sir george said , sooner than usual , and at the table he made every effort to break the uneasy atmosphere which had settled over the company : the butler was sent back to the cellar half-a-dozen times , the wines growing more extravagant with each visit , and the food was excellent despite the limited resources accessible to staunton 's cook : among the dishes was a very handsome fried carp , laid upon a ragout of the small crabs , now victims in their turn , and for centerpiece a pair of fat haunches of venison roasted , accompanied by a dish full of glowing jewel-red currant jelly .