Happy All Souls Day! Just wanted to pop in with a quick reminder for all our intrepid culinary adventurers and history-fueled home decorators… our annual one-day-only 40% off shop sale is today!
There are a bevy of new (old) heirlooms that have arrived in the shop recently, so if it’s been a bit of time since you last visited hop on over to the shop to see our latest collections. Some of our favorites include these charmers…
A collection of Poland’s authentic heritage recipes compiled by the Polanie Club of Minneapolis, Minnesota.Rare antique J.W. Pankhurst English ironstone dinner plates circa 1850.A porcelain enamelware floral bowl set by Kobe circa 1980sA 1930s-era packet of French postcards featuring the beautiful city of MarseillesAn antique crocheted tablecloth handmade at Ellis Island circa 1916. You might remember this one from our in-depth blog post about one woman’s Italian immigration story here.A vintage Dutch cookie tin featuring maritime art.A 1930s edition of a classic kitchen cookbook courtesy of Fannie Farmer, the woman responsible for creating our modern cooking measurement system. A vintage botanical art book featuring gorgeous illustrations of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.An antique handmade gathering basket from the early 1900sA vintage pair of cheerful yellow dinner napkins with embroidered dots fit for every season.
Interested in meeting some of the makers and collectors behind our shop’s beautiful heirlooms? Poke around each section and you’ll encounter these faces and the stories they tell about history and their place in it.
Hope you find a treasure that calls to your heart and adds an extra bit of joy to your home.
As always, the sale runs through midnight tonight and discounts are automatically applied at checkout. Thank you so much for traveling with us down these adventurous pathways of culinary history. Cheers to new inspiration and a day of happy shopping!
As soon as the pumpkins make their debut on the front porch, and the leaves shower down from the sky, and the extra-large soup pot makes its first appearance on the stovetop since early spring we know that the time is near. Our annual Vintage Kitchen shop sale is just ten days away! Mark your calendars for November 2nd, and on that day you’ll discover an extra treat – a deep discount – 40% off all items in the shop for 24 hours only.
If you are new to the blog or the shop, you might not know that we always host this sale on All Souls Day, which happens to fall on November 2nd every year. Technically a Catholic holiday, we selected All Souls Day not for its religious connection, nor its aura of spookiness given its close proximity to Halloween, but for the sheer fact that it is one of the few holidays in the calendar year that pays tribute to deceased ancestors. We wouldn’t have a shop full of wonderful heirlooms had they not traveled through other people’s lives, other people’s hands, for generations, collecting stories and memories along the way. To us, All Souls Day seems like the perfect day to celebrate vintage style.
This is our only sale of the year, so we love to make it count for shoppers looking to get a head start on holiday gifting, for decorators looking to add a bit of history to their tablescapes, and for home cooks looking for nostalgic recipes and new inspiration.
Hnadwritten notes from a rare 1920s-era cookbook.
Since no two items in the shop are ever exactly alike, no sale from year to year is ever exactly the same either. Stories float in and out of the shop every day offering glimpses into kitchen and garden life that occurred a few decades ago or a few centuries ago. Just like stories posted to the blog, every heirloom in the shop comes with its own unique tale marking its place in history.
A collection of whiteware may at first look like just a bunch of plain white dishes, but each one is actually a gateway to a bit of history. Take this photo for example…
… all these pieces represent a specific time period from kitchens that span more than two centuries…
The platter made in 1900 is antique hotelware. The botanical designs on the 1977 ceramic coasters were inspired by the Tuileries gardens in Paris. The 1891 gravy boat was made in England and features handpainted flowers. The 1850 dinner plates are a rare set of English ironstone from the pottery of James William Pankhurst, which was in operation for only thirty-three years, a mere blip in England’s long-standing tradition of high-quality dishware manufacture.
Inspiration for the 1977 ceramic coasters by Toscany came from here, Jardin de Tuileries, located near the Louvre in Paris.
