A highly elaborate dinner held on 2nd July 1888, possibly to celebrate Whistler’s forthcoming marriage to Beatrice Godwin on 11th August, included ‘Potage a l’oseille’.
Our sorrel soup was adapted from the recipe for ‘Potage crème d’oseille’ from ‘Mastering the art of French cooking’, by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck. Sorrel is not terribly easy to find in supermarkets and markets, but it is wonderfully easy to grow – this recipe used our remaining crop (it is October and we have been dining on it regularly since May!). We didn’t use as much as suggested by the recipe but it was still very flavourful. This is a very luxurious, creamy soup and the sorrel adds a refreshing slightly sour note.
While this soup was very successful the two recipes for Crème d’Oseille by Escoffier are intriguingly different, one being based on oats and milk and the other barley (sorrel porridge!?).
SOURCES:
Whistler Menu, 2nd July 1888, http://www.whistler.arts.gla.ac.uk/correspondence/ #06963
For all other sources please see the Bibiography.
Dining with Jimmy 
Have just found a recipe for green pea ice-cream, a desert on this menu!
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An arrangement in green and gold!
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