Programme Notes:
THE STOURHEAD ARABIAN KNIGHTS (All 1,001 of them) FOR THE MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S BALL ON FRIDAY 27th JUNE 1969
The Arabian Knights
Had a great way of life
Their Knight life was super romantic
And girls would go far
To meet Ali ba ba,
They drove Aladdin’s Old Genie quite frantic.
But they didn’t shriek
If some bearded old sheikh
Took a fancy to one for his harem
Or some Bedouin Chief
Made a pass – not too brief
Or some similar action to scar’ em!
These Arabian Knights
Gave many folk frights,
In the days of the old Arabee.
But as well as the frights
There were gorgeous delights
– You must come to Stourhead just to see.
For these days (in your car)
You needn’t go far
To taste the delights of the East
And at Stourhead this year
(You’ll need no special gear)
We’ve arranged a most marvellous feast.
In Aladdin’s great cave
We’ll be running a rave,
And you know that it’s brimful of treasure.
And tho’ you don’t dance
You’ll go into a trance
At the sights we’ll pile up for your pleasure.
All the Thieves of Baghdad
Will be there, by Gad,
Peering out of their jars full of oil,
While for those below par
There’s a Hashish Pot Bar
Where the hubbley-bubbleys boil.
We’ve a carpet of magic
– A rather good gadget –
To waft you to far away places.
As you float through the air
You’ll get extra good fare
Such as Loquats with Honey and Maces.
And our strawberries and cream
Are really a dream,
As is Peacock and Persian Pilaw,
And Turkish Kebabs
Plus stuffed Basra Crabs,
Are a marvellous feast.
What a wow!
There’ll be black caviare
In a Caspian Jar,
And Kus Kus with Sesame seeds,
And Arabian Hare
You’ll find excellent fare
Served with Rahat Lakoum from the Medes.
And there’s yoghourt with su,
And tender kid stew,
Piroshki, and halva and rice,
And Zakuski’s a dish
That will cause you to wish
You could cook it yourself.
It’s so nice.
But enough of the food:
Now let’s get in the mood
Of the music you’ll dance ’till you’re dreamy.
You’ll hear dozens of bands
From some five or six lands
All whisked there by Aladdin’s old Genie.
We star Mr. E. Ros.
He is really our boss,
For his band is the best in the world.
And we’ve troops of great groups
To swing you in loops,
In a trice, off your feet, you’ll be whirled.
And young Zorba the Greek
Whose enchanting Museek
Will gladden your Terpsichore heart;
And you’ll love our steel band
From its far away land
Plus guitars from Hawaii to impart
Such a gorgeous warm glow
In your breast so you go
In gyrations and twists most calypso
‘Till Edmundo (the rotter!)
Steams the pace so much hotter
That you’ll yell for a rest ‘cos you drip so!
So you’ll guess from this tale
That you simply can’t fail
To enjoy this splendiferous party.
For this marvellous dance
Is the world’s greatest prance
But it’s YOU, our good friends, MAKE THE PARTY!
DO COME EAST TO OUR STOURHEAD FEAST.
OUR BUFFETS AND OUR BANDS
FOR THE
SOUTH AND WEST WILTS HUNT MIDSUMMER BALL
ON
FRIDAY 28TH JUNE 1968
AT
STOURHEAD
(By the very kind permission of the National Trust)
IN STOURHEAD GULCH!
BANDS
1. The Sinnermen and Sara Folk Group – 10 p.m. to 10.45 p.m.
2. Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra –
10.45 p.m. to 11.45 p.m. 12.15 a.m. to 1.15 a.m.
3. Swingin’ Blue Jeans – 11.45 p.m. to 12.15 a.m.
3 a.m. to 3.30 a.m.
4. Noel and The Fireballs – 1.15 a.m. to 2 a.m.
and 3.30 a.m. to 4 a.m.
BUFFETS
AT WYATT EARP’S BAR
Red Gold Mousse (A creamy mousse of Tuna Fish).
Hangtown Fry
(Quiches of fried Oysters, Eggs and Bacon).
Grubstake Pate (A Pate of Livers).
General Cook’s Turkey
(Roast with Herbstuffing and Cranberry Sauce).
Blackhills Lightning Ham
(Baked in Whisky to an original miners recipe).
Long Tom’s Roast
(Sauerbraten with Devilled Sauce).
Cheyenne Salad (a Cole Slaw).
Hi Jolly Salad
(Green Salad with Onions and Cheese).
Placer Salad (with Sweet Corn and Pimentos).
Diggers Delight (a Golden Bean Salad).
