removed from casings
if in links
· 22-oz. package prepared
bread or pizza dough,
thawed if frozen
· Chutney or relish
(optional)
Brush a sheet pan with oil.
Divide dough into 11 equal
pieces, flatten each one
slightly, and transfer to
a work surface. Divide
sausage into 11 equal
football-shaped pieces
and set on dough rounds.
Enclose meat in dough,
sealing it tightly to form
an oval package. Arrange
rolls on prepared sheet
with some space between
each. Cover loosely with
a damp kitchen cloth
and let stand in a warm
spot until slightly risen,
about 20 minutes. Heat
oven to 425F. Bake rolls
for about 20 minutes, until
golden and sausage is
heated through. Let cool
slightly, then serve with
chutney or relish.THE FOOD ISSUE