Thursday, March 17, 2016

St. Patrick’s Day Meals (1938.)


The Los Angeles Times of March 16, 1938 had a short feature with the header ‘Supper Menu Designed for St. Patrick Fete’ which sounded like a perfect topic for today – as indeed it is, if you don’t mind the rather odd fact that a menu for supper is not actually given in the article. The other three standard meals of the day however, are covered.

By Marian Manners.
“It’s a Great Day for the Irish Tonight” tomorrow, so we’re suggesting a St. Patrick’s supper menu with all the trimmings.
BREAKFAST
Chilled Tomato Juice
Bran               Cream
Date Muffins             Coffe
LUNCHEON
Canned Oxtail Sou
Crackers
Mixed Vegetable Salad
Potato Chips              Ripe Olives
Cup Cakes                  Tea
IRISH DINNER
Shamrock Cocktail
Irish Appetizers
Spring Lamb with Fresh Vegetables
Clover Leaf Rolls      Marmalade
St. Patrick’s Salad
Emerald Sherbet with Tea Cakes
Tea      Coffee             Chocolate
Mints              Cigarettes

St. Patrick’s Salad.
Cut two avocados in half, discarding seeds. Peel and slice into half inch strips. Add three tablespoons French dressing and chill two hours. Mix one cup each crushed pineapple and cottage cheese, one tablespoon minced parsley, two tablespoons each minced green peppers and mayonnaise, and one-fourth teaspoon each of salt and paprika. Chill. When ready to serve, arrange portions of avocado and cheese mixture on shredded lettuce and pass additional mayonnaise.

I must admit I was rather disappointed that the article only gave one recipe. The Emerald Sherbet sounds rather good, and would be perfect for the hot humid weather we are having in this part of the world at present. Here is a nice green, cooling, and non-alcoholic beverage instead:

Mint Sherbet.
Add the juice of two lemons to the bruised leaves of a bunch of mint. Cover it and leave to stand for ten minutes. Meanwhile make a syrup of half a pound of sugar and one pint of water. Add half a cupful of orange juice and the lemon juice and mint. When it is cold, strain. A little should be put into each glass and filled up with water.

The Manchester Guardian July 4, 1924.

3 comments:

Ann said...

Would you say that the Emerald Sherbet was either lime or mint flavored?

korenni said...

I want to know what's in the Shamrock Cocktail and what the Irish Appetizers are!

The Old Foodie said...

I think the Emerald Sherbet was more likely to be mint. Lime was not so available and trendy in the '30s.
And I would also like to have known what the cocktail and appetisers were! usually in a feature of that kind, when the dishes are not obvious, then all the recipes are given.