A hundred years ago technology was rapidly changing. By 1924 many homes had electricity, and lots of electric appliances were available in stores (or through mail order catalogs). One appliance was the electric table stove.
I love to have friends over and cook a meal together. If I’d lived back in 1924, here’s how it could be done using a table stove:
Buffet Spreads Made Perfect
For the woman who entertains informally a delightful acquisition is the combination table stove. Constructed with a double set of heating coils between which the toast drawer or the waffle iron may be inserted, it is possible to cook something over the top grill while other food is browning beneath in the lower grill. All these things can be done at the same time, but it requires more time than if just one thing is being cooked, because this device depends upon a single lamp socket for available electricity, and just so much heat and no more can be procured. When three pieces of work are attempted the heat must necessarily be divided among the three.
The electric table stove is just the things on which to cook the evening spread of chicken a la King, shrimp wiggle or any other favorite creamed dish. Get ready beforehand a tray filled with everything which will be needed for your cooking, with all ingredients measured out. Sometimes it adds to the interest to leave one or two tasks undone as seen in the illustration. The mincing of the green pepper and the opening of the can of fish have been left for the guests to do, thus making the affair as informal as possible –usually the most successful kind of entertaining. While the foundational white sauce is being made in the deep pan placed on top of the grill stove, the slices of bread may be toasted in the toaster drawer.
Ladies Home Journal (February, 1924)
A Hundred Years Ago 
Nothing says “party” like table side shrimp wiggle!
That is a very unusual appliance. Have you ever seen one in an antique shop?
It’s hard to imagine being excited by the prospect of opening a tin, as a guest!
Agreed!
Hehe! Some things change and some stay the same! No shrimp wiggle or chicken a la king but I was at a party not long ago where there was a pizza cooker on the table and we all made our own pizzas. You put the premade crust on the carousel and it spun and cooked in about 2 minutes. It was quick and fun!
I can remember my grandmother’s house where the only electric “socket” in the room was the light socket. To use any electric appliance, you had to plug it into an insert that screwed into the light socket space. The light hung from the ceiling and you turned it on and off with a pull chain or long string. Other than an iron, I don’t recall any electric appliances for in the kitchen. You can still find recipes for shrimp wiggle. I guess creamed foods on toast was common.
I bet folks thought this was the best fun ever!
Somehow, me thinks you said this tongue-in-cheek?
Very interesting. Seems a lot of work.Not sure if the food would be safe to eat.