This nine page vintage article titled Ladies’ Luncheons by Janet M. Hill includes two menus, with accompanying recipes, to successfully host a luncheon for ladies – early 1900s style. The first eight pages of this article (and other pages in the magazine that included photographs) were published on a paper that is glossier than the last page of this article and other basic paper pages in the magazine. The types of paper have aged completely differently. The glossy pages are still mostly white with bits of yellowing while the non-glossy pages have yellowed significantly over time.
I scanned the original pages from the January 1907 issue of the Boston Cooking School Magazine.
Julie, you wore me out just reading these recipes! I don’t think I could pull off that luncheon even with servants!
Interesting to see how people lived then but I suspect it was a very upper class that would serve a luncheon this elaborate. My husband always cut his grapefruit like that and his mother was a German immigrant servant when she first came to America, Bet she learned that trick from the “head cook”. My family , on the other hand, were farmers and we just cut our seldom had grapefruit around the outside and hoped for the best! Thanks for sharing such interesting articles.
Tonight I shared many of the ads with two of my sisters….they loved them…..
This is one of the best sites…I love it and thank you!
Brings back lots of memories!
Nana served on many committees and we grandchildren served and performed at many a ladies luncheon.
Dressed up and perfect etiquette and all the fun tablescapes and foods on fancy dishes.
Pat, I’m glad you enjoyed the article. It would indeed take a lot of effort to pull off a luncheon like this. Interesting how people cut (or peel) their grapefruit differently. I don’t recall having grapefruit in our house when I was young. Perhaps the first time was when my mom went on a diet in the early 1970s. And now, with all this talk of grapefruit, you have me craving one. 🙂
Mary, that is very kind of you. Thank you. I’m happy to know your sisters enjoyed the ads.
Patti, thank you for sharing your wonderful memories. How fun it must have been to be so involved in the old fashioned ladies’ luncheons! I love the fancy antique serving dishes and have a small collection that I use quite regularly, even if I’m only hosting a casual movie/snack night with a couple of guests.
Hi, thank you so much for sharing such lovely recipes. It shows us how glamorous the old times had been – even if this can be said only for the upper class :).
Some of the recipes are known to me – I learned them from my grandmother how to cook and serve (there are just a few minor differences regarding some ingredients but seem to be the same in general).
I will try some of your recipes as soon as I have time. I am sure that I will have fun …
Thanks again – and I am looking forward to some more recipes from your wonderful cooking magazine 🙂
F.Mel
Hi F. Mel,
It’s wonderful that you know how to cook and serve some of these recipes!
I hope you do have fun if you try some of these antique recipes and I would love to know your results. 🙂
Julie
This must have taken some time to prepare. Outstanding.Thank you for your dedication.
You’re welcome Christine. They did take some time to prepare, even though I left them in their aged/shabby state for the most part.