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The Common Spice You'd Never See In The Queen's Royal Kitchen
The late Queen Elizabeth II ran a tight ship. With some of the world's best chefs at her disposal and strict control over the kitchen at all times, the Queen's personal preferences often dictated what could, and could not be served from the royal kitchen. Case in point: Queen Elizabeth hates garlic, the alluring allium adored around the world, and it was formally banned from any and all royal meals.
Yes, you heard that right. Garlic, while beloved as a flavor base for thousands of dishes, was nowhere to be found in the British monarch's culinary routine. That being said, it's not because of its flavor, but rather its odor. In a 2018 appearance on MasterChef Australia, Camilla, then-duchess of Cornwall, confirmed to one of the show's judges, Gary Mehigan, that "garlic is a no-no" in the royal diet since at formal banquets, there will be lots of chatter (via X). It's understandable, as when speaking with diplomats, world leaders, and esteemed nobility, the last thing you would want is for your breath to smell unpleasant.
Not only is garlic's odor potentially offensive, but it could also cause some embarrassing moments at the dinner table, at least according to one former chef at Buckingham Palace. "The Queen is a wonderful lady, the royal family are wonderful people but they're missing out on garlic because at Buckingham Palace you don't cook with garlic. I suppose, in case you get the royal burp," John Higgins told The National Post in 2016.
Read more: We Asked 14 Celeb Chefs How They Order Their Steak
Garlic is just one of the common foods Queen Elizabeth didn't eat. Another allium, onions, were considered off-limits in the royal kitchen, likely for the same reasons as garlic. Unlike garlic, though, onions were permitted from time to time, so long as they were not overpowering in a dish. Outside of alliums, lengthy pastas, such as spaghetti or angel hair, were also frowned upon, due to their tendency to make a mess, as were pizza and burgers without buns. Queen Elizabeth also didn't request starchy or overly heavy side dishes on her plate. Instead, she preferred simple foods in her daily meals, like meat and vegetables.
Some foods were barred from the royal family's diet due to concerns over safety. Shellfish — like crabs, lobster, shrimp, and clams — would never be seen on the Queen's plate. This was particularly true while abroad or visiting with world leaders. After all, a royal should never appear under the weather before the general public, and just one bad oyster could sideline an entire week of official duties. The same logic applies for red meats cooked rare. If the Queen's steak was cooked more, there's less of a chance of catching some form of foodborne illness from it.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
