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Three Emperors Dinner
View on WikipediaThe Dîner des trois empereurs or Three Emperors Dinner was a banquet held at Café Anglais in Paris, France on 7 June 1867.[1] It consisted of 16 courses with eight wines served over eight hours.
Overview
[edit]The Three Emperors Dinner was prepared by chef Adolphe Dugléré at the request of King William I of Prussia who frequented the cafe during the Exposition Universelle. He requested a meal to be remembered and at which no expense was to be spared for himself and his guests, Tsar Alexander II of Russia, plus his son the Tsarevitch (who later became Tsar Alexander III), and Otto von Bismarck.
The name "Three Emperors Dinner" is something of a misnomer and apparently was applied retrospectively (apparently in analogy to the Battle of the Three Emperors), as only Alexander II bore the title of Emperor at the time. Wilhelm I would not be proclaimed Kaiser (Emperor) until 1871, whereas Alexander III would only ascend the Imperial Russian throne in 1881 after his father's assassination.
The cellar master, Claudius Burdel, was instructed to accompany the dishes with the greatest wines in the world, including a Roederer champagne in a special lead glass bottle, so Tsar Alexander could admire the bubbles and golden colour.[2]
The banquet consisted of 16 courses with eight wines served over eight hours. The cost of the meal was 400 francs per person[3] (over €9,000 in 2026 prices). The high price of the wines served contributed to the high price of the meal.[1]
At 1 o'clock in the morning, Tsar Alexander is reported to have complained that the meal had not contained foie gras. Burdel explained that it was not the custom in French cuisine to eat foie gras in June. The following October, he was sent three terrines of foie gras made by Dugléré as a gift.[4]
The table used for the banquet and a copy of the menu is on display at La Tour d'Argent restaurant in Paris.[5]
Menu
[edit]The menu included the following, among the 16 courses:
| MENU
Impératrice Relevés Soufflé à la reine Entrées Poulet à la portugaise Digérer Rôts Canetons à la rouennaise Entremets Aubergines à l'espagnole Dessert Bombe glacée VINS Madère retour de l'Inde 1810 |
Potage impératrice consists of a chicken stock thickened with tapioca and finished with egg yolks and cream, to which poached rounds of chicken forcemeat, cockscombs, cocks' kidneys and green peas are added.[6]
Potage fontanges is a purée of fresh peas diluted with consommé with the addition of a chiffonade of sorrel and sprigs of chervil.[7]
Soufflé à la reine is a chicken soufflé with truffles[7]
Sauce vénitienne is a sauce of white wine, tarragon vinegar, shallots and chervil, mounted with butter and finished with chopped chervil and tarragon.[6]
Selle de mouton purée Bretonne is saddle of mutton with a purée of broad beans bound with Breton sauce.[7]
Poulet à la portugaise is whole chicken roasted with a covering of adobo paste consisting of tomato, red bell pepper, garlic, origanum, paprika, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, lemon juice, white wine, chicken stock and olive oil, stuffed with tomato flavoured rice.[6]
Pâté chaud de cailles is warm pâté of quail.
Homard à la parisienne is lobster cooked in court bouillon, cut into slices and glazed with aspic, with a garnish of tomatoes stuffed with a macédoine of vegetables, dressed with a mixture of mayonnaise and aspic and garnished with sliced truffle.
Canetons à la rouennaise is a dish of roast duckling stuffed with forcemeat. The legs and breasts are removed, the legs are grilled and the breasts are thinly sliced and arranged around the stuffing. The remaining carcass is pressed in a poultry press to extract all the juices and is added to a Rouennaise sauce, which is poured over the sliced duck.[6] (This dish is today the speciality of the house at La Tour d'Argent.)[8]
Ortolans sur canapés, ortolans (now a protected species) on toast.
Aubergines à l'espagnole is a dish of aubergine shells filled with chopped aubergine, tomato and ham and a gruyère gratin.
