297159 Wed May 19 10:44:53 -0700 2004 12 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1638958 I am planning a party this summer with a Jazz Age theme. I have one big theme party every summer, but this year some things have changed. I've moved from an apartment with a yard to one without. Thus, no grill. Also, I would prefer finger foods to bigger items. I also don't want have anything that takes last-minute cooking, because the apartment will likely be hot, and I don't want to make it any hotter. On top of all this, people are used to very luxurious spreads from my parties, and I don't want to disappoint. So here's the question: What could I serve that would suit the theme, while staying within the constrictions above? I've been looking through materials all line without much success. The things I've found that seem to have been popular in the twenties include oysters Rockefeller (probably too rich for my budget, alas), pineapple upside-down cake (I can make individual ones, which is good), and Caesar salad. Cocktails, of course, are easy. Anyone know of either a good resource on popular foods from the Jazz Age, or know of particular items off the top of your head? I have several books from the period, but unfortunately they are more "farmhouse" cookbooks; don't have much by way of cocktail food. Thanks for your help. Wed May 19 10:44:53 -0700 2004 0 curiousbaker 1 1638963 Not to be crass, but I kind of wonder what the point is? I'm guessing nobody at the party will remember the food from that era if they were alive in the first place, or would know that the food is "authentic" or not. Why don't you just serve some things which fit your criteria for ease and lack of space, and be done with it? Let the music and dress carry the theme, since those would be more recognizable anyway. Wed May 19 11:23:31 -0700 2004 1638958 0 AlanH™ 2 1638984 Not crass at all. I just like to go whole-hog. I've had a lot of fun researching menus for previous parties. I did a 60's tiki party last year, a Paris Expat dinner with food from Alice B. Toklas the year before that, and so on. It's a little silly - for the tiki party we made five foot papier-mache tiki heads, for the Ex-Pat party we painted "Picassos" - you get the idea. I usually learn something in the process of researching (I'm starting now for the end of July). The guests probably don't know what's really authentic, though really obvious things like salsa and chips would definitely stand out. There's also fun to be had (for those of us who are a little insane) in tasting a menu that is authentic to a certain period - it gives you a chance to time-travel, culinarily. This particular theme comes from a love of the cocktails from that period (the Pink Lady should be revered like the Manhattan and Martini, in my opinion). Also, I have some great barware from the same time frame I want a chance to use. So, unnecessarily complex theme party, it is! I was having a bit of difficulty starting out, though it looks like people have given me some great links to consider. Thanks to everyone. (By the way I actually have a big kitchen and usually cook for weeks ahead; I love the work, so there's no limitation on the prep. I just don't want the apartment getting too hot on the night of the party itself. No a.c.) Wed May 19 13:14:00 -0700 2004 1638963 0 curiousbaker 3 1638999 That all makes sense, but most of us have association between those themes and the relevant foods. Most don't with the 20's, as demonstrated by the problems you had coming up with a menu. Good luck though, sounds like fun. Wed May 19 16:50:14 -0700 2004 1638984 0 AlanH™ 3 1639010 I had an old "mentor" magazine with ideas for canapes, c 1930. There were a lot of fish spreads made with canned sardines and tuna, anchovies etc. actually sardine butter, etc - the deal though was that rather than using crackers, the magazine was all agog about spreading the butters on geometrically cut bread which was then crisp-baked. A big crystalline bowl frozen into ice brimming full with caviar is very 20's. Other bowls surrounding it filled with condiments - egg yolk and white, capers, chopped red onion - quite fine. If you're going for period cocktails, use Canadian Club for the rye or rotgut that would've been easily obtainable. A post prohibition but early cocktail that's really in bar books is the Los Angeles cocktail - health food from the period and a drink. And a bit of local chauvinism. Here's the recipe - 4 oz rye (use canadian club) 2 ox simple syrup (just make it in the microwave, equal parts sugar and water) 1 oz lemon juice 1/2 oz sweet vermouth 1 raw egg (yes, live dangerously) Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with cracked ice (cubes will work fine as well), and crack egg into the mixture. Cover and shake vigorously. Strain into two glasses. Serves 2. Wed May 19 17:37:03 -0700 2004 1638984 0 Jerome 1 1638964 Wow! What a cool idea, and one of my favourite periods. Like you, I don't know much about the food--few cookbooks from that time seem to exist. I found a few things you could look at to get ideas: http://www.gti.net/mocolib1/kid/fooddecades.html#1920s Click on 1920s as your decade, then "Popular Foods and Snack Fare" as well as "Home Cooking and Family Entertaining." http://www.leitesculinaria.com/features/dining4.html The first link give some good references to check out, as well as the following suggestions: "Chinese food was popular"--you could serve miniature egg rolls. I know I've seen and eaten brands of frozen egg rolls that are baked in the oven for a few minutes and served. Those