As the shop continuously evolves from year to year, new faces from history emerge too. You’ll always find favorite standbys in the shop – Julia Child, John James Audubon,James Beard, Emily Post, the New York Times cookbooks, and of course all the best-loved Betty Crocker books, but each year we discover new faces from history too. This year, Carol, Daphne, Wadeeha, Agnes, Alice, Milt, Joyce, Andre and Dorothea came to the shop…
Clockwise from top left: Carol Cutler, Daphne Du Maurier, Wadeeha Atiyeh, Milt Jackson, Dorothea Barlowe, Andre Simon, Joyce Chan, Agnes Baldwin Alexander, Alice Y.
They told stories of art, literature, cooking, collecting, music, hospitality, immigration and gardening. Andre was a French wine expert. Alice was a Texas baker, a professional cake decorator, and an enthusiastic collector of cookie cutters. Dorothea was one of the most prolific nature illustrators of the 20th century, and Milt was an influential musician of the 1950s jazz scene.
Listen to the midcentury musicians featured in this book over on our playlist here.
That’s the joy of collecting vintage and antique kitchenware, isn’t it? Objects and stories intertwined together, forever making and creating memories old and new. I hope at this year’s sale you’ll find something that captures your heart. Maybe you’ll be the next caretaker of this antique 1830s-era Staffordshire bowl – the oldest antique that has come to the shop so far…
Or maybe you’ll find some inspiration among the handwritten notes tucked inside this vintage 1960s gardening book.…
Perhaps the traditional recipes of Mrs. Balbir Singh, also known as the Julia Child of India, will pique your interest…
Or maybe you’ll relate to the story of the Moses Hirsch family, creators of the 20th-century American Family Scale brand, who experienced the tricky rollercoaster ride of running a business among fierce competition, dramatic world events and kitchen modernization…
Or perhaps these two 1950s saddle tan Samsonite cases will call to your traveling spirit. Maybe they will become your dependable companions on jaunts to find the best croissants in Paris, the most delicious Spanakopita in Greece, or the most beautiful luau in Hawaii. Adventures big and small await with these two.
The sale begins at 12:01am (EST) on Thursday, November 2nd, 2023 and runs until 11:59pm (EST) that same day. All items in the shop will automatically receive the 40% discount at checkout, so there is no need to fuss with coupon codes or discount names.
Vintage cookbooks in the shop span the 19th and 20th centuries.
While you wait for sale day to arrive, we encourage you to use the wishlist feature on our site if you have multiple items that have caught your eye. Just click on the heart underneath each listing title and it will automatically add the item to your favorites list where you can then add them directly to your cart when you are ready to checkout.
New vintage and antique heirlooms continue to be added to the shop daily, so stop by for fresh finds leading all the way up to the sale. And, as always, if you are looking for something that we no longer have in stock, please send us a message. We’ll be happy to add your name and needs to our waitlist.
Having said that, I hope on this year’s sale day you will find something truly magical that makes your heart sing with joy and your space sparkle with delight.
Cheers to all the old souls who inspired our sale. And to all the cherished items that our ancestors have left for us to enjoy. Happy shopping!
Eight. That’s how many days there are to go. It’s almost here! Then one thing turns into another. We end and we begin. We change and we grow. This year, the day falls on a Monday. The exact date – September 23rd. Then it’s official. The first day of Autumn arrives. How exciting! To celebrate the season, I have a fun new gardening project for all you do-it-yourself-ers out there who like to keep your hands busy in the dirt in the off-season when summer turns to fall and fall turns to winter and the outdoor garden is at rest. It doesn’t require much effort, time or expense but it does call for a little imagination. It will last forever if you want it to and it will make you look at things in your cupboards in a whole new way. Most importantly, it gives new purpose to old items that sometimes get left behind on a shelf or forgotten about in storage.
I’m so excited to introduce the succulent set…
…real plants growing out of old china serving pieces. If you’ve inherited pieces of your family’s china and are not quite sure what to do with them or how to incorporate them into your daily life, or if you just want a planter with a little bit of one-of a-kind personality then designating a vintage sugar bowl or a creamer or a serving dish as your new garden vessel is a fun way to go. Let’s look…
This Japanese Majolica creamer is from the 1940’s. Due to some cracks on the bottom it no longer holds water (or cream!) so it makes an ideal container for varieties of succulents that prefer well draining soil. All it needs is a little water once a week and it’s ready to grow. Keep it in the sink for a few minutes and the water drips out through the cracks, then it is good to go until its next watering seven days later.
