Hallowe’en at Lake Placid, 1917.

I have a very interesting Hallowe’en menu for you today. It is from the Lake Placid Club in the Adirondacks, in the year 1917. The club was founded by Melvil Dewey (1851-1831) – the man who developed the library classification system that bears his name. Dewey also founded the Lake Placid Club and the American Spelling Reform Movement – and not surprisingly the former became headquarters for the latter.

The menu for the ‘Annual Hallowe’en Frolic’ in 1917 was printed in the "Simpler Speling" style used at the resort.

This is the nicht o’ Hallowe’en

When a’ the witchy micht be seen

Lake Placid Club        Simpler speling

Forest Hall

SUPPER

6.30-7.30

Wensday 31 October 1917

Cream of tomato

-

Homini                        Post tosties

Broild bluefish

Boild finan hadie        cream saus

-

Broild sirloin steak

or Turki cutlets with peas

or Devild ham on tost

Creamd pocht egs

-

Egs to order

Baked potatos             Au gratin potatos

Baked Hubbard squaſ au gratin

-

COLD

Ham                or Lam             or Veal

Letis                Stri[ng] bean salad

-

TOST

Dry      Butterd                        Milk

Whole wheat rols        Tea biskits with huni

Pumpkin py     Ginjerbred whipt cream

Maple sugar cake

Cotaj cheez with wafers

-

Tea      Cofi     Coco    Butermilk        Milk

Extra charj for all orders not on menu

I was unable, in the short time I tried, to find the ‘simple speling’ symbol representing the “ng” in the Stri[ng] bean salad. I was, however, able to find a simple recipe for string bean salad from the era – which is exactly the same as a simple string bean salad recipe today.

String Bean Salad.

Mix together four tablespoonfuls of olive oil, one half teaspoonful salt and one-quarter teaspoonful white pepper. Add slowly, stirring all the time, one tablespoonful of vinegar and stir until perfectly mixed. Pour this over one pint of boiled and drained string beans, add one teaspoonful finely cut chives and turn into the salad bowl. Garnish with a row of overlapping slices of red radishes or beets.

Newport Daily News August 7, 1913