MEALS AND MENUS
Reading edition
“Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!”
“Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength and not for drunkenness.” Eccl. 10:16, 17.
Many have been greatly benefited by eating the first meal, breakfast, 3–5 hours after rising, according to their work.
“Eat only when hungry, drink only when thirsty.”—E. H. D.
“Three meals a day and nothing between meals, not even an apple should be the utmost limit of indulgence. Those who go further violate nature’s laws and will suffer the penalty.”
“If you would give it a trial, you would find two meals better than three.”
“The stomach, when we lie down to rest, should have its work all done, that it may enjoy rest as well as other portions of the body. The work of digestion should not be carried on through any period of the sleeping hours. If you feel that you must eat at night, take a drink of cold water and in the morning you will feel much better for not having eaten.”
“It is not well to eat fruit and vegetables at the same meal. If the digestion is feeble, the use of both will often cause distress, and inability to put forth mental effort. It is better to have the fruit at one meal and the vegetables at another.”
As a rule, it is better to serve fruits at the close of a meal.
“In order to have healthy digestion, food should be eaten slowly.... If your time to eat is limited, do not bolt your food, but eat less and eat slowly.”
Masticate food to creaminess. “Enjoy to the full every mouthful of food as long as any taste remains in it.”—C. C. H.
“Custom has decided that the food shall be placed upon the table in courses. Not knowing what is coming next, one may eat a sufficiency of food which perhaps is not the best suited to him. When the last course is brought on he often ventures to overstep the bounds and take the tempting dessert, which, however, proves anything but good for him. If all the food intended for
For some time I have practised either putting the food all on the table or having what was not on the table in sight on the sideboard, or letting guests know in some way the full menu, as I have always felt that while teaching temperance, we were encouraging intemperance by the customary manner of serving.
When working hard, eat light; do not overwork the whole body at the same time.
Perfect rest without sleep for 15–30 m. after meals is a great aid to digestion.
“We should not provide for the Sabbath a more liberal supply or a greater variety of food than for other days. Instead of this, the food should be more simple and less should be eaten in
“Do not have too great a variety at a meal; three or four dishes are a plenty. At the next meal you can have a change. The cook should tax her inventive powers to vary the dishes she prepares for the table, and the stomach should not be obliged to take the same kinds of food meal after meal.”
Three or four dishes, each perfect of its kind, are more satisfying than a great number, not one of which is perfectly prepared and served.
MENUS
The suggestive menus given will admit of variation according to the season and circumstances.
Nut, olive or cooking oil with salt; nut butter of any kind; or cream, may be used instead of dairy butter.
Macaroni baked in cream sauce left from dinner may be heated and served for the next morning’s breakfast with the addition of tomato or more milk.
Where the two pies are served for dessert, two small pieces should be served on one plate. They introduce to the guests two kinds of crust without lard, and mince pie without meat.
When a hearty soup or dessert are on the menu the other dishes of the meal may be lighter.
Dainty dishes and spotless linen, will have much to do in fitting for that city which has foundations of precious stones and the paving of whose streets is gold.
BREAKFAST
First Day
Baked Macaroni in Cream or Tomato Sauce
Bread and Butter or Cream
Whole Wheat Wafers
Apples and Oranges
Second Day
Corn Omelet
Whole Wheat Gems
Apple Sauce
Graham Sticks
Third Day
Rye Meal Porridge—Nut or Dairy Cream
Beaten Biscuit
Fresh or Canned Blueberries
Molasses Cookies
Fourth Day
Soft Poached Eggs on Broiled Trumese or
Cutlets of Roast with Brown Gravy
Parker House Rolls
Cranberry Sauce
Crisps
Fifth Day
Cutlets of Corn Meal Porridge or
Rhode Island Johnny Cakes with Gravy No. 44 or 50
Scrambled Eggs
Bread and Butter or Cream
Graham Sticks
Bananas
(Cutlets plain at first and with maple syrup at last of meal)
Sixth Day
Trumese Hash
Swedish Milk Biscuit
