Queen Elizabeth enforces a number of very
strict, and sometimes very strange rules on
the royal family.
And that goes for what they eat and drink,
too.
These are the foods that the royal family
are forbidden from eating, and some of them
are sure to surprise you.
One thing the Queen does love is steak.
Any while this certainly isn't unusual, what's
most notable about her steak is the way she
has the meat cooked: well done.
Former royal chef Darren McGrady explained:
"Chefs, we cook medium rare all the time.
So it was really, really important that we
got a really good sear on the steaks and cooked
her steak well done."
That might seem off, but this likely goes
beyond just personal preference, because rare
meat is reportedly off-limits to royals during
their travels.
This is most likely because eating rare or
undercooked meat carries many risks.
Undercooked meat can be a breeding ground
for E. coli, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting
and stomach cramps.
Salmonella is also a potential problem, which
can cause severe food poisoning.
Undercooked meat, poultry, and seafood can
also cause listeria, which brings with it
diarrhea, nausea, fever and muscle aches.
And that's before you even touch on parasites
that can be present in meat, many of which
can cause severe infections.
Although eating rare meat is certainly no
guarantee of infection, it seems that royals
just aren't willing to take the risk, especially
when they've got their duties to attend to.
According to McGrady, the Queen tends to avoid
eating starchy foods such as potatoes, pasta
and rice, except on very special occasions.
Although this rule likely doesn't apply to
other royals when they're off doing their
own thing, meals at Buckingham Palace (or
wherever the Queen is currently staying) tend
to be a different story entirely.
It's likely that the Queen's aversion to starchy
foods is due to their high carb content — which,
some have argued, can have an effect on people's
health.
And the Queen isn't the only world leader
to worry about this; in 2015, Pope Francis
was told to lay off the pasta after he began
to gain weight.
It's the basis of all great cooking.
It's the perfect way to spruce up any dish.
It's the reason your house isn't overrun with
vampires right now.
Yes, that's right: it's garlic.
"Oooooo, garlic!"
Unfortunately, the many joys of garlic remain
thoroughly out of reach for the British royal
family.
During an appearance on Master Chef Australia,
Camilla Parker Bowles, wife to Prince Charles
and Duchess of Cornwall, revealed that garlic
was on the list of foods that the royals are
told to skip, since they are so often required
to converse with other dignitaries and members
of the public.
Darren McGrady backed this up in 2016, when
he told Recipes Plus that palace chefs were
asked to refrain from serving anything with
garlic.
Meanwhile, another former royal chef told
The National Post in 2016 that,
"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.'"
"Excuse me."
"Better out than in, I always say, eh Fiona?"
Darren McGrady has also revealed that royal
chefs were forbidden from using a lot of onions
in their dishes.
Considering onions form the basis of pretty
much every decent recipe out there, the royals
have got to be thankful that they're allowed
at least some leeway on that one, but honestly,
we'd draw the line at garlic.
Who could live without that?
Even if the Queen does relent on her "no starch"
rule, you can be sure that royal pasta is
not going to be served with a marinara sauce.
That's because, according to The BBC, the
royals prefer to avoid, quote, "messy" tomato
sauces.
This revelation came in advance of the Queen
and Prince Philip's visit to Rome and Milan
in 2000.
Chefs at the palace of the Italian president
were told that, as well as garlic and pasta,
tomato sauces would not be permitted on the
menu.
This, one imagines, wouldn't be exactly what
an Italian chef likes to hear.
You can kind of see the logic here.
If you're all dressed up for a banquet where
you'll be the focus of attention, to both
guests and the media, you're not going to
want to take any risks with spillages.
And since the Queen probably doesn't fancy
wearing a red dress every time she eats, it's
safe to say that the easiest thing to do would
be to just ban messy sauces altogether.
Great news for the integrity of the British
monarchy; not so great for lovers of a hearty
tomato sauce.
Foie gras is one of the most controversial
foods out there.
The main problem with this expensive, high-class
pâté is that the producers exercise a shocking
degree of cruelty in the production process.
So maybe it's no surprise that, in 2008, the
famously environmentally-conscious Prince
Charles banned it from the royal menu.
Furthermore, Charles was reported to be considering
withdrawing the royal warrant from his favorite
cheese shop because they sold foie gras.
Most U.K. retailers opt not to sell foie gras,
and production of the foodstuff is banned
in the country.
France, however, exports very large quantities
of it.
Controversial in his home country, the prince's
ban on foie gras was welcomed by animal rights
groups.
The world of shellfish is an exciting one
indeed: the term can refer to any one of a
range of delicious and fascinating fish that
are served all around the world, from shrimp
to oysters to crab to lobster to clams, scallops,
crayfish, mussels and more.
But while these kinds of shellfish are all
very different in taste and texture, they
do share one thing in common...they're a no-go
for the royals.
According to The BBC, the royals make concerted
efforts to avoid eating shellfish while dining
out or visiting foreign countries, since it
can carry a greater-than-normal risk of causing
infection and illness.
And that's putting it lightly: for example,
mollusks accounted for 45 percent of all seafood-related
cases of foodborne illness between 1973 and
2006.