Vintage sugar bowls like this one above, made in England, fit perfectly into shelves or small spaces. Your very own unexpected mini garden greenspace place!
This vintage coffeepot from the 1940s lost its lid somewhere along its 75 years of travels. That makes it no longer the most suitable vessel for hot coffee but it certainly makes a pretty container for eye-catching flower power in the form of a petal shaped succulent.
With their long shape and roomy width, gravy boats make great table centerpieces. They can usually accommodate more than a couple of mini plants depending on size. For wedding reception decorations, they offer the symbolism and sentimentality of “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”
Ideal plants for this type of pairing project, many succulents don’t require a lot of watering and come in a variety of sizes, colors and shapes. As they grow, the plants can be transferred to larger and larger containers like this one – a two-handled vegetable dish from Salem Pottery’s Commodore pattern which debuted in the 1940’s. Because of its larger size it can accommodate up to seven 2.5″ inch succulents or just a few bigger individuals that have outgrown their smaller holders…
Authentic crazing, staining and chippy details add interesting, quirky personality to your space that you can’t find in modern day planters. They also easily fit on window sills, ledges, mantles and counter top nooks. Choose one that matches your interior aesthetic, or the colors of your kitchen, or reminds you of a good memory and you’ll instantly add a bit of happy energy to your space. Old dishes love to remain useful helpers. Matching the old with the new creates balance and harmony and reminds us that imperfections are the stuff of life. Beautiful! This antique gravy boat below is over 100 years old but still looks as fresh and pretty as ever thanks to its classic shape.
The trio below have no cracks to worry about so they are ideal holders for succulents and cactus that prefer to be spritzed with water, rather than doused, every now and again. Add some some pea gravel to the bottom of each vessel before adding dirt and certain succulents will be happy with just a tiny bit of water every now and again.
Another possibility is to gather them all up and make a hanging wall display with the help of a crate…
That makes an instant collection and an engaging garden that you can cultivate and tend to all year round. Usually all that is required for succulents is bright natural light, a sunny alcove or close proximity to a window.
With all their color choices which range from light gray to soft pink, bright green to dusty blue there is great fun in matching plant to planter and then watching them grow and sprout new additions.
If you need a vintage serving piece to start your garden you can find the ones above in the garden section of the shop. Succulents are available at most garden centers, nurseries, farmers markets or sometimes even the floral section of the grocery store. I recommend getting your planter first, then your succulent second, so that you can determine the appropriate drainage condition, color and shape for plant and planter.
Hope this brings a little fun your way on our second to last Sunday of summer. Cheers to new gardens, old dishes and the joy they both provide:)
One of the highlights of the summer so far has been the start of a new collaboration with a fellow history-centric company. I’m so pleased to introduce you all to Artisan’s List, a nationwide directory geared towards the historic home improvement enthusiast or anyone interested in defining their space with handmade touches and artistic refinements.
Just a few of the talented vendors I discovered at Artisan’s List! Clockwise from top left: Natural orchard and landscape design by Janice Parker ; handmade copper cookware by House Copper & Cookware; beautiful backyard chicken coup designs by The Chicken Coop Company
As a go-to resource for niche projects, Artisans List is a dream come true for people who just want to get stuff done. If you have a vintage sofa to reupholster (me!), a backyard fruit orchard to plan, an addition to add onto your house or are trying to hunt down a blacksmith for hand-forged drawer pulls, you’ll find just the right expert to work with at Artisans List.
There, in the dynamic world of creative pursuits, you’ll discover makers of handmade pots and pans, landscape architects, historic home renovation consultants, furniture makers, blacksmiths, stone masons, roofers… basically all the people that can help turn your home project ideas into realities – from the roof line all the way down to the basement floor and everything in between.