Cassolette princesse, (a.k.a. Cassolette argenteuil), A cassolette with a border of duchesse potatoes and an asparagus filling in cream sauce.[7]
Bombe glacée is an ice cream dessert.[7]
– Source:[2]
Re-creation
[edit]Australian chef Shannon Bennett attempted to recreate the banquet in 2002. It took six months to plan and required some changes due to key ingredients and wines no longer being available. Even using the nearest modern equivalent ingredients and wines, the cost of the meal was AUS$7,500 per person. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation broadcast the documentary Three Emperors Dinner about the original banquet and the modern recreation in 2003.[9]
See also
[edit]Gallery
[edit]-
Café Anglais in 1913
-
Tsarevich Alexander
(later Tsar Alexander III)
References
[edit]- ^ a b Frost, W.; Laing, J. (2016). Gastronomy, Tourism and the Media. Aspects of Tourism. Channel View Publications. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-84541-576-1.
- ^ a b "Menus d'hier". Menus.free.fr. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ^ Jean Conil (1952). For epicures only. T.W. Laurie. p. 47.
- ^ "Le foie gras des Trois Empereurs". La Tour d'Argent.
- ^ "La "Dîner des Trois Empereurs". La Tour d'Argent. Archived from the original on 2011-08-05.
- ^ a b c d August Escoffier (1907), Le Guide culinaire
- ^ a b c d e Larousse Gastronomique (1961), Crown Publishers (Translated from the French, Librairie Larousse, Paris (1938))
- ^ "Duck Tour d'Argent". Fxcuisine.com. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ^ "Three Emperors Dinner". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 March 2003. Archived from the original on 2016-08-26.
Three Emperors Dinner
View on GrokipediaHistorical Background
The Exposition Universelle of 1867
The Exposition Universelle of 1867 was a grand international exhibition held in Paris, France, organized by Emperor Napoleon III to highlight the achievements of the Second French Empire in agriculture, industry, fine arts, and culture.[5][6] Spanning 68.7 hectares on the Champ de Mars, the event featured elaborate pavilions from 42 participating countries, showcasing technological innovations, luxury goods, and artistic displays in a central iron-and-glass structure along with nearly 100 auxiliary buildings.[5][6] It ran from April 1 to November 3, 1867, drawing an estimated 15 million visitors and involving over 50,000 exhibitors who presented advancements in machinery, textiles, and colonial products, underscoring France's role as a leader in global progress.[5][6][7] Politically, the exposition served as a strategic platform for Napoleon III to bolster the prestige of his regime amid domestic reforms and international rivalries, coinciding with Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann's transformation of Paris into a modern capital.[6][7] By inviting rulers from across Europe, including a notable procession of 12 heads of state on July 1, the event provided a neutral venue for diplomatic interactions during a period of escalating tensions that would culminate in the Franco-Prussian War three years later.[6] This gathering emphasized France's diplomatic centrality, allowing monarchs to engage in informal discussions away from formal treaty negotiations, thereby reinforcing alliances and projecting imperial harmony.[5][7] The exposition's series of high-profile receptions and banquets created an atmosphere conducive to elite social and political exchanges, exemplified by events like the Three Emperors Dinner.[6]The Meeting of European Monarchs
During the Exposition Universelle of 1867 in Paris, Prussian King William I arranged a private meeting with Russian Tsar Alexander II around early June to foster closer bilateral relations amid rising tensions with France. The discussions focused on potential alliances to counter French dominance in European affairs and to bolster Prussian efforts toward German unification under Prussian leadership.[8][9] Otto von Bismarck, serving as Prussian Minister-President and Chancellor, played a pivotal role in the talks, advocating for Russo-Prussian cooperation on the Eastern Question—concerns over Ottoman decline and Russian interests in the Balkans—and the broader balance of power in Europe.[8][9] These conversations occurred against the backdrop of post-Crimean War realignments, where Prussia sought Russian neutrality or support to offset French and Austrian opposition to its ambitions.[8] The meeting in early June 1867 marked the culmination of these diplomatic exchanges, immediately leading into the celebratory banquet that evening.[8] It reinforced Russo-Prussian ties, laying groundwork for future collaborations that contributed to the formation of the German Empire in 1871 and the League of the Three Emperors in 1873.[8]The Dinner Event