Angels Camp Cake (Angel Cake).
Western Klondyke Pie
(made with Lime flavoured meringue).
Diamond City Mousse.
Strawberries and Cream.
Coffee.
AT CASEY JONES’ BAR
Custer City Salmon (fresh broiled Salmon Garni).
Rockerville Crab Cake (Crab Cake in Western style).
Lola Montez Mousse (made with avocado Pears).
Little Big Horn Chicken Loaf
(a fresh Chicken spiced Mousse).
Pork Bonanza
(Loin of Pork baked in a Piquant Sauce).
Pemmican
(North American Indian dried sliced meat).
Eureka Mill Pie (Veal and Ham Pie).
Kid Blizzard Salad (a Potato Salad).
Gold Road Salad
(a Salad of Celery, Apples, Bananas
and Nuts in Mayonnaise).
Deadwood Salad (a Broccoli Salad).
Fort Larami Cheesecake (a Rhubarb cheese cake).
Oro-Fino Brittle (a Brittle made with Peanuts).
Mountain Cake (a giant Chocolate cake).
Strawberries and Cream.
Coffee.
IN STOURHEAD HOUSE
UP IN THE PICTURE GALLERY
BANDS
5 Romeo Berti and His Orchestra
will play continuously from 10 p.m.
BUFFETS IN THE SALOON
DIAMOND LIL’S SALOON
Quails Eggs (fresh boiled or pickled).
King Prawns.
Red Caviar Madrilene
(Iced Consomme with Caviar and whipped Cream).
Log Cabin Salmon (smoked Salmon).
Chicken Casino (a Chicken Salad).
Cimarron Beef (Roast Ribs of Beef).
Billy The Kid’s Special
(smoked Turkey and other Game).
Outlaw Salad
(Succotash made with Sweet Corn and Lima Beans,
served with North American Indian Misickquatosh).
Salads.
Dips (Cheese and Potato crisp – American vegetable).
Aunt Allie Earp Pies (Pumpkin and Coconut Cream Pie).
Dodge City Blueberry Crumble.
Strawberries and Cream.
Coffee.
DOWN IN THE GOLD MINE
6 Dorris Henderson will play alternate half-hours.
7 Ruth and Kerry.
IN THE COLUMN ROOM
Old Ma Mavericks Pancake Stall
Nothing but Hot Pancakes with lots of exciting hot and cold fillings!
Chicken and Mushroom.
Bacon and Chives.
Prawn and Egg.
Kidney and Liver.
Lobster.
Mushroom.
Onion and Potato.
Apricot Jam and Rum.
Beef and Parsley.
Chocolate Ice Cream.
Asparagus.
Stem Ginger in Syrup and Cream.
Bananas.
Black Cherries.
Lemon Juice and Sugar.
Strawberries and Cream.
Coffee.
ON THE FOUNTAIN FLOOR
BANDS
8 Ginger Johnstone and His African Drummers (and a Witch Doctor)
AND
9 The Shell Tornados Steel Band
will play alternately hour by hour.
BUFFET
The Mexican “Buffet Chispa”
(Chispa is Mexican for Gold Nugget).
(This will be in a special Marquee
between the “Fountain Floor”
and “Stourhead Gulch” as will the Bar).
Three River Eels (Eels jellied and Garni).
Silver City Sardines (American Sardines).
La Luz Artichokes (a Vinegrette of Artichokes).
Socorro Tongue (a Garni of Tongue).
Golden Pig (stuffed Sucking Pigs whole).
Al Mogado Almonds (Roasted and sugared).
Strawberries and Cream.
Praire Chicken (a Spanish-American dish
garnished with Onion).
Kelly’s Salad (a georgette Salad).
Salad Batea
(Salad of green Peppers, Tomatoes and Parsley).
Bad Man’s Salad
(Lettuce with Olives and Fillets of Anchovie).
Gold Dust Cream
(a creamed custard with Vanilla and Egg).
Cookies (various).
Coffee.
RESEARCH NOTE
Our team of cooks have done much research as well as cooking! Many of tonight’s dishes are authentic reminders of the great days of the American Gold Rush. So are the names we have given them (see “The Bonanza Trail” by Muriel Wolfe and “The Earp Brothers of Tombstone” by Frank Waters and “The Dramatic History of the Golden Era of Western America”).
Our very grateful thanks are due to Mr. and Mrs. Alex Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Abbott, their team from Cook and Butlers Ltd. The Staff of Messrs. Hall and Woodhouse, and to all the cooks, butlers and waitresses, and helpers from Mere, Zeals and Stourton, who have made this Ball possible.