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Need some inspiration for what to serve for Thanksgiving dinner? Today’s ideas for a Thankgiving dinner menu come from a 1911 advertorial for Cleveland’s Baking Powder found in an antique Munsey’s Magazine.
What I found particularly interesting about all of these menus is nearly all of them include some type of oysters to accompany the turkey. We always associate Thanksgiving with turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes – I might just have to include some oysters in this year’s menu!
Another thing I found interesting about these different menus is the one common item they all share: coffee! I can agree, I could not imagine Thanksgiving without coffee and am super grateful for coffee every day myself!
Like all good advertorials, this advertisement comes in the disguise of an article with helpful tips and ideas.
Thanksgiving Menus of the North, South, East and West
1. “Yankee Thanksgiving Dinner”, by Mrs. Carrie M. Dearborn, Principal of the Boston Cooking School.
- Oysters on Half Shell
- Clear Soup with Custard
- Olives
- Pickles
- Salted Almonds
- Celery
- Fresh Boiled Cod
- Oyster Sauce
- Potato Balls
- Roast Turkey
- Giblet Gravy
- Cranberry Sauce
- Mashed Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Squash
- Turnip
- Creamed Onions
- Sorbet-Broiled Ducks
- Orange Sauce
- Lettuce Salad
- Cheese Straws
- Plum Pudding
- Mince Pie
- Apple Pie
- Edam Cheese-Assorted Nuts
Raisins - Coffee
2. “Southern.” – By Marion Harland, Author of Common Sense in the Household
- Raw Oysters on the Half Shell
- Old Hare Soup
- Rock Fish (boiled) with Egg Sauce
- Potatoes au naturel
- Fried Chicken
- Escalloped Oysters (baked in scallop shells)
- Black Eyed Peas
- Stewed Tomatoes
- Roast Turkey with Cranberry Sauce
- Sweet Potatoes
- Mashed Turnips
- Boiled Ham (at the head of the table)
- Sherbet-Partridges (quail at the North), roasted whole, each with an oyster inside.
- Salsify Fritters
- Currant Jelly and Sweet Pickles
- Cold Slaw,
- Crackers, Cheese and Olives
- Apple Meringue Pie
- Transparent Pudding
- Plum Pudding-Ice Cream
- Snow Balls and other Cakes
- Wine Jelly
- Blanc Mange
- Apples, Oranges, Grapes, Nuts, Raisins
- Black Coffee
- Hors d’Euvres: Olives, Bon-Bons, several kinds of Pickles, Candied Orange Peel and Ginger.
3. “Western.” By Miss Campbell, Friendly Inn Cooking School, Cleveland, Ohio.
- Oyster Soup
- Cranberry Jelly
- Pickles
- Olives
- Hot Roast Turkey
- Baked Sausages
- Venison Pie
- Cold Roast Turkey
- Pickled Oysters
- Cold Biscuit
- Hot Squash Muffins
- Salsify Fritters
- Mashed Turnips-Celery
- Chicken Salad
- Pickled Quinces
- Pumpkin Pie
- Mince Pie
- Apple Turnovers
- Cheese
- Fruit
- Coffee
4. “New York.”–By Mrs. Emma P. Ewing, Prin. Chautauqua School of Cookery
- Clear Soup-Celery
- Italian Sticks
- Olives
- Scalloped Oysters
- Cold Slaw
- Roast Turkey
- Giblet Gravy
- Cranberry Sauce
- Mashed Turnip
- Boiled White Potato
- Browned Sweet Potato
- Lettuce Salad
- Salted Almonds
- Cheese Straws
- Mince Pie
- Pumpkin Pie
- Pineapple Cheese
- Mixed Fruit
- Coffee
5. “Philadelphia.”-By Mrs. Rorer, Principal Philadelphia School of Cookery.
- Oysters on Half Shell
- Clear Soup-Celery
- Olives
- Almonds
- Roast Turkey
- Bread Stuffing
- Oyster Sauce
- Mashed Potatoes
- Boiled Onions
- Cranberry Jelly-Celery Salad
- Wafers Mince Pie
- Pumpkin Custard
- Cheese
- Coffee
- Nuts
- Fruit
- Raisins
It’s always so interesting to me to see what people may have eaten for the holidays over a hundred years ago, and I have to say this list definitely makes me think I need to up my Thanksgiving dinner game this year. I am seriously thinking oysters and maybe even some mashed turnips!
And of course, as we can see the one common thread between all of these menus – coffee!
What will you be making for Thanksgiving dinner this year? Are you inspired by any of these vintage Thanksgiving menu ideas? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.