A collection of French antique menus, ones I have found at the brocante.
Old menus are like cookbooks, the give ideas, set a theme, encourage one to cook, to celebrate!
The menu above is from the early 1900s, some of the courses were fish, lamb sauce, peas…
Was this one a menu of sorrow?
The image would suggest it.
Most French menus from the 1800s and until the 1950s were written by hand.
I especially like the ones that have a drop of chocolate, or a splash of wine on them.
It makes me believe that the celebration was worth remember if one took home a soiled menu.
28th of September 1919, French antique menu with a gold embossed letter head.
Sole a la Normandy:
Fresh caught sole cleaned:
– 1 kg of mussels
– 1 half litre of white wine
– 1 shallot
– 1/2 a leaf of laurel
– 200 grams of shrimps peeled
– 200 grams of Fresh Cream
– 30 grams of butter
-chopped parsely, salt and pepper.
That sauce would blow my diet, my mouth watered reading it.
Whenever one is invited to a French wedding, or baptism or other big event, one can be sure that one will sit around the table for hours.
A few weeks ago we went to a baptism.
The aperitif was from one until three, though I knew better I wondered if it were lunch, it was like a lunch, one bite of many delicious wonders that equalled a hundred easily.
As I was on my Eat Less, Move More… I was very careful, until I heard the hostess call everyone inside, I surrendered.
The guests were asked to sit down, name tags adorn the table, lunch was served…
Three until Six.
Dessert followed with champagne.
When invited to a French party as such it is best to take small portions, due to the fact that many portions will be served.
I knew that theory.
So I was prepared.
Though our plates were already prepared, all six of them.
Dinner was later, yes dinner.
We left early at two in the morning.
Menus haven't changed in France.
French cooking is what it is because it is….
Famous and good, meant to enjoy with family and friends.
Did you know that the French do not like to eat alone.
In France meals mean more than just eating.
Oysters,
Varied aperitif,
Surprise with Truffles
Salmon with Tartare Sauce.
Note the age of the wine on this French antique menu:
1870.
1930-40s style French Menu header.
1923 is the date on this menu with the wine dating 1870.
It was a very good year.
I wonder what the occassion was to serve such delicious wine?
A wedding?
With a mouse theme?
French Menu, though nothing noted, virgin card.
French Antique menu, from the Hotel d' Angleterre.
French handwritten cook book from the 1700s that French Husband and I saw at the brocante.
Numerous pages, one recipe after another. I wish I could have bought it… it cost 600 Euros.
Hence it stayed behind.
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