Posted on by missminamurray

January 20, Formal Dinner

01-20
Finnan Haddie Canapés
Potage d’Avignon
Bread Sticks
Celery
Olives
Broiled Trout, Maître d’Hôtel
Dressed Cucumbers
Bouchées of Sweetbread
Roast Crown of Lamb, Currant Mint Sauce
Potato Balls
Oyster Plant au Gratin
Sautéd Quail à la Moquin
Grape Fruit and Pepper Salad
*Vanilla Ice Cream, Fruit Sauce
Marguerites
Crackers
Cheese
Café Noir

In 1914 January 20 was a Tuesday. Why are we having a formal dinner on Tuesday? It’s my sister’s birthday and that’s a good enough reason for me.

There is a lot going on in this meal…

Finnan Haddie is cold-smoked haddock. Our local butcher shop carries it, so I should give it a try.

Bouchées are small pastry cases.

The Potato Balls are shaped with a French vegetable cutter. They were used to cut fruits and vegetables into ball shapes, but I have yet to find an image of one, let alone an actual cutter. Let me know if you’ve ever seen one!

Oyster Plant is a common name for salsify and according to Fannie Farmer “Oyster plant is in season from October to March.” I haven’t found a recipe for Oyster Plant au Gratin, but you could probably make Potatoes au Gratin and substitute salsify root. Fannie Farmer says to cook it so: “Wash, scrape, and put at once into cold acidulated water to prevent discoloration. Cut in inch slices, cook in boiling salted water until soft, drain”.

Quail à la Moquin is presumably named after restauranteur Henri Mouquin. Mouquin came to New York from Switzerland, via Paris, and began his career as a waiter at the famed Delmonico’s. Mouquin opened three restaurants in New York, with his wife, Marie Granjean as chef. She is credited with introducing French onion soup to the United States.

There are two recipes for Marguerites in The Boston Cookery-School Cook Book. Both look like sweet little treats. One is a pastry and the other is more like divinity, but baked on saltines!

M2This project is supported by my Patrons on Patreon and donations from other enthusiasts of historic cookery. With your help I can acquire the unusual ingredients and equipment and do the research needed to continue my culinary adventures. Thank you so much!

Posted on by missminamurray

January 18

01-18
Caviare Canapés
Rump Beef Roast, Brown Gravy
Creamed Potatoes
Glazed Silver Skins
Lettuce and Radish Salad
Peanut Brown Bread Sandwiches
*Canton Cream
Raised Loaf Cake
Café Noir

In 1914 January 18 was a Sunday.

Silver skins are another name for pearl onions — small onions often creamed or pickled.

Canton ginger is ginger preserved in syrup. The Canton Cream  uses both the ginger and its syrup.

The Raised Loaf Cake is made with bread sponge, a mixture of yeast, liquid, and flour that’s allowed to ferment before the rest of the bread ingredients are added.

M2This project is supported by my Patrons on Patreon and donations from other enthusiasts of historic cookery. With your help I can acquire the unusual ingredients and equipment and do the research needed to continue my culinary adventures. Thank you so much!

Posted on by missminamurray

January 15

01-15

Broiled Oysters
Celery
Bread Sticks
*Boiled Calves’ Tongues
Mashed Squash
Riced Potatoes
Lettuce and Cucumber Salad
Saltines
Mince Pie
Cheese
Café Noir

In 1914 January 15 was a Thursday.

Ricing potatoes was a pretty common treatment at this time, which seems to have fallen out of favor. Does anyone use a ricer? I’ve got one on my wish list…

The lettuce and cucumber salad is deceptively simple, but the presentation is everything — alternating leaves of lettuce and slices of cucumber. 
“A Chapon. Remove a small piece from end of French loaf and rub over with a clove of garlic, first dipped in salt. Place in bottom of salad bowl before arranging salad. A chapon is often used in vegetable salads, and gives an agreeable additional flavor.” (The Boston Cooking School Cook Book, p. 323)

M2This project is supported by my Patrons on Patreon and donations from other enthusiasts of historic cookery. With your help I can acquire the unusual ingredients and equipment and do the research needed to continue my culinary adventures. Thank you so much!

