Historical Fine Dining Menus
Waldorf Astoria, 1924

Historical fine dining menus are certainly not for the faint-hearted. Occasionally things are prepared and served in a complex or painstaking manner. Sometimes the preparation may take hours and hours - or even days!

The 1920s to 1950s fashion in dining was very much less utilitarian than is the modern style of cooking. People had cooks and maids to peel and shred their brussels sprouts leaf by leaf or to turn their marinating beef every hour on the hour for half a week.

It was a period of elegance and refinement 'above stairs' supported and made possible by intensive hard work 'below stairs' in many cases.

The result?

Why, excellent food served to a discerning collection of connoisseurs of course!

Obviously the period between 1920 and 1959 saw a lot of that opulence evaporate into war and rationing and then the age of the lone housewife running her own home.

But this menu is from early in the period. And it is from one of the finest hotels in America and it does not seem to be suffering much curtaiilment! This is the menu from an historic Presidential dinner in 1924. President Coolidge was the lucky diner and this is what he was served:

But historical menus are not just for drooling over - you have a napkin for that.

No, you will want to give it a try for yourself. Just click on a dish below to see how you can reproduce this superb historical menu from the chefs at the Waldorf Astoria in your own home.

Appetizer: Canape of Anchovies

Soup: Cream of Celery

Main Course: Aiguillette of Striped Bass Joinville

Main Course: Potatoes a la Hollandaise

Main Course: Medallion of Spring Lamb

Main Course: Chasseur Asparagus Tips Au Gratin

Dessert: Venetian Ice Cream Cake