What Weird Birthday Food Did People Enjoy in 1919?

Summary

The website content discusses a 1919 cookbook from the Hotel St. Francis, revealing unusual birthday dishes from that era and inviting readers to explore what was served on their own birthdays, share their findings, and engage in a social media tagging game.

Abstract

The article delves into the peculiar culinary preferences of 1919, as evidenced by the Hotel St. Francis Cookbook. It highlights the cookbook's unique format, which focuses more on menu compilation than on detailed recipes, providing a glimpse into the dining experiences of the early 20th century. The author reflects on the strangeness of past food trends, such as Crawfish in Sherry, and contrasts them with contemporary tastes, like Berries in Whipped Cream. The piece encourages audience participation by suggesting readers look up their own birthday menus from the cookbook, answer a set of questions about their findings, and share these insights in a communal online activity. This interactive element not only fosters engagement but also offers a whimsical perspective on historical gastronomy.

Opinions

The author expresses distaste for Crawfish in Sherry, particularly due to the presence of eyestalks and the unsettling sensation of being watched by one's food.
A fondness for Berries in Whipped Cream is conveyed, with nostalgia for past Mother's Day celebrations at the Otesaga resort.
There is an interest in trying Eggs D'Uxelles, with a plan to adapt the recipe to modern kitchenware like a muffin tin.
The author believes that some 1919 dishes, such as Steak, Fries, and Beans, could easily be incorporated into today's menus without seeming out of place.
Skepticism is shown towards the recipe for Cream of Green Corn, questioning the use of unripe corn and the inclusion of veal stock in a vegetable dish.
The author is enthusiastic about the social aspect of the article, inviting specific individuals to participate and expressing curiosity about their unique perspectives on historical birthday menus.

Tag and share fun

In a NY Times article about how to make the perfect pancake, they referenced the fascinating Hotel St. Francis Cookbook from 1919. Their food editor had used it for inspiration in developing his own recipe.

Unlike a modern cookbook, with actual recipes, this is more like a compilation of breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. There are guidelines for a chef unfamiliar with specific dishes — generally listing ingredients, but not always how much of them, or how long to cook them.

So, while it fails as a cookbook, it’s an incredibly interesting view of what life was like at the turn of the “Roaring Twenties”. People ate some weird stuff in 1919, even in luxury hotels like the St. Francis.

I wrote an article about what was being served on my birthday in 1919. Someone commented that people were always interested in things related to their birthdays. And so, a tag-and-share meme was born.

How to play

If you’d like to play along, look up your birthday in the Hotel St Francis Cookbook. Then answer these five questions, and share your answers in an article. Tag me (or whoever tagged you) and invite others to play.

What birthday dish would you absolutely never eat?

Crawfish in sherry. I can’t stand food with eyestalks. Especially the way they bob around like they’re looking at you accusingly while you devour them. I’m assuming most of the alcohol content of the sherry burns off while cooking, so it can’t even get you drunk enough not to notice your food is glaring at you. The recipe actually calls for the tails only, but still, the ghosts of the eyestalks would still be there. No. Just, no.

What birthday dish do you eat now?

Berries in whipped cream. That’s a wonderful spring or summer dessert. We used to celebrate Mother’s Day at the Otesaga in Cooperstown. Depending on the weather, they’d lay out a brunch buffet in one of their dining rooms, on the covered verandah overlooking the lake, or in tents on the grounds. One of my favorite stops — after denuding their bacon tray — was the bowls of different berries with a side of whipped cream. Blackberries were my favorite, followed by strawberries, and then raspberries. I still eat a good double handful of berries every morning, although I save the whipped cream for special occasions.

What birthday dish would you like to try?

Eggs D’Uxelles. You basically start with D’Uxelles, which is the mixture you use to stuff stuffed mushrooms. It is commonly made from mushrooms and onions, but you can include breadcrumbs, ham, wine, gravy, cheese, or any other flavoring you’d like. You layer the stuffing mix, a raw egg, more stuffing mix, then cheese and butter. I somehow managed to lose my porcelain ramekins when moving, so I’m going to try making this in a muffin tin. I thought I’d make it for my birthday this year.

What birthday dishes could appear on a modern menu without raising eyebrows?

Steak, fries, and beans. I’ve seen that combination in plenty of steak houses. Usually, they use green beans, because it gives the plate a little more color, but I’ve been served wax beans as a posh alternative. The English Rump Steak is not a common cut, but again, would not raise eyebrows. (Google informs me that this is the cut right behind the sirloin and flank steaks. It’s extremely flavorful but difficult to cook well without becoming tough, so more usually used for roasts.) And it’s nice to know that even in 1919, they were serving French Fries. It’s what goes with beef, whether that’s a steak or a hamburger.

What birthday dish makes you wonder, what were they thinking?

Cream of green corn. I understand creamed corn. I went through a stage as a child where that was the only vegetable I would eat. But you make creamed corn with sweet, ripe corn. If you use corn that’s not ripe yet, don’t you lose that lovely flavor? Then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, the recipe starts by making a stock out of veal bones. What does that have to do with corn? Corn is a vegetable. There should be no meat in it.