Menu dated 10th May 1890

Luncheon at the Palais de Monaco hosted by His Serene Highness Prince Albert I of Monaco

At 11 am the Marquis Centurione arrived at the Palais de Monaco for an audience with Prince Albert I. The Marquis came on behalf of King Umberto I of Italy and was bringing with him the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus to be bestowed upon the Prince. The Order was one of the most distinguished issued by Italy’s Royal House of Savoy with recipients having to demonstrate at least eight noble great grand-parents.

After the ceremony, Albert I hosted this luncheon at noon which was attended by members of the Monegasque princely family along with the Marquis Centurione; Captain Gastaldi who had been the presiding officer at the ceremony; Baron de Farincourt; and Mr Cher Reghezza, Vice-Consul of Italy to Monaco.

The meal started with Œufs à la Polignac which was a dish of eggs coddled with mussels, truffle slices and chopped ham. The dish was named after the noble Polignac family who have close family ties to the ruling Grimaldi family of Monaco. Indeed, in later years, the father of Prince Rainier III of Monaco was Prince Pierre de Polignac.

After the eggs, guests then partook in an elaborate entrée of Saumon à la Chambord where whole salmon stuffed with creamed fish had been braised in red wine before being elaborately garnished with fish quenelles, filets of sole, poached crayfish, sautéed fish-roes and truffles cut to resemble olives.

This menu is from early in the princely reign of Albert I. His father, Charles III, had died just eight months earlier and the Prince was also newly married, for a second time, having seven months earlier taken the Dowager Duchess of Richelieu, as his Princess consort.