Skilled tradesmen include examples like these (clockwise from top left) Historically accurate reproductions of architectural millwork by Architectural Components Inc.; antique and vintage stove restoration by The Antique Stove Hospital ; hand-forged decorative metal work made by traditional blacksmiths
As a resource guide made up of traditional craftsmen and skilled tradesmen AL is a beehive of interesting information, ideas and inspiration that continues to grow more dynamic each day. The whole concept of the directory was born out of the lack of an online community that catered specifically to the local home restoration marketplace state by state. So the founders of Artisans List are very intent on making the site an informative, educational, and useful tool for people all over the country. Each of the AL vendors are vetted to make sure that their business and/or skill is authentically produced and professionally handled. Most of the companies have been around for decades, and even generations which means vast portfolios, passionate voices, and trusted relationships. Exactly the kind of care and expertise you need when it comes to planning and executing a project for your treasured space.
Amidst this talented pool of professionals, you’ll also encounter an active and interesting community of do-it-yourselfers who are looking for ways to build a more thoughtful and storied lifestyle. That’s where the Vintage Kitchen comes in. Every other month, I’ll be writing a piece for the magazine portion of the Artisan List site that features a vintage recipe and the history behind it.
The first piece came out at the end of June and is all about picnicking. If you missed the mention of it on social media a couple of weeks ago, no worries, I’ll be re-posting the entire article here on the blog in the next few days. But before that happens, I just wanted to share the news with you and to say surprise! the Vintage Kitchen is popping up in a new place.
I think this collaboration is especially fun since we have so many old house lovers and owners (and readers!) that participate in the world of the Vintage Kitchen. It’s with you in particular that I share this information, in case you are looking for some expert help with your own home projects this year. I hope this recommendation helps! If you wind up connecting with one of the Artisan List vendors or find a particular piece of home restoration information useful, please share your story in the comments section, so we can all learn together. In the meantime, stay tuned for a bevy of Artisan food articles coming out soon!
Cheers to new friends, expert helpers, and a wonderful weekend ahead!
Happy September, happy October and happy Autumn everyone! That’s three cheers, two months and one season that has happened since the last post. Oh my. The majority of September around the Vintage Kitchen was spent curating and collecting items for the shop and went by in such a hurry I officially coined it the hi/bye month because that’s exactly what it felt like. Here one minute, gone the next.
October started in the same way, with the same humid temperatures and the same busy schedule. Hot summer weather has hung around with gusto until just a few days ago, making this new season and curating for it, a bit of a challenge. My heart was wrapped up in the idea of Fall – all those colorful leaves and pumpkins and baking projects – but my head couldn’t quite get over the fact that it was still 90 degrees outside during the day and looked very much like August instead of October. New arrivals in the shop over the past 30 days reflect those dueling situations. Fall that feels like Summer.
New (old) items that fit into the Fall 2018 Collection are wrapped up in all the traditional touchpoints that ignite sentimental feelings of nostalgia and embrace the cozy, crisp months to come…
Cozy is the name of the game around here. New Autumn inspired vintage (from top left): 1930’s feedsack quilt square; 1970’s Jack Daniels whiskey glasses; vintage wood pocket shelf; 1920’s National Ivory teacups; vintage restaurantware plate, 1960’s World of Nut Recipes cookbook; 1950’s botanical prints; vintage enamelware bowl; 1970’s glass spice jars; 1970’s Mikasa Duet pattern plate; 1960’s Cookie Cookery cookbook; 1960’s red plaid tin.
Vintage spice jars, whiskey glasses, quilt squares, mixing bowls, teacups and fall foliage art prints help set the mood for the season in your kitchen, while homemade cookie recipes, holiday menu guides, and nut-themed delicacies help satisfy the seasonal cravings in your belly.
Some highlights from this collection include this 1960’s whiskey decanter made by the Van Winkle family in Louisville, Kentucky – one of the few distillers legally able to operate during Prohibition…
This 1960’s dinner plate – one of the very last patterns made by Salem American Ironstone in 1967 just before their pottery closed its doors forever…
This vintage quilt square table topper made in the 1930’s from recycled feedsack materials…
These National Ivory teacups made in the 1920’s during a similiar point in time when women’s roles, rights and liberties were also being redefined…
This 1970’s cookbook – the delicious work of internationally recognized pastry chefs/ husband and wife team, John and Hazel Zenker, who shared over 300 cookie recipes containing old-world charm and European heritage…
New arrivals in the shop that fell under the still-feels-like-summer category include this batch which I call September Skies…
…named for the matching colors found in the pretty sunsets that blushed over the city throughout September and October. They include floral serving pieces, ceramic planters, travel cookbooks and embroidered linens that bloom in thread. It is somewhat ironic how each piece in this collection speaks of all the pretty elements of this past summer but also really reflects the colors in the September/October sunsets…
Perhaps this was Lady Nature’s way of reminding me to be patient – that Autumn would come eventually because it always does one way or the other.
