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This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Food

Vintage Thanksgiving Menus From L.A. Restaurants

thanksgivingmenu.jpg
Photo courtesy of LAPL.org

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One of our favorite accounts to follow since we joined Pinterest is the Los Angeles Central Library, which has a board is dedicated to awesome vintage menus from classic L.A. haunts. They've tipped us off to some of the gorgeous design of days gone by, and we can't get enough. So when we saw LA Weekly's post on vintage Thanksgiving menus, we were thrilled.

Besha Rodell highlights several holiday menus, and surprisingly what we eat hasn't changed much over the years. Of course, the prices have gone up quite a bit, but it's sort of comforting to know that some things can stand the test of time. Says Rodell:

Judging from the menus, it became stylish in the 20's and 30's to eat out at hotels and private clubs for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving menus seem to drop off after the 1940's...But they show how regional American cooking has been preserved by this very American holiday. While TV dinners and packaged foods eclipsed our country's home cooked meals in the 50's and 60's, we still cooked for the holiday, and those recipes have survived as a result. Just another reason to give thanks.

Amen.

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