Friday, November 04, 2005

Vintage Find: The American Home Diet



I found this delightful book today at the vintage bookstore. It answers "the ever present question: What Shall We Have for Dinner?" The copyright date is 1920 and it was written by two professors of "Chemical Hygiene"! Most of the book is a full years' worth of menus--breakfast, lunch, and dinner. These are priceless. Examples:

May 8 Lunch:

Vegetable Soup
Saltines
Baked Beans
Catsup
Bread
Butter
Green Onions
Sliced Oranges and Shredded Cocoanut

May 8 Dinner:

Lamb Chops
Mashed Potatoes
Creamed Lima Beans
Watercress Salad
Radishes
Bread
Butter
Milk
Spanish Cream (I think this is a flan or custard?)
Saltines

November 19 Lunch:

Cheese Souffle
Cole Slaw
Banana and Nut Salad
Gingerbread
Milk
Butter

November 19 Dinner:

Broiled Trout
Boiled Sweet Potatoes
Creamed Carrots
Egg Sauce
Kale
Bread
Butter
Baked Apple
Cream

Butter is present at every meal, to promote health (as stated in the introduction). Saltines are also on many menus in an odd spot, usually following the dessert! The Sunday suppers are fabulous. They are the secondary meals as the main meal is served at lunch time. I'd love this menu for March 8:

Oyster Stew
Crackers
Egg, Olive, and Potato Salad
Nut Bread
Butter
Chocolate (sounds great but I think it only means cocoa)
Marshmallows

Nut bread, olives, and cocoa with marshmallows seem to be standard Sunday supper fare. Welsh rarebit, salted peanuts, and grapefruit and celery salad are other standbys. Bring them on!

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