Baked Doughnuts
Cereal Coffee
(Cream Toast may be added)
Seventh Day
Nut Rolls
Canned Peaches or Baked Sweet Apples
with or without Almond or Dairy Cream
Apples or Bananas
Fruit Bars or Wafers
(Granella with cream or hot milk may be added)
DINNER
First Day
Mashed Lentils—Cream Sauce
Baked Potatoes
Boiled or Stewed Cabbage—salt and oil
Bread and Nut or Dairy Butter
Corn Pone or Water Corn Bread
Squash or Pumpkin Pie
Second Day
Vegetable Consomme—Soup Balls
Peanut Pie
Stewed Corn
Celery or Lettuce Mayonnaise
Bread and Butter or Oil
Graham Sticks
Tapioca Jelly or Apple Tapioca Pudding
Third Day
Succotash
Rice—Lentil Gravy
Leavened and Unleavened Breads
Steamed Apple Dumplings—Creamy Sauce
Fourth Day
Mother’s Soup—Cream Noodles
Trumese in Tomato
Celery, Radishes or Green Onions
Squash Cutlets or Mashed Winter Squash
Apple and Banana Salad—Cream Dressing
Fifth Day
Baked Beans and Brown Bread
Scalloped Potatoes
Pumpkin or Water Custard Pie
Nuts and Raisins
Sixth Day
Cream of Corn Soup—Pop Corn
Celery
Gems and Oil, Cream or Butter
Quaker Pudding—Molasses, Maple or other Sauce
Seventh Day
Baked Macaroni—Cream Sauce
Green or Canned Peas
Scalloped Tomatoes
Lettuce—Mayonnaise or Lemonade Dressing
Fruit Bread or Buns
Beaten Biscuit
Cream Pie or Gelatine Blanc Mange
SUPPER
Number One
Stewed Fresh Tomatoes
Bread and Butter
White Crackers
Fruit and Nut Relish
Number Two
Bread and Milk
Baked Sweet Apples or Blueberries or Black Raspberries
Number Three
Nuts
Crackers
Apples or Other Fruit
Number Four
Rhode Island Johnny Cakes—Honey
Cocoanut Crisps
Tea-Hygiene
Number Five
Rice Cakes or Milk Toast
Sliced or Stewed Peaches
Old Friend Sponge Cake
Number Six
Baked Apples,
Pears and Grapes, or Apples,
Grapes and Figs,
or Sour Apples and Sweet Apples
Number Seven
Rusk or Granella and Milk
Number Eight
Acushnet Hash
Water Corn Bread
Whole Wheat Wafers
Cereal Coffee
Number Nine
Cream of Tomato Soup—Soup Crackers
Bread and Butter
Apple Sauce
Number Ten
Cream of Corn Toast
Rolls
Honey
MIDDAY LUNCHEON
Number One
Tomato Shortcake
Crackers
Pine Nut Cheese
Lemon Egg Cream
Number Two
Hot Egg Sandwich
Lettuce—French or Mayonnaise Dressing
Number Three
Timbales of Corn
Whole Wheat Popovers
Graham Crisps
Cantaloupe
Number Four
Consomme—Sticks
Celery Sandwiches
Washington Pie
Number Five
Bread Omelet with Molasses Sauce
Graham Wafers
Tea-Hygiene
Number Six
Sunflower Mayonnaise
Sticks
Bread and Butter
Apples, Peaches or Pears, or Canned Peaches or Pears
Number Seven
Apple Salad—Almond or Cream Dressing
Whole Wheat Sticks (shortened)
Bread and Butter
Rich Small Cakes
PUBLIC OR ENTERTAINMENT DINNERS
Number One
Nut Bouillon
Royal Paste
Croutons
Ripe Olives
Trumese Pie
Celery in Tomato
Graham Crisps
Apple and Pineapple Salad
Cream Dressing
White Sticks
White Fruit Cake (no icing, almonds on top)
Cereal Coffee
Number Two
Milk Stew of Oyster Plant
Soup Crackers
Celery
Timbale of Trumese—Boundary Castle (fresh mushroom) Sauce
Cauliflower—Sauce Americaine
Beaten Biscuit
Mint Grape Fruit Salad or Orange Mint Salad
White Sticks
Ice Cream (unflavored)
Cocoanut Jumbles
Number Three
Oyster Plant or Asparagus a la Creme
Rolled Bread and Butter Sandwiches
Blanched Almonds, dried
Trumese and Celery Salad on Swedish Milk Biscuit with lettuce leaf
Whole Wheat Gems—Butter
Cocoanut Cream Pie—Granella Crust
Mince Pie—Pastry Crust
Number Four
Nut Chowder—Sticks
Helianthus (Sunflower) Mayonnaise
Cucumber or Celery or Onion Sandwiches
Pineapple Gelatine—Whipped Cream
Cocoanut Crisps
Confection Potatoes
Mixed Nuts
Number Five
Cream of Tomato or Spinach Broth
Soup Sticks
Trumese and Mushrooms a la Creme
Wafers
Scalloped Oyster Plant
Celery
English Bread and Butter
Currant and Red Raspberry Salad
Almonds or Walnuts
Rice Charlotte—Whipped Cream Roses
Small Cakes
Cereal Coffee
Number Six
Cream of Fresh Mushroom Soup
Finger Rolls (of roll or universal dough)
Claudia’s Stuffed Egg Plant
Whole Wheat Popovers
Nut Croquettes
Baked Creamed Tomato
Crisp Bread
Grape Fruit and Celery Salad (in grape fruit cups)
Crackers with Nuts
Rose Ice Cream
Hard Sponge Cakes
Celery Tea—Cream
SIMPLE COMPANY LUNCHEONS
Number One
Steamed Trumese Biscuit (p. 137)—Boundary Castle Sauce
Jelly Sandwiches
Celery
Pineapple Sponge—Whipped Cream
Cream Crisps
Number Two
Creamed Mushrooms (or oyster plant) in Ramekins or
Cream Puff cases
Sticks
Orange and Celery Salad
Wafers
Cereal Coffee
Nut Crisps
EVENING LUNCHEONS
Number One
Sweet Fruit Sandwiches
Cereal Coffee
Number Two
Grapes
Pears
Orange, or Mint Orange Nectar
