History sometimes hides in the most unexpected places, even on a dinner menu. Neha Vermani, a historian specialising in Mughal South Asia, has shared a glimpse into culinary history that's almost 130 years old. Diving into archives to understand food practices and material culture, she found a menu from January 31, 1897, for a dinner hosted by the Maharaja of Baroda in honour of the Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior.
The dinner was held at the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Gujarat during the British era. The menu reads like a lesson in French haute cuisine with a distinctly Indian royal twist. Vermani captioned the find, “Not what you'd expect a 19th-century dinner hosted by the Maharaja of Baroda for the Maharaja of Gwalior to look or taste like, featuring truffles, artichokes, and way too many fancy French names & stuff.” And she's right.
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The menu serves a glimpse at what guests might have enjoyed that evening:
- Iotage d'Amandes - An almond custard or flan, likely served as a subtle, nutty starter to awaken the palate.
- Poisson Braise sauce Mayonnaise - Braised fish with a rich mayonnaise sauce.
- Creme de Volaille truffes – A luxurious chicken cream soup infused with truffles.
- Cotelettes de mouton a l'Italienne - Lamb cutlets prepared in Italian style, probably featuring herbs and light seasoning.
- Selle de perdreau rotie aux Petits Pois - Roast saddle of partridge with fresh peas.
- Fonds d'artichauts a la demi-glace - Artichoke bottoms simmered in demi-glace, a French brown sauce.
- Curry de Macedoine de Legumes et Ris - A vegetable and rice curry.
- Pommes a la creme - Creamy apples, perhaps poached or baked.
- Glace de Pistachoo - Pistachio ice cream.
Not what you'd expect a 19th-century dinner hosted by the Maharaja of Baroda for the Maharaja of Gwalior to look or taste like, featuring truffles, artichokes, and way too many fancy French names & stuff. pic.twitter.com/rZWLtV4nMK— Neha (@nehavermani) February 9, 2026
The menu is now stored in an archive in the US, Vermani said.
The menu is the source! If you meant where is the menu held, the answer is an archive in USA.— Neha (@nehavermani) February 9, 2026
The post, shared on X, took off online.
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A user commented, “After visiting the Palazzo Pitti in Florence I realised that Indian princes lived like Western aristocrats. Because it reminded me of the palaces I had grown up visiting in Rajasthan. Also BTW a couple of those items are Indian items described in French.”
Another wrote, “The chief purpose of such banquets was/is to dazzle and overwhelm.”
“Very swadeshi,” read a comment.
Someone wrote, “31-1-97 always meant 1997 for me. 1897 is beyond my imagination.”
A user called it an “Interesting find.”
This menu is a lens into how the Indian elite of the time engaged with global culture.