Tasting History
Food is a wonderful (and delicious way) of understanding the past—what they ate, how they ate, and who was eating. And, thankfully, glamorous events like doomed voyages. presidential parties, and Oscar ceremonies tend to save menus for later consumption. Let's dig into 20 historical events, one meal at a time.
1. JFK's Birthday
The night Marilyn Monroe sang "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" guests enjoyed dinner with their show. The menu was four courses: crab meat baked in the shell, chicken soup, beef medallions glazed in Madeira, and a massive birthday cake.
White House Photographs on Wikimedia
2. Lincoln's Second Inauguration
Lincoln's second inaugural ball in 1861 famously devolved into a food fight for 4000 guests. The meal was served buffet-style with everything from turtle soup and jellied beef tongue to six different types of ice cream. The elaborate menu catered to the revelers rather than the man of the hour, as Lincoln was a picky & infrequent eater.
Wilfried Wittkowsky on Wikimedia
3. First Class On The Titanic
The last meal served on the Titanic was a suitably decadent one. First Class passengers enjoyed a French-inspired dinner, as was the custom of the time, with roast pigeon, foie gras, and asparagus in vinaigrette among the options. Dessert options included peaches in jelly and chocolate éclairs.
4. Third Class On The Titanic
However, First Class were not the only passengers aboard; the Third Class menus from that fateful night survive as well. Dinner was modest yet filling, with rice soup, fresh bread, and roast beef with gravy and potatoes. We're not trying to sound humble, but we know which meal sounds more appealing.
5. Disneyland's Opening Day
Disneyland opened in 1955 and revolutionized theme parks forever. Walt Disney believed that the food should be as much an attraction as the rides themselves, and so the restaurants combined theming with big-name sponsors. One of the most eye-catching restaurants was the Chicken of the Sea pirate ship restaurant which served a hot tuna pie...exactly what we want to eat in July in California.
6. Queen Victoria's Christmas Dinner
Queen Victoria celebrated the Christmas spirit in 1894 on her beloved Isle of Wight. Rather than your typical Christmas ham or turkey, Victoria dined on a boar's head from the Emperor of Germany, along with orange custard and Yorkshire pudding. The leftovers were reused for the New Years' Dinner.
Wan Salahuddin Wan Ismail on Unsplash
7. Millionaire's Flight
The year before the Hindenburg caught fire above New Jersey, it embarked on a pleasure cruise over New England. Despite the guests' combined wealth of over a billion dollars, dishes were relatively simple in the flammable zeppelin. Some choices from the menu include Indian swallow nest soup and tenderloin steak in goose liver sauce.
8. The Ascent Of Everest
What do you eat at the top of the world? For Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, an easily-digestible menu high in carbs and sugar was prepared. The two mountaineers enjoyed sardines, biscuits, apricots and mint cake.
9. First Claim To The North Pole
Speaking of the top of the world, six months after Robert Peary claimed the North Pole, the New York Times celebrated his achievement with an arctic-themed dinner. This unusual meal included walrus bites, narwhal (with the tusk attached), and musk ox Mignon. More familiar dishes petit fours and spinach florets.
10. McDonald's Grand Opening
Did you know that McDonald's started off as a BBQ joint in the 40s? The menu included tamales and chill, cheese fries, and your choice of barbecued beef, ham, or pork. The burgers they would become known for were also included, in a tantalizing "aristocratic" form.
11. First Meal On The Moon
Eating in space raises a lot of logistical questions, most of all: what do you eat that won't float away from you? Apollo 11 has a rotation of three meals to appeal to the astronauts including tuna salad, spaghetti, and shrimp cocktail. The winning meal ended up being bacon squares, peaches, and sugar cookies.
12. Burns Night Supper
If you have Scottish heritage or studied English Lit in university, you're likely familiar with Burns Night, when diners enjoy haggis, whisky, and bagpipes. The first Burns Supper was held in 1801, on the anniversary of the poet's death. The star of the shoe was the haggis, accompanied by "tatties" (mashed potatoes) and "neeps" (mashed turnips), along with a sheep's head, wine, and beer.
13. The First Oscars
The inaugural Oscars in 1929 was rather sedate compared to the fanfare of today, with the winners announced three months before the ceremony. In contrast to the edible gold of today's Governor's Balls, the stars of yesterday dined on sole fillet, celery, and half-broiled chicken on toast.
14. 2500 Years Of The Persian Empire
In the perilous years before the Iranian Revolution, the last Shah celebrated 2500 years of the Persian Empire on a scale not seen in centuries. The Shah had a taste for everything Western, so the menu spoke to those sensibilities rather than the country's Muslim population. The centerpiece of the banquet was roast peacock—the symbol of Iran—surrounded by a "court" of stuffed quails with nuts and truffles.
15. Robert Dudley's Feast For Elizabeth I
The way to a woman's heart is through her stomach, and if that woman is Elizabeth I, she has the stomach of a king. To celebrate a treaty signing, one of the queen's favorites, Robert Dudley, designed a decadent feast to capture her attention. The meal included sheep, heron, duck, and turkey, along with an assortment of sweets to satisfy Elizabeth's notorious sweet tooth.
Rexness from Melbourne, Australia on Wikimedia
16. Elvis' Wedding Breakfast
Elvis's 1967 wedding to Priscilla Beaulieu was a brief and modest affair as far as celebrity weddings go. The menu, on the other hand went all out. Oysters, lobsters, fried chicken, and a suckling pig all played second fiddle to one of the most iconic wedding cakes of all time. The six-tiered cake was filled with apricot marmalade and cost as much as a new Chevy.
17. Indian Independence
In 1947, almost a century of British colonial rule came to an end in India, and the country celebrated in style. The menu was ahead of its time, being a fusion of French and Indian cuisine, though its wording was rather vague. The meal was recreated 70 years later with tamarind paneer steaks, spinach crepes, and spiced chicken soup.
18. Dinner At The South Pole
Prior to his fatal (and unsuccessful) dash to the South Pole, Robert F. Scott held Christmas dinner in Antarctica. The menu was carefully chosen so to not deplete their rations while being festive enough to cheer the men up. The main dish was horse pemmican, a high-calorie, high protein mix of dried meat, melted fat, and add-ins, accompanied by cocoa with raisins and plum pudding.
19. King Midas' Funeral
Yes, King Midas was real, if archaeology has anything to say about it. When Midas' tomb was discovered, it emitted a rather rank scent, from the funerary feast that was entombed with the king. It's difficult to determine what was actually on the menu, but forensic evidence points to spicy lamb or goat stew with lentils and fennel, along with a honey mead and saffron cocktail.
20. The Last Supper
Despite being the most famous meal in history, we don't actually know what was served at the Last Supper. In addition to unleavened bread and wine, suggested dishes include bean stew, lamb, olives with hyssop. Pretty different from modern Seders!