A new pal to the patio this week – butterfly dressed in Halloween colors but feasting on summer flowers!
Whatever weather you are experiencing in your neck of the woods this Autumn – hot, cold, crisp or humid, I hope you are having the happiest of Octobers. And that you are finding beauty in the season and celebrating it in style.
Fall in love with history and its many assorted faces in the shop here. Up next on the blog is a sweet treat recipe for Plum Cake circa 1963, from one of the most famous American cookbooks of all time. It’s a lovely Fall dessert that combines spices, baked fruit and a thin layer of cake that is light in constitution yet heavy in flavor. Stay tuned!
This weekend, there’s a big 35% off summer whites sale going on in the shop. Any item that contains the color white is automatically eligible for the discount, which means almost everything is on sale! From linens…
Vintage Children’s Apron made from a re-purposed cotton tea towel. Regular price $10 Sale: $7.50
and much more! There will only be two big shop sales like this a year, so if you have a treasure you’ve been eyeing now’s your chance to treat yourself to a little piece of history. The sale runs through tomorrow night (Sunday, July 29th). Use coupon code: SUMMERSALE18 upon checkout to receive 35% off your order.
The Victorians had their love of family and chivalry and formal presentation. The Edwardians had their love of nature and get-togethers and burgeoning athleticism. Combine the best elements of those two eras for a dinner party and you get a cacophony of advice on how to throw (and attend) the most enjoyable evening of the year as deemed perfect in 1902.
It’s Thanksgiving week and kitchens are busy across the country as we cook and eat and celebrate the holiday with friends and family. Here in the Vintage Kitchen, we thought it would be fun to pull out the do’s and dont’s list of what was considered proper partying in the first few years of the 20th century to see just how many elements we have retained over the course of 115 years. It’s cliche to say that good manners never go out of style, but do they evolve to fit our modern lives or are we still putting our best Victorian/Edwardian foot forward when it comes to entertaining? In this post, we’ll discover how our ancestors prepared to feed a crowd, how they decorated their tables to reflect a festive atmosphere and how etiquette guided eaters through the event. Is it all that different from what we do today? You might be surprised by the list below. Let’s dive in and see…
Preparing turkey in a kitchen from long ago…
How to Throw A Successful Dinner Party circa 1902…
Send your dinner party invitations by mail or personal messenger at least 10 days in advance. Sending via messenger is more ideal in order to ensure accurate delivery.
Study your guest list. Seat opposites together… talkers with listeners, strong opinionators with yielding dispositions, etc.
Select a color scheme and harmonize everything on the table within that palette.
Dishes with a background of white appeal to the eyes of all.
Never starch your napkins.
Each table setting requires four forks (placed on the left) and three knives (placed on the right) between each plate. Oyster forks begin the fork parade on the outside. Among the grouping of the three knives, steel knives for meat rest closest to the plate. Napkins are placed directly in front of each guest and soup spoons lie next to each napkin.
Individual salt, pepper and butter dishes should accompany each place setting.
Ideal flower centerpieces include roses, lilies, carnations, lilacs, ferns and smilax which should be arranged in a low, flat edged cut glass bowl. If you are using roses in your bouquet scatter petals artistically around the table.
Battenburg lace table clothes are the most ideal cloth covering but if you cant afford one- a simple doily style is recommended.
Hang satin ribbons, bows and smilax from your chandelier for a visual effect of fresh, dainty beauty.
Autumn leaves threaded on a string make an eye-catching border when tacked around the perimeter of the entire table.
Any natural bit of vine found in season produces a wonderful opportunity to make a crown for every single guest. Autumn offers the chance to incorporate pumpkin vines in such a manner.
