Comes Der Revolution

"For the Royal Table; Dining at the Palace" by Kathryn Jones Royal Collection Publications 120 pages $14.95

The book is lavishly illustrated - photos, drawings, paintings -- but the subject matter would make any good anarchist foam at the mouth with indignation. The book purports to look at nearly 500 years of royal dining. Food fashions and styles have certainly changed during that time. Queen Victoria routinely served 12 to 14-course banquets; Queen Eliazabeth II serves four -- fish, meat, pudding (dessert) and fresh fruit. Windsor Castle banquets take place on a table that is 175 ft. long, made by slapping together 68 leaves of Cuban mahogany to provide seating for 160 guests.

It takes two days of preparation before the event. The gilt silver must come out of climate-controlled storage for a polish. The Grand Service consists of: 15 tureens, 20 sauce boats, 140 dishes, 288 dinner places, 118 salt dishes, 12 ice pails, 58 elaborate dessert stands and 107 candelabra. Every piece is taken apart, washed and cleaned with soft brushes, then dried and polished with soft clothes. You may be wondring how you take a plate apart, but this is a reference to the "tall stuff" the dessert stands and candelabra.

Over 1,000 glasses are used at each banquet because each guest gets six glasses -- one each for champagne, white wine, red wine, port and water. When it's time for the toasts, yet another champagne glass is proffered to the guest.

In the Buckingham Palace ballroom there are two enormous buffets, both laden with glittering tablewear -- 17th century candle sconces, tankards, huge platters, jeweled cups -- a pirate's treasure trove...

Ah, comes der revolution...