In the mid-19th century there was only one American restaurant with a worldwide reputation, Delmonico’s in New York City. A Tribune reporter wrote in the 1840s that Delmonico’s represented the sole example of an “expensive and aristocratic” restaurant which was “equal in every respect, in its appointments and attendance as well as the quality and [...]
Entries from May 2009
May 18, 2009
Between courses: Beard at Lucky Pierre’s
In the summer of 1953 James Beard was cook and manager at a casual hamburger and hotdog eatery on the island of Nantucket. It wasn’t your everyday hamburger joint. The hamburger rolls were made on the premises. And some highfalutin snacks, such as lobster soufflé, local sausage in puff pastry, and handmade chocolate rolls by [...]
May 10, 2009
Basic fare: spaghetti
In the 1890s it was considered daring to go to an Italian restaurant and eat spaghetti. The restaurants were not in affluent neighborhoods and some middle-class people worried (largely needlessly) about how clean they were. Non-drinkers didn’t approve of the “red ink” (wine) that came with the spaghetti. Some women felt it was not ladylike [...]
May 3, 2009
Famous in its day: The Maramor
Imagine a restaurant management style diametrically opposed to Gordon Ramsay’s (as he takes command in nightmarish kitchens on TV), and you might well be picturing how Mary Love ran her restaurant, The Maramor in Columbus, Ohio.
Mary was a home economist who had previously managed the tea room at the F & R Lazarus department store [...]
We eat in restaurants several times a week and yet know very little about their history. I plan to dip into my archive of research and images every so often to present a little tidbit that highlights aspects of our American restaurant culture. Let me know your thoughts.