Venue and Organization
The Three Emperors Dinner took place at the Café Anglais, a prestigious restaurant situated at 24 Boulevard des Italiens in Paris, renowned during the Second Empire for its luxurious interiors and role as a central venue for elite Parisian society. Established in 1802 and rebuilt in 1822, the café offered opulent private dining rooms that catered to the aristocracy, foreign dignitaries, and cultural luminaries amid the grandeur of Napoleon III's era. The selection of this location aligned with the event's diplomatic context, as it provided a discreet yet extravagant setting for the private gathering of European monarchs during the Exposition Universelle of 1867.[10] The banquet was held in the café's "Grand Seize" salon, a spacious and elegantly appointed private room designed to accommodate intimate high-society functions with elaborate decor and impeccable service. Organization of the event was initiated at the request of Prussian King William I, a frequent patron of the Café Anglais during his stay in Paris for the exposition, with Prussian court officials overseeing the arrangements to ensure protocol and splendor. Chef Adolphe Dugléré, who had assumed leadership of the restaurant's kitchens in 1866 after apprenticing under Marie-Antoine Carême, directed the culinary and logistical planning, coordinating a team to create bespoke table settings, floral arrangements, and an orchestrated service for approximately 12 to 16 guests, including the principals and their aides.[10][2][11] Logistically, the dinner extended over eight hours in the evening, embodying the Second Empire's emphasis on protracted, ceremonial French dining traditions with sequential courses presented in a formal progression. Preparations involved procuring premium ingredients, some sourced from specialized suppliers across France and beyond, to meet the exacting standards of the occasion. The per-person cost reached 400 francs—equivalent to roughly €11,000 in 2025 purchasing power, largely due to the inclusion of exceptional wines and rare components—highlighting the event's extravagance and the café's status as a pinnacle of 19th-century gastronomy.[12][13]Key Attendees
The primary attendees at the Three Emperors Dinner were King William I of Prussia, who served as the host, Tsar Alexander II of Russia, the tsar's son Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich (later Tsar Alexander III), and Otto von Bismarck, the Prussian minister-president and key advisor to William I.[14][1] William I, then aged 70 and ruler of Prussia since 1861, organized the intimate banquet to strengthen diplomatic ties between Prussia and Russia amid the tensions of the ongoing European power balance.[1] Tsar Alexander II, the reigning emperor of Russia since 1855 and the only actual emperor present at the time, was accompanied by his 22-year-old heir, who would succeed him in 1881 following Alexander II's assassination.[14] Bismarck, aged 52 and instrumental in Prussian foreign policy, attended as William I's closest confidant, leveraging the occasion to discuss mutual interests against French influence under Napoleon III.[1] The event's name, "Three Emperors Dinner," emerged retrospectively, as William I was proclaimed German Emperor (Kaiser Wilhelm I) only in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian War, while Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich became Tsar Alexander III much later.[14] In 1867, the gathering symbolized Prussian aspirations for greater influence, with Alexander II pursuing a pro-Prussian stance in Russian foreign policy to counterbalance Austria and France.[1] The dinner, held privately at the Café Anglais away from the official Exposition Universelle events, allowed for candid exchanges among these leaders, fostering a sense of camaraderie through shared toasts to enduring alliances and European peace.[14] Though specific transcripts of conversations are scarce, contemporary accounts describe the atmosphere as one of diplomatic warmth, with discussions reinforcing the informal Prussian-Russian entente that would shape events leading to the 1870s alliances.[1]The Menu and Service
Structure of the Courses
