1857 menu and wine list ...

[Robin Garr]

One of our restaurant geeks on the Louisville Restaurants Forum found this online - a menu from a posh local hotel eatery in 1857, a few years before the Civil War. The wine list and pricing down both sides are particularly interesting ... a dollar went a long way in those days!

Louisville Hotel Table d'Hote

Middling with cabbage?? What is middling?

[Robin Garr]

Middling with cabbage?? What is middling?

Beats me, but I thought "Cold Slough" was delightful. Cole slaw?

Middling with cabbage?? What is middling?

I wondered about that, too: middling.

Emeril would be pleased.

PaulB would feel right at home with the Dry Catawba for $1 or the Sparkling Catawba for $2.

middling: A whole side of bacon. Also flitch.

http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/coo ... tml#flitch

I am looking forward to the Beef a la Mode myself.

But I believe I'll pass on the Bean Soup with Crust.

The "Superior Old Brandy for Medicinal purposes - $3 per bottle" seems to be somewhat overpriced, although I might now need something like it to alleviate the severe pain in my lower right abdomen from laughing so much.

"Meals will be prompt, and no gong sounded" and "Each waiter is provided with card and pencil" - both classics!

PaulB would feel right at home with the Dry Catawba

Howie, I was truly honoured to see the words "Dry Catawba" figuring on this historic document. It only goes to show that there were independent thinkers working with native grapes already then, and that the current commercially inspired scene of syrupy-sugary labrusca wine is just that - commercially inspired. There is absolutely no reason why labrusca wines should not be vinified dry in our day and age, especially given the better technology and understanding that we have of viticulture and fermentation.

Indirect thanks to Robin for this little burst of wind beneath my wings today ...

Middling with cabbage?? What is middling?

Beats me, but I thought "Cold Slough" was delightful. Cole slaw?

Yep, "cold slaugh." One commentary and recipe here: Cold Slaugh

I was kind of surprised at the supper hours of 9:00 to 12:00. That seems quite late compared to current American dining pracitces. Those hours are almost Spain-like, where I've waited in a queue at 1:00 a.m. to be seated for the "evening" meal.

Without the sounding of the dinner gong I would have been completely confused.

Robin,

Thank you for the post! Not a bad menu or wine list. I might even leave with a whole case of 'Chamberten' for that price . Interesting too was the 'Hock'. I think the Graffenberger is probably Kiedricher Gräfenberg in the Rheingau. It continues to be an excellent site today -Erstes Gewächs. I wonder if the Villanze is supposed to be Villány in Hungary. It is also still considered one of the best red wine growing areas in the country. I can't figure out the Grimzenger. Surely a town name, but I don't know it. Hungary was much bigger in 1857.


Prost!
Bill

[Jenise]

"Meals will be prompt, and no gong sounded"

I guess they had not yet discovered that there's nothing like the sound of a good gong to get those digestive juices flowing.

Beast of lamb, breaded, with Ketchup sauce...

Sounds like McDonalds in the making. Ketchup, catsup...yech...hate the stuff. Though my nephews appear to be unable to eat anything without it.

Richard

[Jenise]

Grimzenger, I wonder if it's not what we would call today Grinzinger, which in itself would mean 'of Grinzing'. I remember (I've been there) that Hungarians call one of the wines made in the Lake Balaton wine district (mostly whites) 'grinzing', as evidenced in this quote from a holiday guide for an apartment to rent in the Balaton town of Heviz: "Gastronomy and wine tourism: All visitors at Heviz can enjoy the tastes of the International cuisine but also at the same time, the "Csárda" restaurants in Heviz and sorrounding areas.
Egregy with its special look and atmosphere is a district of the spa where guests having their holidays in Hévíz are pleased to walk to. This part of the town, which has managed to preserve its village atmosphere and which was independent for a long time, is situated 1.5 kilometres from the town centre. Besides wine cellars and vineyards alluring guests, you can find a church built in the 13th century, during the Árpád era, which is the most beautiful of the small, Romanesque-style villages in the area. Viniculture has a tradition dating back to the Roman era. The vineyard with its fiery 'grinzing' wines and Hungarian-style dishes in the vicinity of the monument church is a frequently visited area. The Egregy vintage festival organized each year is a famous event of the town."

There is a very pretty description of Louisville and this hotel in Way-side Glimpses, North and South by Lillian Foster, 1860. Her note was written on October 24, 1955, and the chapter contains some very interesting observations on people in Indiana, railroads, the city of Louisville -- devoted to commerce and steamers -- and the hotel and proprietor:

"The Louisville Hotel is by far the most elegant and complete hotel I have found in the whole western country. It possesses all modern improvements, and every arrangement is calculated to contribute to the comfort and convenience of guests.

The proprietor, Mr. Kean, is a very agreeable, entertaining and energetic gentleman, and has the ability, and succeeds in making himself a most excellent host. Strangers visiting Louisville should by all means remember this house, where they will not only be surrounded with the necessities but the luxuries of life."

Foster clearly appreciated the finer things in life. writing about her trip through Indiana by train she notes:

"The human animal has no more right to chew tobacco and strew nuisance upon the floor of a public conveyance, at the expense of other people's comfort, than he has in a public parlor."

Link.

Incidentally, the hotel was in the Greek revival style, built in 1834 and razed in 1949 for a parking lot.

What is an Epigram of Lamb?

It is very interesting that the Sparkling Catawba cost twice as much as a Second Growth Bordeaux.

What is an Epigram of Lamb?

It is very interesting that the Sparkling Catawba cost twice as much as a Second Growth Bordeaux.

It's the added cost of labor for all of that riddlin'

What is an Epigram of Lamb?

It is very interesting that the Sparkling Catawba cost twice as much as a Second Growth Bordeaux.

Haven't you ever heard of lamb jokes???

great one,...

Fascinating, Robin. I love glimpses into the past like that. A few things give rise to comment.

- The meal times, except breakfast, all seem very late - "Dinner" between 1&3 o'clock, Tea 6.30 - 8 o'clock, Supper 9-12 o'clock.

- I don't see any prices for the food.

- No vintages given for the wine.

- Wine prices (presumably for a 75cl. bottle) are not a give away if Google right that $1-1857 = c.$28-2019. Steinwein seems about the most expensive table wine at $2.50; I wonder if it was dry then. However, Chateau Leoville (sic) looks quite reasonable at $1.25 if from a decent source and vintage. If I could time travel back to then, I think I would go for a Madeira, being a bit worried about sourcing and storage of the table wines.

IIRC Kentucky was a wavering state at the outset of the civil war and subject to the blandishments and sometimes violent attention of both sides. There must have been lots of interesting conversations at those tables.

- I don't see any prices for the food.

My assumption is this Table d'Hote is for hotel guests and included in the price of their room. Thus the message at the bottom that 'Gentlemen having extra meals will please report the same at the Office'

- No vintages given for the wine.

Just like today then