could be done in a toaster oven. "Fruit cocktails, Pineapple upside-down cake and Jell-O molds. Tea sandwiches, fancy salads, and chafing-dish recipes were also "in." "Finger sandwiches...peanut butter & jelly, ham, turkey, chicken salad, tomato, egg salad, cream cheese" Here you could have fun--watercress/egg salad/chicken salad/cucumber/pimiento-cream cheese, etc. with the crusts cut off and cut into small wedges for tea sandwiches. I think these would be welcome as cocktail food, too. Chafing dish stuff--swedish meatballs come to mind--have little plates out. They can be made ahead then reheated. "Deviled eggs, celery, olives, pickles, salted nuts (almonds, pecans, peanuts, filberts)" "Bread sticks, Parker House rolls, saltine-type crackers, potato chips" "Pineapple Upside down cake, angel or devil's food cakes, ice cream & chocolate sauce, chocolate pudding. Canned peaches work well." Due to Prohibition, the Shirley Temple was invented at this time and was a popular non-alcoholic cocktail. Bathtub gin, was of course, popular. Save yourself the trouble and buy the gin ;-) They also give links to advertising cookbooks that were around at the time. You may find something there. On the second link I found: "To accommodate them, and to soak up some of the harsh bathtub gin, proprietors began offering finger foods. Delights such as Shrimp Patties, Oyster Cocktails and Mushrooms Stuffed With Pimientos filled makeshift bars. Customers brought the idea into their homes, and the cocktail party was born." Caesar Salad, Cobb Salad, and Green Goddess Salad were all invented--and popular--by the mid-1920s. The Martini was a very popular drink in Speakeasys; the Sidecar was a popular drink for Ex-Pats in Paris. http://www.thatsthespirit.com/en/drinks/articles/sidecar.asp This should get you going. Wed May 19 11:28:07 -0700 2004 1638958 0 Colleen 1 1638965 This link may be of some help. Link: http://www.pyramidcatering.com/menus/buffet/buffet.php Wed May 19 11:35:21 -0700 2004 1638958 0 WLA 1 1638971 Because you have all the books about Jazz Age (circa 1924 to 1935), I will only add a short paragraph in that regard at the end of this post for others that may jog their memory for food ideas. So far as period food goes, here’s some information to get you started: Hint: "TIDBITS OF FOOD" Prohibition went into effect in January 1920, leading to the creation of cocktail parties and speak-easies (dirty martinis with green olives and olive juice). A majority of the cocktails that Americans drink today were created during this period, when home parties, featuring alcoholic drinks and tidbits of food, were the rage. Foods of the ‘20s http://www.dispatch.com/news/food/food99/food0908/rec20.html Prohibition was from 1920 to 1933 Foods of the ‘30's http://www.dispatch.com/news/food/food99/food0915/rec30.html ‘21 Club Tea Rooms The Stork Club (vodka was introduced to America about this time-they had the quality stuff-no "dirty" martinis here) The Great Gatsby (Upscale Southern fare) pineapple upside down cake pecan pie (make them bite-sized for serving ease) Toll House cookies Tea sandwiches (deviled ham, cream cheese, butter and cucumbers, the list goes on) Peanuts (because of George Washington Carver) Velveeta cheese (Maybe make a cheese and peanut butter dip) Louisiana Cajun rice with peanuts Cajun fried turkey Italian sausage Tomatoes was relatively new - not widespread - tomato aspic stuffed tomatoes (use the tea sandwich fillings to save you some time) The Jazz Age It begins circa 1924 and ends around 1935, with the advent of swing. Most often said the Jazz Age began in New Orleans. Many relate Jazz to the African influence in American music (drum and rhythms - New Orleans) (ragtime - syncopation), but many also feel it denotes a period of early big band in the days when, as today, things were happening at a rapid pace (onset of expanded telephone service, network radio, electric inventions of all types, and records in aviation) Hope that helps. Wed May 19 12:18:13 -0700 2004 1638958 0 kc girl 1 1638983 Jazz age parties remind me of prohibition (i.e., lots of alcohol) and over-the-top parties, such as those in The Great Gatsby, which featured extreme buffet spreads. Caterers put out enormous amounts of food: spiced hams, "pastry pigs" (not sure what that is...), all spiced up and decorated and garnished with hors d'oeuvres. Also, the parties went through excessive amounts of oranges and lemons: "Every Friday five crates of oranges and lemons arrived from a fruiterer in New York. Every Monday these same oranges and lemons left his backdoor in a pyramid of pulpless halves." Bit of a moral edge to that one... (btw: Chap. 3 has the party description referred to above.) Wed May 19 13:13:52 -0700 2004 1638958 0 cheyenne 1 1638985 The link below should help you quite a bit. It offers lots of links to foods popular in the 1920's. Link: http://www.gti.net/mocolib1/kid/food1.html Wed May 19 13:24:47 -0700 2004 1638958 0 Nancy Berry 1 1638986 The Los Angeles Public Library has a wonderful collection of restaurant menus that are viewable online. If you go to the link below and type 192* in the Date search window, you'll see links to loads of menus from the 1920's. Link: http://dbase1.lapl.org/pages/menus.htm Wed May 19 13:41:33 -0700 2004 1638958 0 Nancy Berry 2 1639008 Darn - i was going to past that link as well. it's a great resource. Wed May 19 17:27:27 -0700 2004 1638986 0 Jerome 1 1639076 Get a copy of the Brown Derby ccookbook for inspiration. Although I think that was more '30's than '20's. Thu May 20 07:32:01 -0700 2004 1638958 0 Sharuf