French Menus and a Cookbook From the 1700s

 

 

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.

 

Comments

[Jann Mumford]

What a find!

[Diogenes]

I'll bet those recipes from the 1700s would take some trial and error to perfect, as some of the ingredients might be hard to find or different today.

On the 1919 menu, I'm wondering what on earth a Bombe Falstaff is....

[Marilyn]

The menu's are beautiful. The hand writing exquisite. Menu's in the US I believe have changed alot over the past 50 years. The cookbooks I have from almost 50 years ago would not do for my daughter now. Actually more healthy now, I do believe.

[Chris Wittmann]

I would've been sick all day knowing that beautiful old cookbook was at the brocante and I couldn't buy it! Oh how I adore old books like that, especially cook books and old herbals!
The most I ever paid for a book was $365 for a 1657 edition of Adam in Eden by English herbalist Wm. Coles. The book had been professionaly restored, and was magnificent. Lucky for me, dealer in Canada let me pay for it over a 3 month period or it wouldn't be on my bookshelf now. I've sold many old herbals over the years, but would never part with that one. The good news is, it's now worth alot more.
It would be hard for me to walk away from that old cook book :)

[beatnheart]

I hope heaven is in France.

[Kathie B]

Corey, you could do a whole series posts based on recipes for some of the dishes on those menus! I've been looking up recipes for some of those dishes online -- ooh-la-la (especially the desserts)! On a more nutritious note, Haricots verts fins à l'Issigny are simply steamed green beans tossed with shallots sautéed in butter.

[momof5]

Me too! Simply said....

[momof5]

Doesn't it make you wonder about the owner of that book and what her life was like? Corey maybe some day your wonderful cookbook will be found by some kindred soul in a Brocante hundred's of years from now. I loved this post.

[Lana Kloch]

fascinated with this column, corey...what a wonderful collection..love the heading on many.. however, what really makes it is the handwritten menu itself.

yes, i agree, that a spot of wine or food stain means a lot. shall i start collecting french menus.. omg...

sure wish the handwritten 17 c cookbook was way less than 700 euros..

have a great week.

[Jeannie]

Treasures! I wonder if the mouse menu was a Cinderella party? Think of all the calories spent talking and mingling. ;)

[RebeccaNYC]

OH THAT STATIONARY!!!! I want the one with the mice, or the Muget de Bois, both so beautiful. Though I am sure I would never, ever use it. Maybe frame it for the kitchen?

[peggy aplSEEDS]

i so enjoyed this post with the beautiful images and your description of a French baptism. so interesting and amusing!

[Irina]

What a wonderful collection, Corey! All of them are so pretty and useful too ;) I love the one with lily of the valley because it's my favorite flower.
xoxo

[Julie Ann]

Hello dearest Corey, these are beautiful. Still here and thinking of you often, just busy !! Jx

[peggy braswell]

Heaven in France, Yes! xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

[Aimee]

One of the things I adore about traveling in France and throughout parts of Europe is that meals are an occasion. They are shared. They punctuate the day and give it a rythmn. Food has an added richness and depth when enjoyed with others. Preparing a meal transforms a chore into the making of a gift when it is done for another (or lots of others). An independent woman, such as myself, has many cherished freedoms. The freedom of eating alone is not one of them ;)

[Kathie B]

Perhaps the book belonged to the cook for la Dame du Maison? (am channeling Mrs. Bridges on "Upstairs Downstairs" right now).

[Karen in Missouri]

Cory, what a wonderful find in the cookbook. I am arriving in Les Arcs sur Argens on Sept 30 to begin translating, writing, testing and photographing my grandfathers cookbook from over 100 years ago. Looks a lot like the book you found! Your readers may read about the book and my cooking classes at www.livininprovence.com
I hope you can come over to visit while I am there.
Karen Mitcham-Stoeckley

[Eileen @ Passions to Pastry]

Thanks for all of these inspiring photos! I will make my own menus for dinner parties/brunches, etc. and like to work in the French style.