The things we choose to do on May 6 may entrench themselves in our culture for decades to come. After all, the dish invented for the late Queen’s coronation in 1953, Coronation Chicken, has been a firm fixture on summer menus ever since.
So, bring out the bunting, dig out your prettiest plates and get cooking. Let’s make this the street (or garden or house) party of the century.
To Drink
Elderbubble
Comprising vodka, Prosecco, cucumber, elderflower cordial and mint, this drink is pretty, tasty and refreshing all at once. You can make a jolly mocktail version, too, by omitting the vodka and Prosecco and replacing them with sparkling water.
Nibbles
Jeremy Lee’s Cheese Straws
You and your guests will need something solid to soak up all that Elderbubble and excitement. As a salty snack to accompany a drink, these cheese straws from Quo Vadis chef-proprietor Jeremy Lee cannot be beaten. They can be made in advance and cut at the last minute.
Starter
Anna Jones’s Tomato Salad With Summer Herbs, Lemon And Mozarella
Anna Jones imbues all her cooking with a sunny vibe that seems fitting for Coronation Day. In this recipe, mint, basil and mozarella mingle with tomatoes, lemon zest and olive oil to create the zingiest of summery salads.
Main Course
Coronation Quiche
King Charles loves anything with eggs and cheese, according to former Buckingham Palace chef Darren McGrady. ‘His mother, The Queen loved chocolate, but The King loves anything with eggs and cheese,’ tweeted McGrady recently. It is fitting, then, that the official dish of the Coronation is a quiche. This one is packed with broad beans, spinach and tarragon, as a nod to the King’s green fingers. Serve it with a green salad.
Pudding
Nigella Lawson’s Eton Mess
Eton Mess – which involves strawberries, meringue and whipped cream and was first mentioned in print in 1893 – is as easy, traditional and celebratory as puddings come. Nigella’s recipe has the added flourish of pomegranate juice, used to draw out the strawberry’s fragrant juices.
Tea
Jamie Oliver’s Queen Victoria Sponge
With most of the revelry and a jolly good lunch out of the way on Coronation Day, you and your guests may need the revival of a bite more to eat come teatime. The answer, surely, is a Victoria Sponge. Jamie Oliver’s recipe is doable and delicious. If you are daunted by the crystalised rose petals, leave them out. Serve your cake with a good old cup of tea – or a zesty fresh-mint brew.
By Becky Ladenburg
May 2023