Posted on by missminamurray

January 14

01-14
French Smelts, Sauce Tartare
Shredded Potatoes
French String Beans
*Fruit Salad, French Dressing
Mosaic Sandwiches
Apple Pie
Cheese Slices
Café Noir

In 1914 January 14 was a Wednesday.

The fruit salad is served with a vinaigrette, so consider it the salad course and not a dessert.

Mosaic Sandwiches are just bread and butter sandwiches, but with two colors of bread cut and assembled to form a checkerboard pattern.
Mosaic SandwichesPhoto from A New Book of Cookery (1912).

Apple pie with cheese is a pretty common New England treat. I think it’s best with a sharp cheddar.

M2This project is supported by my Patrons on Patreon and donations from other enthusiasts of historic cookery. With your help I can acquire the unusual ingredients and equipment and do the research needed to continue my culinary adventures. Thank you so much!

Posted on by missminamurray

January 11

01-11
French Chicken Soup
Hominy Croûtons
*Rabbit à la Southern
Anchovied Potatoes
Endive Salad
Celery in White Sauce
Wheat Crispies
Chocolate Ice Cream
Lady Baltimore Cake
Café Noir

In 1914 January 11 was a Sunday.

Wheat Crispies are a brand of cracker made by O. B. Gilman, a Boston bakery.

The chocolate ice cream calls for squares of Baker’s chocolate. This is a brand of unsweetened chocolate still available today, originally made in a factory in Boston, right down the road from me (it’s luxury apartments now).  In Fannie’s the unsweetened chocolate came in individually wrapped squares, each weighing one ounce. Now the chocolate comes in bars, but it’s easy enough to convert squares to ounces.

M2This project is supported by my Patrons on Patreon and donations from other enthusiasts of historic cookery. With your help I can acquire the unusual ingredients and equipment and do the research needed in my quest for greater historical accuracy in my culinary adventures. Thank you so much!

Posted on by missminamurray

January 5

Broiled Beefsteak
Maître d’Hôtel Potatoes
Mashed Squash
Lettuce and Radish Salad
Fromage Rolls
*Nut Prune Soufflé

In 1914 January 5 was a Monday.

This is a pretty simple menu, without a starter, but with some fancy bread.

M2This project is supported by my Patrons on Patreon and donations from other enthusiasts of historic cookery. With your help I can acquire the unusual ingredients and equipment and do the research needed to continue my culinary adventures. Thank you so much!

Posted on by missminamurray

January 3

01-03

Corn Soup
Pop Corn Garnish
*Mock Sausages
Fried Apple Rings
Potatoes au Gratin
Dressed Lettuce, Chiffonade
Moulded Snow, Chocolate Sauce

In 1914 January 3 was a Saturday.

For the Fried Apple Rings perhaps follow the instructions for Pork Chops with Fried Apples and make them into rings. Although I’m not sure what to use for the fat.

M2This project is supported by my Patrons on Patreon and donations from other enthusiasts of historic cookery. With your help I can acquire the unusual ingredients and equipment and do the research needed to continue my culinary adventures. Thank you so much!

Posted on by missminamurray

January 2

01-02

Baked Stuffed Haddock, Egg Sauce
Julienne Potatoes
Moulded Spinach
*Tomato and Celery Salad
Cheese Wafers
Steamed Graham Pudding, Foamy Sauce

In 1914 January 2 was a Friday. The main dish is fish, not a surprise in New England where fish was abundant. Let’s see if fish on Friday becomes a trend

The Cheese Wafers are made with zephyrettes — a brand of cracker made by the National Biscuit Company (formerly the Kennedy Biscuit Company in Cambridge, MA). Any light, crisp cracker should do.

M2This project is supported by my Patrons on Patreon and donations from other enthusiasts of historic cookery. With your help I can acquire the unusual ingredients and equipment and do the research needed to continue my culinary adventures. Thank you so much!