De kost van de maaltijden en de culinaire diplomatie van drie Belgische koningen, 1845-1914

Abstract

Based on archives of the Brussels royal palace, this article traces the expenditure on the ordinary and special meals of three Belgian kings between 1845 and 1914. Two charts structure the article: the cost of food and the number of guests. Both reveal surprisingly sharp oscillations. The relationship between the two (i.e., the cost per meal and per year) shows the highly varying quality of the court food. The bulk of the expenditure pertained to the daily meals that can be described as ‘conservatively´ luxurious’. Special occasions involved the so-called culinary diplomacy that was activated when the kings ascended the throne (1831, 1865 and 1909) but lowered afterwards. However, in the 1840s and 1870s, the plans of Leopold I (international relations) and Leopold II (the Congo) led to a sharp increase in gala dinners, buffets and luncheons. This came to an end in 1880, when savings severely curtailed the cost of food, the cooks’ wage cost, and the number of diners. The article sheds new light not only on palace cuisine, financial concerns and gastrodiplomacy, but also on the position of the monarchy in modern Europe.