Lighting should be kept to subdued shades. Use of colorful gas lamps and transparent globes produce a dreamland in the dining room.
For a snowy table scene, dip evergreen fir branches in a weak solution of glue and roll in coarsely crushed alum to create an enchanting winter wonderland.
If your dining room is not carpeted, use large rugs to deaden the sound of footsteps.
Dinnertime is most commonly observed at 7:00pm.
Dinner is announced just after the last guest arrives.
It is recommended to have at least one servant available to attend to the needs of every six guests.
Sideboards should be neatly stacked with all the pieces (dishes, cups, glasses, and flatware) needed for the entire meal so that when the servant staff (or hosts) are clearing dishes from a finished course they can easily access the appropriate dishes for the next course without causing undue chaos and uneccsary noise.
Menu guidelines for a traditional 11-course dinner party are as follows … FIRST COURSE: Contains oysters or littleneck clams. Oysters are only served in the months when the letter “R” occurs. SECOND COURSE: Contains soup along with crackers, bread or celery. Clear soups are most preferred. THIRD COURSE: Contains fish that is either boiled or fried and served alongside small boiled potatoes or radishes. FOURTH COURSE: Contains fancy main entrees that do not require carving. This course is served with bread and small garnishes like olives and nuts. FIFTH COURSE: Features a roast of beef, veal, lamb, venison, turkey, goose or other wild game and is served alongside two vegetables. SIXTH COURSE: Contains punch or sherbert. SEVENTH COURSE: Features poultry such as chicken or pigeon. EIGHTH COURSE: Contains salad and cheese wafers. NINTH COURSE: Features dessert served either hot or cold like ice cream, pudding, cake etc. TENTH COURSE: Features fresh fruit and bonbons. ELEVENTH COURSE: Wraps the entire dinner up with coffee.
Roast Turkey from Woman’s Favorite Cook Book published in 1902
How to Master Good Manners at Table circa 1902 –
(As A Guest)
Ladies always take their seats first.
Do not overload your dinner plate.
Never rise from your chair to reach anything, request what you need and then wait for it to be passed.
Never eat anything with a spoon that can be eaten with a fork.
Do not hesitate to take the last piece.
Never overload your fork or spoon.
In the case of restaurant or hotel dining, a lady always rises to greet another lady who has stopped to visit at the table, even though the visitor will not be eating with them.
At the start of the meal, napkins should always be unfolded below the table.
A gentleman folds his napkin in half and places it on his left knee.
Never touch any part of your face with your napkin except your lips.
If food is being carved at the table do not wait to begin eating until all the food is served.
Spread soft cheese on a cracker with a knife. Eat hard cheese with your fingers.
Do not break crackers or bread into your bowl of soup.
If strawberries are served with stems intact, eat them with your fingers.
Never touch potatoes with a knife except to butter them. Forks should be the only utensil involved when eating potatoes of any kind.
Immediately pass anything that is requested (salt, butter, cream, etc) to your fellow tablemates.
Do not refold your dinner napkin when you are through eating.
Never talk with your mouth full and never leave the table with food in your mouth.
Do not spread your elbows when cutting meat, keep them securely tucked at your side.
Do not reach after a knife, fork or spoon that has dropped, instead, ask for another.
When asked what cut of meat you would like answer promptly and confidently. Never leave it up to the host to consider your preference for you.
Do not continue eating after passing a plate for a tablemate until that plate has been filled and returned back to the guest.
Do not twist your feet around the legs of your chair.
Never touch your face or head at the table.
Never take a larger mouthful than will permit you to speak with ease.
Never loll back in your chair or press forward against the table but sit upright to aid digestion and present yourself with controlled decorum.
Never lift a glass by the rim. Goblets should be held by the stem and tumblers near the base.
When addressing anyone at the table or asking for anything to be passed, mention the guest’s name to whom you speak.
Do not leave the table until everyone has finished eating.
When invited to a formal dinner party in which you have worn an evening dress and gloves, do not take your gloves off until you have been seated at the table.
Guests who bring simple, homemade, monogrammed gifts are far more admired by hosts and hostesses than gifts that are expensive, elaborate or store-bought.
