The Food of the Anglia

To help portray the garishness of the surroundings of Levin and Stiva's dinner (pgs 33-39), Tolstoy gives us a intricate menu of lavish foodstuffs: turbot with Beaumarchais sauce, capons a l'estragon, Flensburg oysters, soup "printaniere," and Chablis wine. Of course, to the 21st century reader, turbot has about as much meaning as 28 roubles from Tolstoy's time. Here are some translations of the foods that Levin and Stiva enjoyed (or didn't).

Turbot with beaumarchais:

The turbot (tur-but) is a "delicately-flavored" flatfish (much like halibut) with bright white flesh. Beaumarchais remains a mystery...

Capons a l'estragon:

A capon (ready for this?) is a castrated male chicken. Invented by the Romans, the method of producing capons is actually illegal in England, due to concerns about animal cruelty. Basically, the testes of the rooster are completely removed through an abdominal incision, in order to slow the rooster's metabolism and produce a more docile, easier-to-fatten bird. The meat of a capon is supposed to be less stringy and more juicy than that of a normal bird. A l'estragon means "with tarragon," an essential French cooking herb.

Flensburg oysters:

Flensburg is a German port, well-known in the past for its fisheries. Oysters, of course, are a "rich man's indulgence" - and, interestingly enough, are renowned for their supposed aphrodisiacal qualities. Sweet rolls for dessert, Stiva?

Soup "printaniere":

Clear soup with various spring greens, i.e. asparagus, pearl onions...

Chablis wine:

A very dry white wine, much like Chardonnay

And 28 roubles equals about $0.89 today, but obviously was a princely sum in the late 1800s.