It was that time last weekend--my father in law's birthday. And this was a big one. Eighty.
We kept it on the quiet side, since my step-mother-in-law was still recovering from an ankle replacement. In fact, the most exciting moment of the evening was the stair climb.
I lifted the menu straight out of my 1936 cookbooks, which was fun. And I included some insights on the menus.
As is so often the case, the appetizer plates were the most interesting. I followed the cookbook to a tee, and served "radish roses, a mound of coleslaw, an olive stuffed with almond, an olive stuffed with celery, and three shrimps marinated in French dressing and served on a lettuce leaf."
How clever to use cookbooks from 1936! What a gift to take the time to look up that info and make it such a special, unique celebration!
ReplyDeleteI am always delighted to see your posts about these birthday dinners, and I am quite sure your family is delighted to partake of them. :)
Alright, this is just the first installment, I hope? This is fascinating. Need to see what rounds out the menu.
ReplyDeleteI remember the dinner party my aunt and I organized for my grandfather's 80th birthday. We made chicken a l'orange. We brought out the white Haviland china, gold-trimmed, despite my grandmother's fretting. My aunt: "If your husband's birthday isn't a special occasion, I don't know what is!"
ReplyDeleteI've been waiting for this! I was told by someone living in Belgium that French fries were Not invented by the French, but by the Belgians - is that what your potatoes were? And what do they mean by almond filled olives? Not almond paste, surely. It's a charming menu, and these dinners always seem like lots of fun. (even for the cooks, I hope!)
ReplyDeleteLisateresa
Oh! I bet it's just an almond inside the olive. Didn't think of that.
ReplyDeleteLisateresa
What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome! How neat to use cookbooks from the year he was born. My dad turned 80 this year as well.
ReplyDeleteVintage menus have the best ideas. What a nice evening it must have been.
ReplyDeleteI love this tradition! Those appetizer plates are just genius - light and tasty and pretty. Often modern appetizers are rich and heavy, I find.
ReplyDeleteWhat a special day :-)
ReplyDeleteLisa, yes, the "Belgian Baked Potatoes" are simply oven fries!
ReplyDeleteLovely! I'm sure it was memorable!
ReplyDeleteIt's so elegant... you have the loveliest taste, girl!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful time for your family to celebrate. I just had to look back at all the other birthdays you celebrated for him. What a great remembrance!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds and looks, from the glimpse provided, utterly delicious. But what I like best is the quotes on the menu, what a lovely idea and something that could be used for Christmas dinner too perhaps. It would a be a perfect touch for a dinner where people didn't know each other very well, a great conversation starter, as opposed to just small talk! Angela.
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