This is an Edwardian dinner party photograph from the early 1900s. Even though this is a Halloween photo you can see that they carried the theme in their decorations with a witch hanging from the chandelier, a hanging garland of fall leaves and a low floral centerpiece on the table.
(As a Host)
First and foremost, as host, it is your job to ensure that every guest is well cared for and attended to at all points of the evening.
After dinner has been announced at the start of the evening, the host leads the way to the table with the lady guest he wishes to honor. The hostess comes last with the gentleman guest she wishes to honor.
Dinner plates should be arranged attractively. Any part of the meal that includes vinegar should be placed in its own separate bowl or plate. Bread should also be served on its own separate plate but beware of having too many plates on the table. Then it becomes cluttered and takes on the appearance of a boarding house-style meal.
The task of carving meat at the table is always conducted by the host. If no male host is present, then the hostess may carve the meat herself or select a gentleman guest to do so on her behalf.
Ladies are always served before men.
Do not ask anyone at the table whether they would like “more roast or more salad (or more of anything).” Instead, ask them if they would like “some roast or some salad, etc” so as not to imply that they are eating too much or that excess effort is being put forth to serve them.
Never make introductions after the guests are seated. This should have already been done as each guest arrived for the evening before everyone proceeded to the dining room.
Gentlemen who are remaining at the table for cigars following the meal should stand when the ladies rise and stay standing until they have all left the room.
If all dinner guests are leaving the table at once, then ladies should group together and exit the dining room first.
We were surprised to see that so many commonsense manners from the list are still very much in play in regards to today’s table etiquette (is there even such a universal thing as this these days?!), like serving women before men, not talking with your mouth full, and sitting up straight at the table. But some things seemed foreign like keeping your elbows tucked in when cutting meat, never using knives to cut a potato, tucking into your meal while food was still being carved and not being hesitant to take the last piece. And then there were the more curious bits like selecting guests to honor and escort into dinner and the situation with the ladies and their gloves. Where did the gloves go once they were removed them at the table? In your lap? Under your chair? In your evening bag? Perhaps we need to re-watch a few episodes of Downton Abbey to see where Mary stored hers!
On the table decorating front it was also interesting to see how white-centered dishes are still popular as well as the notion of incorporating elements from nature into table centerpiece displays. But head garlands and chandelier decorating and extensive place settings are a less common sight these days. So many houses don’t even have dining rooms or chandeliers anymore. Head garlands are fun though – I could imagine that a table full of guests wearing beautiful wreaths of autumn leaves or pumpkin vines would lend a wonderfully theatrical sense of whimsy to the party.
I think having good manners is lovely. I also think in our busy modern lifestyle with so much interrupting us while we eat, it is easier to forget or fall out of the habit of eating deliberating with the company we are keeping. Good table manner etiquette hasn’t really changed all that much in one hundred years but our awareness of it has.
Sometimes, now it seems we pull out our best manners only on the holidays or when eating at a super expensive restaurant or a wedding reception or only when we are trying to impress someone. This is not to say that the majority of Americans now eat like animals at home, but its the fact that there is not as many people looking over our shoulders reminding us to tuck our elbows in or keep our napkins in our lap or to serve the ladies first. In the Victorian and Edwardian days they had hours to enjoy a meal and socializing was treated like a cultural event that could be extended for days. Now we are not as indulgent with our time and focus more on quick preparations and easy recipes so that we can eat fast in order to get onto the next event or activity filling up our busy schedules.
In 2018 one of our goals in the Vintage Kitchen is to slow down dinner time (at least a few nights a week), so that we can sit down and have a conversation with our dinner mates free of phones and screens and television and outside distractions. Perhaps that will help us practice and keep good manners so that mealtime will feel a bit more decadent in the leisure department and more fulfilling on the socialization front. What do you think dear readers about this topic of manners? Do you employ them at home? Were you surprised by this list? Do you think there is still a place for them in our modern landscape? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below!
In the meantime, hope your kitchen is full of good food and good friends in the days leading up to Thanksgiving! Cheers to all you, ladies and gentlemen!
In the Vintage Kitchen: Where History Comes To Eat 