The menu being examined is that of Waldorf Astoria hotel on September 10, 1919. This menu was for a dinner consisting of 16 dishes. The first item on the menu was Cantaloupes, Waldorf followed by Potage Sante, Aux Croutons. The third, fourth, and fifth items were Radis, Celeris, and Olives respectively. This was followed by Filet De Sole, Sauce D’oeufs, Pommes De Terre. Parisienne and Medaillon De Boeuf, A La Colbert, Petits Pois Sautes Au Beurre. The other items were Poitrine De Volaille Farcie, Tyrolienne and Salade De Coeurs De Laitue. The tenth item was Glaces De Fantaisie, followed by Macarons, Ladyfingers, Madeleines, Coffee, cider cup, and White Rock. As evident from the menu, there were beverages, cake, salad, confection, celery, and fruits. First, the menu appears to ensure that the guests ate a balanced diet as all significant nutrients and minerals are provided in the selection of food available.
The guests at the dinner included General Pershing, Mayor John F Hylan, and Secretary of War Newton D Baker, among other distinguished guests. As such, it is clear that the menu was prepared to please high-ranking personnel in the American government and army.
This broad menu was prepared in 1919, shortly after World War I. The committee prepared the dinner on receptions to distinguished guests in honor of General John Pershing, who had been instrumental in helping win world war I. John Joseph Pershing GCB, known as “Black Jack,” was a senior United States Army officer who served from September 13, 1860, to July 15, 1948. During World War I, he was most known for commanding the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Western Front from 1917 to 1918.
Waldorf Astoria Cantaloupes
The Waldorf Astoria Cantaloupes is a type of melon categorized as muskmelon exacted from the family Cucurbitaceae (Koh et al 547). The cantaloupes initially originated from India, although they are thought to be grown mainly by the Romans and the ancient Egyptians. The cantaloupes were introduced in Europe around the 15th Century by Philip Miller and were served as one of the meals in Waldorf Astoria due to its sweetness. Muskmelon comes in various shapes and sizes, with cantaloupe being the most prevalent. They are farmed in California, Arizona, and Texas in today’s world and are available all year round. However, the harvesting season is most intense during the summer months. Cantaloupe does not ripen after it has been plucked; therefore, it will cease to sweeten after a cantaloupe has been removed from the vine. Leaving the cantaloupe to ripen on a countertop for an extended period is a common misconception, but this is not true. If the melon is not sliced and served immediately after it is picked, it will become softer and juicier. Cantaloupe should not be allowed to sit at room temperature for more than four days after harvesting.
Cantaloupe was mainly served in Waldorf Astoria due to the health benefits. Cantaloupe is a rich source of vitamin A. It also contains significant amounts of vitamin C, and it is also a strong supplier of the mineral potassium. Another advantage is that the deep-orange flesh of the fruit is packed with taste with lower-level calories concentration. It has a low carbohydrate content and is composed mostly of water that’s nearly as juicy as a watermelon (Koh et al 548) Because of their high liquid content, cantaloupes have a low glycaemic load rating of 4. That implies it will be digested slowly by your body and will not cause your blood sugar to increase. As a result, it is an excellent choice for people with diabetes. Finally, cantaloupe is beneficial in the fight against infections and illnesses.
Cantaloupes have anti-inflammatory qualities due to phytonutrients, which are compounds found in the fruit. Cantaloupe was thereby an essential dish during The Waldorf Astoria.
Waldorf Astoria Potage Sante aux Croutons
Potage Santé is the French term for “healthy soup,” and it may be seen on menus and in restaurant bills all around the world. Soup or stew produced from boiling vegetables, grains, and, if available, meat or fish was thereby referred to as potage Sante during the Waldorf Astoria. For many centuries, it served as a staple diet. The term pottage Sante is derived from the same Old French root as the word potage, which refers to a much more modern meal in origin. In most cases, pottage Sante was made from items that were readily accessible to serfs and peasants and could be cooked over an open fire for many days, during which time part of it could be consumed, and more ingredients might be added to the mix.
Aux Croutons are little slices of twice-baked or sautéed bread usually cut into cubes and seasoned before using salads (Bhushan et al. 7). However, although the name croutons are derived from the French croûte, which translates as the crust, the origins of croutons are unknown, although many people assume they originated in France. They are often used as an addition to salads to add taste and texture, but they may be used as an adjunct to soups and stews. Aux Croutons was thereby considered a stable food served to the people during Waldorf Astoria. Aux Croutons are beneficial because they provide the energy needed for the regular running of metabolic processes. Aux Croutons are mainly composed of carbs, which offer the majority of the calories. Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for your body. Consuming croutons helps fuel your body’s everyday activity by supplying fuel to the muscles and organs. The croutons are part of the dish. You would drop them in the soup, where they would soften. Probably fairly seasoned croutons. It is a thinner soup, probably clear, and the croutons give it body. They go in right before eating because otherwise they would disintegrate and make the soup nasty looking if you put them in to soak for a bit.
The result was a meal that was continually shifting in texture and flavor. From the ninth through the seventeenth centuries, pottage Sante was a mainstay of the poor’s diet throughout much of Europe’s history. When wealthy people ate pottage, they would supplement it with costlier items like meat and vegetables. The potage Sante that these people ate was quite similar to the soups we eat today. Antoine-Augustin Parmentier invented potage Sante in the early nineteenth century. Potage Sante was thereby considered a stable food served to the people during Waldorf Astoria.
Works Cited
Koh, P. C., et al. “Enzymatic activity of alginate coated and pulsed light treated fresh-cut cantaloupes (Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus cv. Glamour) during chilled storage.” International Food Research Journal 26.2 (2019): 547-556.
Masdarini, L., Ariani, R. P., & Ekayani, I. A. P. H. (2021, March). The utilization of lady fingers banana flour into cake as creative product to empower the local ingredients. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1810, No. 1, p. 012076). IOP Publishing.
Satyam, Kumar, and S. K. Gupta. “Principal Investigator Prof. SP Bansal.”
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