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1 whole lemon sole 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup flour

4 tablespoons clarified butter

1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

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What other scene did Bloom imagine for himself on this sunny afternoon?

A luncheon at the viceregal lodge, just off of Chesterfield Avenue, situated amidst the rolling meadows of Phoenix Park.  Overlooking the English landscape gardens to the rear of the edifice, replete with blooming rows of scarlet hollyhocks and blue scillas, the dining room, covered in a deep crimson wilton-weave carpet (freshly steamed), held one large oval table set for a dozen guests. The mid-afternoon light, framed by heavy silken drapery (purchased from James Cullen, 4 Main street, Ennis), streamed in from the garden-facing windows (1-meter-wide by 2-meters-tall), mingling with heavy clouds of cigar smoke to create a hazy glow. Three banner wooden Japanese screens, covered in hand-painted illustrations of migrating cranes, lined the walls.

 

What other esteemed members of society were sitting in attendance?

Seated clockwise from Bloom of Flowerville were Richard Edmund Meredith, Master of the Rolls, Mrs. Edmund Meredith, Viceroy William Ward, earl of Dudley, Lady Dudley, Lieutenant-colonel Josiah Heseltine, Mrs. Virginia Paget, Ms. Gwendolyn Dubedat, The Honourable Gerald Ward, Edward Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh, and his son, Sir Rupert Guinness.

 

What forms of attire did the present company favor:

The men: Charcoal woolen frock coats with pointed lapels, claret waistcoats with four buttons of vegetable ivory, made from the endosperm of African palm tree seeds, starched, white cotton shirts with detachable turndown collars, folded silk handkerchiefs, and freshly shined black oxford shoes, smelling deeply of tallow.

The women: Wondrous form-fitting silk gowns, framed in the latest haute couture, trimmed with delicate white linen passementerie, broad-brimmed hats topped off with ostrich plumage, dyed in deep maroons and magentas, and pearl-white satin gloves.

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Towards what purpose was such a luncheon given?

In celebration of the inauguration of the Mirus Bazaar, which was to be given for the purpose of raising funds for Mercer’s hospital, a highly regarded charitable institution and Dublin’s leading teaching hospital.

 

How had Bloom found himself in such a situation?

The Honorable Mr. Bloom, Resident Magistrate, in association with Ms. Dubedat had led a small fundraising campaign for the hospital in his suburb of Sutton to great financial success, raising over 200 pounds for the cause. In recognition for such a feat, and much owing to his esteemed position in polite society as a result of his austere public rectitude and renowned legal acumen, the Earl himself had personally him to lunch after last Sunday’s polo match in Phoenix Park.

 

What style of food was served?

Cuisine Classique, as popularized by Escoffier at the Savoy in London

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Which dish did the meal commence with?

Filleted lemon sole, a favorite of Ms. Dubedat’s, pulled just hours ago from the saltwater fish pool which lay just beyond the Victorian gazebo in the rear of the gardens.

 

How was the fish prepared?

A la meunière, lightly dusted in freshly milled wheat and fried in a shallow pool of clarified butter for 7 minutes on both sides.

 

How were the delicate fillets presented to each diner?

On a tableside carts, waiters browned butter over butane burners, toasting the foaming milk solids into caramelized flakes of lactose and casein. Practically in unison, each waiter squeezed half a lemon into his pan, causing the grease in erupt into violent convulsions, vaporizing the juice almost instantaneously. Stirring intently, they proceeded to finish the sauce with pats of fresh Irish butter. After the fish were finished in the pan-sauce, two broad silver spoons were used to remove the four fillets from the skeletal bones and place the pale, opaque flesh onto warmed china plates, rimmed in gold.  
 

What succession of flavors did Bloom detect on his palate?

At the top, a deep floral bitterness from the parsley, followed closely by the lactic tang of the butter-lemon emulsion, rounded out by the delicate pungency of the sole’s sticky intramuscular fat, redolent of the summer sea mist on Howth’s Head.

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What marks of hospitality did Bloom imagine at said luncheon?

A warm smile from Ms. Dubedat, as she mentioned their collective efforts to Mrs. Paget, special encouragement by Mr. Heseltine to join the Malahide Cricket Club, and an invitation to Mrs. Meredith’s summer ball the following Sunday, with special mention of Milly made.