In 1992 I had just arrived in the USA from China where I had been working for almost 4 years. I had started to work for a hotel group with about 4 properties in the Twin Cities area. Not long after starting, the city of St. Paul, Minnesota was the venue of an exhibit of the Titanic. My hotel was one of the sponsoring hotels. As part of the promotion we invited corporate accounts to a special reception and a chance to visit the Titanic exhibit. The reception menu was replicated from the first class menu served to the passengers aboard the maiden voyage. I saved a copy of the promotional material which was printed for the occasion. The material featured the two vessels of the White Star Line; the SS Olympic and the RMS Titanic. On the reverse side was the celebrated menu. I used the various dishes served to cook up the following poem.
The title of the poem recalls the original film made in Black and white with the title “A Night to Remember” starring Kenneth More and Honor Blackman which was released about July 1958. The RMS Titanic sank 105 years ago on April 14th, 1912.
A BITE TO REMEMBER
The night we remember,
When the Titanic sank deep down
First Class passengers were dining,
Like a night out on the town
Their dinner on that fateful night
First oysters a la Russe
Canapés à l’amiral
And then a sherbet mousse
Second course of soups
One came from the Volga
Cream of barley in a bowl
And too, consommé Olga
Third course served was from the sea
Not brought in a terrine
Poached salmon on a gilded plate
With sauce of mousseline
Fourth course were the entrées
With filet mignons Lili
Or chicken Lyonnaise
And vegetable marrow farci
Fifth course they call removes
With lamb and sauce of mint
And duck with Calvados,
Just a little hint
These were paired with veggies
Healthy garden fare
Spuds, carrots, minted pea timbales
All of them were there.
To clean the palette sixth, was served
Punch Romaine or sorbet
The choices two but simple
You only had to say
Seventh course was roasted squab
On a bed of wilted cress
Exquisite dining for the price
You could not ask for less
Eighth course was a salad
With champagne Vinaigrette
This was such a tasty dish
Whoever could forget?
The ninth course was a cold dish
Of Pâté de Foie Gras
Goose livers all the way from France
Where food is Ooh la la!
Comes now course number ten
Peaches in chartreuse jelly
Waldorf pudding, chocolate eclairs
Watch out for your belly
Eleventh course,
Of fruit and cheese.
By now more food
Is one tight squeeze
And finally a bourbon tasting
Best to sip it slow
And on that note I’ll say farewell
This was a fine last supper of some who rest below.
April 14, 2017 at 1:59 am
How amazing is that, what a great poem too. When I sold advertising for a local newspaper group I remember going down to the basement and finding one of the original newspaper copies featuring the story of the Titanic sinking . There were reporting the deaths of people from the area.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 14, 2017 at 11:47 am
I wish I had a copy of that newspaper today. Might be worth something.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 14, 2017 at 12:15 pm
Me too, I am sure it will be. Every paper ever published was bound into a large files. I imagine it’s all computerised now 🐣
LikeLike
April 16, 2017 at 6:25 am
This product of your creative imagination is wonderful. The story on the woman’s boarding pass was tragic. Travelers were looked upon as persons those days. I can’t imagine anyone eating all that food, as delicious as it must have been.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 16, 2017 at 10:38 am
Can you imagine sitting down to a dinner at *:00pm and not finishing until 11:00pm? My word the wealthy were well fed in those days!
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 18, 2017 at 9:26 am
I was having trouble imagining anyone eating that much food.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 16, 2017 at 3:23 pm
Great poem, and really interesting back story.
LikeLike