Number Three
Vanilla or Lemon Egg Cream
Nut and Citron Cake
Raspberry Lemonade (later)
Number Four
Ice Cream
Crackers with Nuts
Sweetmeats or Caramels
Orangeade (later)
Number Five
Grape Sherbet
Nut Crisps
Royal Sponge Cake (with Royal filling and icing)
NON-STARCH MEALS
Number One
Breakfast
Plain Omelet
Apples
Pears
Grapes
Dinner
Nut and Tomato Bisque
String Beans
Lettuce—French or Lemonade Dressing
Blanched Almonds
Honey
Supper
Baked Apples
Mellow Ripe Bananas
Figs
Number Two
Breakfast
Broiled Trumese
Apples in Oil
Apples
Grapes
Dinner
Cottage Cheese—Chili Sauce or Mayonnaise
Beet Greens
Green Peas
Baked Custard
Supper
Plums
Pears
Raisins
Number Three
Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs
Ripe Currants
Canteloupe
Dinner
Baked Peanuts
Pickled Carrots
Stewed Oyster Plant
Bananas
Supper
Apples
Grapes or Tart Lemonade
Number Four
Breakfast
Dried Blanched Almonds
Apples
Steamed Prunes
Dinner
Spinach with Egg—Mayonnaise Dressing
My Mother’s Cabbage
Nesselrode Confection or Sweetmeats, p. 489
Supper
Cereal Coffee—Cream
Brazil Nuts
Figs or Dates
Number Five
Breakfast
Almond Puree
Peaches
Bananas
Dinner
Trumese and Celery Salad
Stewed Okra
Boiled Onions
Fruit Gelatine
Supper
Figs and Milk
Number Six
Breakfast
Nut Omelet
Strawberries
Bananas
Dinner
Trumese or Nutmese and Onion Sandwiches
Celery in Tomato
Stewed Asparagus
Steamed Figs
Pecans
Supper
Strawberries
Oranges
These meals may be easily changed to sugarless as well as starchless by substituting vegetables that contain no sugar for those that have some, and tart fruits for sweet ones.
The custard may be made without sugar. Gluten biscuit used as meat with fruit and vegetables give more of a variety, when obtainable.
One may take large quantities of fruit in place of starchy foods, since they are not so concentrated.
PICNIC AND TRAVELLING LUNCHES
Collect boxes of different sizes as you have opportunity.
Save waxed paper from cracker boxes and other sources and have a certain place for it so as to know just where to find it. Quite a large roll can be bought in the stationery stores for five cents.
Keep small tin boxes for packing strong flavored sandwiches, and vaseline bottles and cold cream jars for salad dressings, or for sandwich fillings which must be spread upon the bread the last thing.
For a picnic or a long journey, be sure to take everything that may be needed, corkscrew, can opener, nut picks, paring knives, spoons, a case knife, a knife large enough and sharp enough to cut bread, cups for drinking, and a small saucepan or large cup for heating drinks or anything necessary. As far as possible, carry dishes that may be thrown away, as wood or paper plates and cups. A spirit lamp is very desirable.
Rich cakes, jellies and all sweets are especially objectionable for travelling.
Be sure to take plenty of lemons and other fruits, as the trains will not often stop long enough for one to buy them at the stations, and they may not be at the proper stage of ripeness and the price will be high.
Carry salt in a vaseline bottle, or if in a salt shake, screw a piece of thick paper under the top and wrap well. Have sugar in a wide-mouthed bottle or jar, also ripe olives. Rice or custard puddings can be carried in cups.
Bottled fruit juices are invaluable. Lemon juice sufficient for one day may be bottled.
A jar of cold cereal coffee or of tea-hygiene with cream would be highly prized by many.
Trumese in Tomato or Sauce Imperial, well dried in the oven, is excellent. Fruit buns retain their moisture nicely.
Wrap sandwiches, buns, cakes, eggs and nut foods in waxed paper, and if there are different kinds of sandwiches mark them.
For a simple luncheon without a knife or spoon, pare oranges and break them into sections, and pare, quarter and core apples, and wrap all in waxed paper. These fruits with a trumese and egg sandwich (p. 472) make an ideal midday luncheon when spending the day in the city on business.
One lady who has travelled a great deal tells me that she has found a small white apron with a pocket a great convenience in serving and eating lunches on trains, and a gentleman suggests that a short apron with a bib and strap and a pocket for the napkin would be a great convenience for those of his sex.
Some of the strong pasteboard boxes that package foods come in, make good lunch boxes. We have one about 22 in. long, 9 in. wide and 6 in. deep that we can carry in a shawl strap, which we prize.
The dining car has no attractions compared