The Three Emperors Dinner featured a meticulously structured 16-course menu, emblematic of 19th-century French haute cuisine banqueting, where dishes were presented sequentially in a fixed progression rather than an à la carte format. This format allowed for a leisurely pace, enabling conversation among dignitaries while plates were cleared (removes) between courses, utilizing the emerging à la russe service style—wherein waiters portioned food from platters at the table—for the event's refined presentations with elaborate garnishes. The entire meal unfolded over approximately eight hours, emphasizing seasonal and luxurious ingredients such as truffles, foie gras, ortolans, and fresh seafood to showcase opulence and culinary precision.[15][16] The menu commenced with two potages, or soups, to open the palate: Potage Impératrice, a chicken consommé thickened with tapioca, finished with egg yolks and cream, and garnished with poached quail breasts; and Potage Fontanges, a delicate green soup of peas, sorrel, lettuce, leeks, and other vegetables, finished with cream. These were followed by relevés, substantial main courses highlighting fish and meat: Soufflé à la Reine, a light soufflé of chicken and lettuce in a creamy sauce; Filets de Sole à la Vénitienne, sole fillets poached in white wine with a subtle Venetian sauce; Escalope de Turbot au Gratin, turbot slices gratineed with cheese; and Selle de Mouton Purée Bretonne, saddle of mutton accompanied by a purée of artichokes and celery.[15][4][16][12] Subsequent entrées offered smaller, more intricate dishes: Poulet à la Portugaise, braised chicken with Albufera sauce and tricolored peppers; Pâté Chaud de Cailles, warm quail pâté encased in puff pastry; Homard à la Parisienne, lobster medallions with a brunoise of vegetables; and Sorbets au Champagne, refreshing sorbets in chilled Champagne to aid digestion. The rôtis, or roasts, then arrived as the meal's hearty climax: Canetons à la Rouennaise, young Rouen ducklings with Bordeaux sauce and foie gras; and Ortolans sur Canapés, songbirds roasted and served on toasted bread points.[15][16] The progression concluded with entremets and desserts, providing lighter vegetable and sweet elements: Aubergines à l’Espagnole, eggplant prepared with a Spanish-style tomato sauce; Asperges en Branches, whole asparagus spears from premium varieties; Cassolette Princesse, a medley of vegetable timbales in a princess sauce; and Bombe Glacée, a molded ice cream bombe infused with fruit flavors, accompanied by fresh fruits. Each course was garnished extravagantly to enhance visual and sensory appeal, underscoring the banquets' role as a diplomatic and cultural spectacle.[15][16][17]Wines and Pairings
The selection of wines for the Three Emperors Dinner was curated by the Café Anglais' cellar master, Claudius Burdel, who was tasked with assembling the finest vintages available to complement the banquet's grandeur. Eight exceptional wines were chosen, emphasizing rarity and prestige, many predating 1850 and drawn from the cellars of Europe's elite producers to underscore the event's diplomatic and opulent nature. Note that some sources vary on exact vintages, such as Madeira (1810 or 1846).[1][12][18] The wines followed a deliberate pairing strategy aligned with the meal's progression, starting with fortified options to stimulate the palate during appetizers, transitioning to crisp whites for seafood courses, robust reds for the main meat dishes to enhance their flavors, and concluding with sweet and sparkling varieties for desserts. This approach not only balanced the rich, multi-course menu but also highlighted the sensory harmony central to 19th-century haute cuisine. Specific glassware, such as tulip-shaped stems for reds to concentrate aromas and flutes for Champagne, was employed to optimize the tasting experience.[1][2] The following table enumerates the eight wines, their types, and approximate pairings based on the banquet's structure:| Wine | Vintage | Type | Approximate Pairing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madère retour de l'Inde | 1810 | Fortified Madeira | Appetizers and soups |
| Xérès | 1821 | Sherry | Early courses |
| Château d'Yquem | 1847 | Sweet Sauternes | Foie gras or desserts |
| Chambertin | 1846 | Red Burgundy | Meat relevés |
| Château Margaux | 1847 | Red Bordeaux | Roasted mains |
| Château Latour | 1847 | Red Bordeaux | Roasted mains |
| Château Lafite | 1848 | Red Bordeaux | Roasted mains |
| Louis Roederer Champagne | Special cuvée | Sparkling | Sorbets and bombe glacée dessert |