So, it's pretty safe to say the Queen isn't
taking chances that all chefs around the world
know the correct way to store and serve these
finicky foods.
And they're not alone: Healthline even recommends
that pregnant and breastfeeding women, older
adults, and people with compromised immune
systems should stay away from raw shellfish
altogether.
One of the main benefits of being a royal
is that you get to travel the world.
As part of their duties, the royals often
make visits to other countries, so you'd imagine
that they're fairly well-versed in international
gastronomy; especially since state visits
usually mean state banquets.
Unfortunately, some of these countries' more
exotic dishes are very much off the menu.
In 2000, The BBC revealed that the royal entourage
is banned from eating, quote, "any food that
is too spicy or exotic."
But why?
Well, it's easy to imagine that this might
come down to image.
It's not going to look too great if the Queen,
or any other royal, sits down at a state banquet,
takes a bite of ultra-spicy curry, and immediately
begins to literally melt down in front of
the world's dignitaries.
"Oh!
Ohhh!
That's what got me, god!"
Equally, nobody's going to look too kindly
on a royal reluctantly trying some strange,
exotic dish, realizing they hate it, and grimacing
painfully as they swallow it down.
Not to mention, spicy foods have been known
to cause a bit of stomach upset, especially
to those who aren't used to them.
Why take the risk?
They say you shouldn't drink the tap water
when you travel abroad, and it seems that
the royals have taken that old adage to heart,
since they're told to avoid drinking tap water
so as to avoid any gastronomic distress.
It's true that, in certain countries, tap
water can prove very dangerous indeed.
The NHS recommends that visitors to countries
with poor sanitation, quote, "use filtered,
bottled, boiled or chemically treated water"
rather than water from the tap.
Contaminated water can contain bacteria and
parasites from human or animal fecal matter,
dangerous minerals such as lead or mercury,
as well as chemicals from industrial waste.
These can pose a particular risk to people
with compromised immune systems.
Some of the potential side-effects of drinking
contaminated water include gastrointestinal
disease, kidney problems, and long-term issues
with physical and mental development.
Naturally, then, the Queen prefers to drink
bottled water, and not just any old bottle,
either; no, as with so many other foods and
drinks, she usually enjoys one brand in particular.
The Queen and her household prefer to drink
Hildon Natural Mineral Water, which comes
from the Test Valley in the United Kingdom.
According to their own website, Hildon's unique
flavor, quote, "is praised for its delicate
purity and avoidance of medicinal taste."
This stuff isn't cheap, though, and a 12-pack
of 11-ounce bottles will set you back a staggering
$60.
Fancy.
Despite all these forbidden foods, life as
a royal is still pretty lavish.
After all, you're not going to be complaining
about having your foie gras taken away when
you're getting to eat all kinds of pheasant,
fresh vegetables, chocolate, cakes, and sandwiches.
But although they eat well, one thing the
royals can't abide is waste.
According to former royal chef Carolyn Robb,
Prince Charles is insistent that nothing goes
to waste, saying:
"If there were leftovers they'd be used one
way or another.
If not for him, then rehashed and used for
a meal the following day."
Even the meals themselves were modest.
Robb explained:
"We were always quite careful, [as] he never
wanted to have huge amounts of food on the
plate.
They were always very thrifty and economical.
If we made roasted lamb and there was leftovers,
we'd probably go and make Shepard's pie the
next night."
The Queen is no different.
In an interview with Hello!, Darren McGrady
recalled her own propensity towards thriftiness,
saying:
"One time at the palace, the Queen was going
to the theatre, and she requested a snack.
She wanted smoked salmon and scrambled eggs,
and [the server] sent half a lemon, and did
a really beautiful garnish on the lemon, and
the Queen took a squeeze of the lemon and
said, 'Would you send this lemon back to the
kitchen?
I'm sure it can be used for something else.'"
Of course, now you know just what the Queen
can't abide, one question remains: what does
she like?
Luckily, it's easy to get a handle on what
she eats and drinks, thanks to the U.K.'s
system of royal warrants.
Royal warrants are, according to the Royal
Warrant Holder's Association, a quote, "mark
of recognition of those who have supplied
goods or services to the [royal family]."
Essentially, they're the Queen's favorite
things.
Any business or individual who holds a royal
warrant is also permitted to emblazon their
products with the Royal Arms, but to be eligible,
they have to supply products or services to
the Queen, Prince Philip, or Prince Charles
for no fewer than five years out of the last
seven.
They're also made to demonstrate that they,
quote, "have an appropriate environmental
and sustainability policy and action plan."
Some foods that hold the royal warrant include
Cadbury, the British chocolatier now owned
by Kraft; Quaker Oats, a producer of cereals
and porridges; Paxton and Whitfield, the U.K.'s
oldest cheese monger; and McIlhenny, who make
Tabasco sauce.
Royal-approved drinks include Angostura, producer
of rum and bitter; Bacardi, producers of gin;
scotch whisky makers John Walker and Sons;
R. Twining and Company, a tea producer; and
even Schweppes.
But those are just a few examples, all in
all, around 800 businesses and individuals
hold royal warrants, with the list being updated
monthly.
And they definitely make up for all those
things the royals can't have.
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