From the book One Hundred and One Sandwiches come these delightful recipes, fit for little girls and delicate older ladies (and possibly some delicate gentlemen and/or elves would wish to join the tea party).

Nasturtium
One dozen nasturtium blossoms, two tablespoonfuls of mayonnaise dressing. Spread white bread with the mayonnaise, and place each blossom overlapping the next half-way to give substance to the “filling.” Roll the sandwiches.

Violet
Two cups of fresh violets, one-quarter cup fresh butter without salt, fresh and cold. Put one cup of violets in bottom of jar, wrap the butter in waxed paper and lay on top, and cover with remainder of violets. Cover the jar tightly, and leave for several hours in a cold place. When ready, spread this butter on very thin slices of white bread which has been given a violet bath in the same way.

While perusing menus at NYPL, I often came across an item called box stew in the same category as oyster stews. I now happen to run across mention of a specially-made oyster stew box in the magazine Table Talk, a sort of 1800s combination of a fine living magazine and a home hints column:

Oyster-stew boxes are a china novelty. The decoration, shells, sea weeds, and little marine views. They have fitted covers like bouillon cups.

How delightful! I wonder what the less-fancy ones looked like!

From The Book of Menus, 1876, an Epicurian Calendar:
January: Marronglaçaire
February: Harengsauridor
March: Œufalacoquidor
April: Petitpoisidor
May: Aspergial
June: Concombrial
July: Melonial
August: Raisinose
September: Huîtrose
October: Bécassinose
November: Pommedetaire
December: Boudinaire

A New and Complete Culinary Encyclopedia containing Facts Worth Knowing, Health Suggestions, Care of the Sick, Table Etiquette, Dinner Giving, Menus, Household Toilet and Cooking Recipes by Minnie Palmer with the approval of Mrs. J. B. Lyon, President of the Woman’s Exchange, Chicago, Ill. (1901)

A wonderful cookbook, full of handy recipes for things not generally now eaten. I will probably have to post some tips on cooking songbirds next.

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by Brother Herman E Zaccarelli, C.S.C., 1960

Someday, perhaps, I will feature Brother Zaccarelli’s horrifyingly sexist advice on managing an (ideally!) all female (and so emotional!) cafeteria staff, but today, his recipe for Tuna Bunsteads! I made a (small) batch, and it’s good stuff.

Tuna Bunsteads

Ingredients                             100 portions     50 portions     12 portions
Cheese, American, cubed                 4 pounds        2 pounds         1/2 pound
Eggs, hard cooked,
chopped                                 48                    24                   6
Tuna, drained, flaked                   84 ounces        42 ounces        10.5 ounces
Peppers, green, chopped              2 cups             1 cup               1/4 cup
Onions, chopped                          2 cups             1 cup               1/4 cup
Olives, stuffed, chopped                2 cups             1 cup               1/4 cup
Pickles, sweet, chopped                 2 cups             1 cup               1/4 cup
Mayonnaise or salad
dressing                                   2 quarts           1 quart             1/2 pint
Buns, frankfurter, split                 100                  50                    12

Procedure: 1. Combine and blend thoroughly the first 8 ingredients.
2. Fill buns. Wrap in aluminum foil. Arrange on bakers sheet.
3. Bake in a very slow oven, 250 F., 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove. Serve hot.

by Louis Diat, Chef, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, New York, 1941

A 524 page long book of recipes from the famous restaurant, supposedly for the American housewife. I think most American housewives would look on this beast with horror in their eyes. It’s packed with horrifically complex sauces and dishes containing huge ingredients lists, each requiring extensive preparation. One of the basic sauces, called for in many of the subsequent sauce recipes? First ingredient is a lobster. It is the very definition of mid-century fancy food.

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1969
In the category of cookbooks requiring ample quantities of the sponsor’s products, the Aunt Jemima one knows it has a bit of a stretch on its hands with the “to Midnight” portion of the menu. But they gamely soldier on with suggestions for every meal!

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Chop Suey: a Collection of Simplified Chinese Recipes Adapted for the American Home
by Mei-Mei Ling, B.S. Home Economics, University of Hawaii, M.A. Home Economics Education, T.C. Columbia University
1953

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Marie Gifford’s 168 Meal Planning Ideas that Start with Armour Star Canned Meats
The meat of good eating… Armour
1959
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Welcome to the first installment of From the Vault! The Forced Perspective Vault contains volume upon volume of cool old stuff, primarily stuff related to food. In this recurring (I hope) feature, we drag some gems out into the light of day.

Knudsen Recipes for Greater Food Value
Knudsen Dairy Products, The Very Best
produced by Knudsen Creamery Co of California in 1957

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