July 18
Anniversary of Mary Leiter Curzon's Death
 

In the Edith Wharton world of the late nineteenth century, the goal of those in moneyed society, especially the nevue riche  was to have their young daughters marry into Europe's aristocracy, often providing huge dowries to attract the more impoverished. aristocrats.

Levi Z. Leiter, a multi-millionaire dry goods merchant of Chicago and an early partner in Marshall Field & Co, was anxious to have his daughter Mary become a member of English society. So the Leiters moved  to Washington DC and soon became well connected socially and politically. Levi then persuaded the U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James's, Thomas F. Bayard,  to  introduce Mary to London Society in 1894 where she met a young  George Curzon, a 35-year-old Conservative Member of Parliament, later to be made Lord Kedleston.  Leiter married Curzon the following year after Levi offered a massive  dowry.
 		  

Mary Leiter Curzon by Franz von Lenbach

George Curzon was named viceroy to India 1898 at age 39.. George and Mary were received with great enthusiasm in Bombay, in part, because of Mary's statuesque good looks. She instantly made an impression of beauty and respect that soon spread all over India.

Mary took a great interest in Indian  culture and fabrics and was instrumental in making them fashionable in Calcutta and other Indian cities and in London, Paris and the capitals of Europe. She was also a champion of women's healthcare  and was instrumental in  supplying women doctors and hospitals for women. There is a Lady Curzon Hospital in Bangalore.

Concerned about the dwindling numbers of rhinos, Mary asked her husband to take necessary action to save the rhinoceros, which he did by creating the Kaziranga Proposed Reserve Forest which was later developed into the Kaziranga National Park.

Lady Curzon' gained her greatest fame, however, for an innovation in turtle soup. In 1905, she learned that a guest dignitary for whom she held an elaborate dinner was a teetotaler and frowned upon those who drank alcohol. Unfortunately, most of her other British guests were fairly heavy drinkers. So as a compromise, she asked her chef to add some sherry to the turtle soup.  It was an immediate success and became a classic first course in British society for many years.
 

Lady Curzon Soup
 

The original soup was made with sea turtle which is now an endangered species, and turtle soup is often difficult to find in stores except in Philadelphia and some parts of Louisiana. The best canned turtle soup is made by Bookbinders (Snapper Soup) and can be ordered on amazon.com.
 

Ingredients
 

4 cups canned turtle soup
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 

juice from 1/4 lemon
1/2 tsp  salt
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/3 cup heavy cream, lightly whipped (as a garnish)

 
Instructions
  1. Remove the turtle meat from the cans of soup and chop it into small pieces. Pour the soup into a pan and heat.
  2. In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, cream, lemon juice, curry powder, cayenne pepper, and salt,
  3. Gradually add a cup of soup broth into the egg yolk mixture to temper it.
  4. Add tempered egg mixture into soup.
  5. Add the sherry, then reheat at a very low temperature until light and creamy.
  6. Pour the hot soup into cups and top with a dollop of whipped cream.
Serves 6