A lot of history survives in paintings, letters and monuments. Recently, a historian shared an old dinner menu from 1897 that gave people a rare look into how Indian royalty dined during the British era.
Neha Vermani, a historian who studies Mughal South Asia, recently shared a menu dated January 31, 1897. The dinner was hosted by the Maharaja of Baroda in honour of the Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior at the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Gujarat. What caught everyone’s attention was the kind of food listed on it as there were dishes written entirely in French.
The Royal Dinner Menu From 1897
The menu listed several elaborate dishes such as Potage d’Amandes, Poisson Braisé sauce Mayonnaise, Crème de Volaille aux truffes, Côtelettes de mouton à l’Italienne, Selle de perdreau rôtie aux Petits Pois, Fonds d’artichauts à la demi-glace, Curry de Macédoine de Légumes et Ris, Pommes à la crème and Glace de Pistache.
Sharing the menu on X, Vermani wrote, “Not what you’d expect a 19th-century dinner hosted by the Maharaja of Baroda for the Maharaja of Gwalior to look or taste like, featuring truffles, artichokes, and way too many fancy French names & stuff.” She also noted that the menu is currently preserved in an archive in the US.
Not what you’d expect a 19th-century dinner hosted by the Maharaja of Baroda for the Maharaja of Gwalior to look or taste like, featuring truffles, artichokes, and way too many fancy French names & stuff. pic.twitter.com/rZWLtV4nMK
— Neha (@nehavermani) February 9, 2026
What Are People Saying Online
The post drew varied reactions from social media users with one person commenting, “After visiting the Palazzo Pitti in Florence I realised that Indian princes lived like Western aristocrats. Because it reminded me of the palaces I had grown up visiting in Rajasthan. Also, a couple of those items are Indian items described in French.”
Another said, “The chief purpose of such banquets was/is to dazzle and overwhelm.”
“31-1-97 always meant 1997 for me. 1897 is beyond my imagination,” someone else remarked.
“Wow. Even by today’s standards, these are niche items. Imagine their splendor and opulence some 150 years back,” a viewer wrote.
A Closer Look At The Dishes On The 1897 Menu
Potage d’amandes: A traditional French soup made from ground almonds. It is usually creamy and prepared using milk or broth, along with basic seasonings.
Poisson Braisé with sauce mayonnaise: A fish dish where the fish is grilled over charcoal and marinated with spices. It is served with a thick mayonnaise-based sauce that is often mixed with garlic, mustard and chilli.
Crème de Volaille aux truffes: A rich French chicken dish made with cream. It is often flavoured with truffles and may include small pieces of chicken.
Côtelettes de mouton à l’Italienne: Italian-style mutton chops that are cooked using European methods and seasoning.
Selle de perdreau rôtie aux Petits Pois: A roasted partridge dish made using the back portion of the bird. It is usually served with green peas on the side.
Fonds d’artichauts à la demi-glace: Artichoke bottoms served with a thick, slow-cooked sauce known as demi-glace.
Curry de Macédoine de Légumes et Ris: A vegetable curry made with chopped vegetables such as carrots, peas, beans and potatoes. It is served with rice.
Pommes à la crème: Potatoes cooked slowly in cream and lightly seasoned.
Glace de Pistache: Pistachio ice cream made using pistachio nuts, milk, sugar and cream.
