I’ve also thought that it would be a lot of work to make the foods for a complex menu like this one – though my sense is that people were much more likely to host luncheons back then than what they are now.
Well, for one thing, we weren’t as distracted by our solitary electronics! Entertainment was planned, whether going out somewhere or having people over.
Cream of lettuce soup sounds awful! I always make corned beef and cabbage with boiled potatoes – has to taste better than the 1922 menu! (and yes I’m in green as is Sparky)
On Thursday I also had green on. I had to dig a green shirt out of a drawer where I store cloths that I seldom wear – but it worked perfectly for St. Patrick’s day. I’m making corned beef tomorrow. I bought one that was on sale today at the store. I should have bought it prior to St. Patrick’s Day – but I like the price better now. 🙂
I actually made a hundred-year-old recipe for lettuce soup several years ago. It tasted better than you might think. Here’s the link:
I think that we’ve lost something over the years. Even though it takes time to do a nice presentation of food, it helps facilitate an enjoyable gathering.
A couple of minor notes, this was a luncheon, of course, not a dinner, but St. Patrick’s Day in 1922 was on a Friday. That matters, as for Irish Catholics, it was a “meatless” day, unless their local Bishop had given a dispensation (which was common where there were large Irish populations). Given that, absent a dispensation, no corned beef or bacon or other meats associated with this day, where as seafood would be okay.
Wow, I learn so much from you and other readers. Thanks for the info. The menu makes more sense now that I know the context. I thought it seemed a bit unusual that there was no corned beef – but then thought that maybe corned beef was less of a tradition a hundred years ago than it is npw. I never thought about St. Patrick’s Day being on a Friday that year.
I don’t think corned beef is popular with the Irish in Ireland, so it’s an Irish American thing. I do like it, and we always have roasted corned beef if we can, which isn’t the way people used to prepare it.
A Hundred Years Ago 
They are going all out for St Pat’s Day.
Sometimes old menus like this one seem a bit over the top.
Love this menu! Lots of fun (and work!). ☘️
I’ve also thought that it would be a lot of work to make the foods for a complex menu like this one – though my sense is that people were much more likely to host luncheons back then than what they are now.
Well, for one thing, we weren’t as distracted by our solitary electronics! Entertainment was planned, whether going out somewhere or having people over.
How true- there’s something to be said for planned in-person events.
Cream of lettuce soup sounds awful! I always make corned beef and cabbage with boiled potatoes – has to taste better than the 1922 menu! (and yes I’m in green as is Sparky)
On Thursday I also had green on. I had to dig a green shirt out of a drawer where I store cloths that I seldom wear – but it worked perfectly for St. Patrick’s day. I’m making corned beef tomorrow. I bought one that was on sale today at the store. I should have bought it prior to St. Patrick’s Day – but I like the price better now. 🙂
I actually made a hundred-year-old recipe for lettuce soup several years ago. It tasted better than you might think. Here’s the link:
Lettuce Soup with Egg Balls
That was quite a spread! Wouldn’t it have been fun to be a guest that day?
It sure would have been fun to be a guest that day! It looks like it would have been an incredible lunchean.
People used to spend a lot of time on presentation of food.
I think that we’ve lost something over the years. Even though it takes time to do a nice presentation of food, it helps facilitate an enjoyable gathering.
What a fun one! It sounds like it was a bigger deal 100 years ago than we treat it now. Loved this post!
It’s nice to that you enjoyed this post. I think that a lot of the “minor” holidays were a bigger deal a hundred years ago.
A couple of minor notes, this was a luncheon, of course, not a dinner, but St. Patrick’s Day in 1922 was on a Friday. That matters, as for Irish Catholics, it was a “meatless” day, unless their local Bishop had given a dispensation (which was common where there were large Irish populations). Given that, absent a dispensation, no corned beef or bacon or other meats associated with this day, where as seafood would be okay.
Wow, I learn so much from you and other readers. Thanks for the info. The menu makes more sense now that I know the context. I thought it seemed a bit unusual that there was no corned beef – but then thought that maybe corned beef was less of a tradition a hundred years ago than it is npw. I never thought about St. Patrick’s Day being on a Friday that year.
I don’t think corned beef is popular with the Irish in Ireland, so it’s an Irish American thing. I do like it, and we always have roasted corned beef if we can, which isn’t the way people used to prepare it.