Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Vintage Menus on the Web

Seems that if you were on the Pennsylvania Railroad's Pullman car in 1900, you could choose between stuffed mangos or boiled red snapper with shrimp sauce.

In 1969, if you were staying at the Holiday Inn in San Marcos, Texas, you might start your meal with a chiffonade salad or one of several "Appeteasers" like Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail or Split Pea Soup.

And in 1954, at the Plaza, a tequila would set you back $1.15.

How do I know these things?  From a fascinating wesbite launched by the New York Public Library. At menus.nypl.org, you can peruse hundreds of menus from more than a century ago to today.  You can even help them transcribe menus to make them searchable.

Check it out...and post links to your favorites in the comments section.

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