The average life expectancy for men was 47 years old.
Americans spent 1/3 of their income on food.
Children remained under their parents’ roofs until they were married.
Fuel for cars was only sold in drug stores.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
Ten percent of infants died in their first year.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
Men wore blue serge suits at work.
The tallest structure in the world was not in the U.S., but was France’s Eiffel Tower.
The average U.S. wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.
The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2,000 per year.
A dentist could make $2,500 per year.
A veterinarian could make between $1,500 and $4,000 per year.
A mechanical engineer could make about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all doctors had no college education. Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and the government as “substandard.”
Sugar cost 4 cents per pound.
Eggs were 14 cents per dozen.
Coffee was 15 cents per pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month. They used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
The five leading causes of death were: Pneumonia and Influenza, Tuberculosis, Diarrhea, Heart Disease, and Stroke.
The American flag had 45 stars.
The population in Law Vegas, Nevada was only 30.
Crossword puzzles, canned beer and iced tea hadn’t been invented yet.
There was neither a Mother’s Day nor a Father’s Day.
Two out of every 10 adults could not read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Marijuana, heroin and morphine were all available over the counter at local drug stores. Back then pharmacists said, “Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is, in fact, a guardian of health.”
18 percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE United States.
It’s amazing how fast everything has changed and it’s impossible to imagine what it will be like in another 100 years!
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved
“None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you’re carrying in your heart like hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There’s no time for anything else.” – Christopher Walken
I’ve gotten spoiled and typically don’t care for the grocery store meats. They tend to be bland and tough so most Saturdays I take a trip to the butcher shop. I’ve been reading Bill Buford’s book, Heat, and when the butcher asked me what meats I wanted I thought to myself, “Hmmmm…I think I’ll eat like a Tuscan,” and then blurted out, “I’ll have those two large delicious looking T-Bones!” Life is so much better with a good butcher nearby.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
Cooking With Lemons
Lemons are a chef’s secret ingredient. Most chefs will tell you that acidity elevates any dish. There is no need to get all fancy by using twenty year old balsamic vinegar. Just finish most of your dishes with a humble squeeze of lemon juice. Most line cooks have quart containers of wedges at their stations for juicing in the moment. Why lemon? Aside from the fact that you can always find one, you’ll taste what it does to the food, not the lemon itself. Along with salt and pepper, it’s all you need to season everything from simple pastas to grilled fish, roasted meats, and sautéed vegetables, as well as pan sauces, grain salads, and even run of the mill lentil soup. In your own kitchen cut lemon wedges ahead of time, then squeeze as you cook for the brightest flavor.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
Never Eat Ingredients You Can’t Pronounce Except Quinoa!
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2015 All Rights Reserved
Table Manners Dos and Don’ts
I believe it’s always best to start with the positive so let’s start with the “Dos.”
Table Dos
Do place your napkin in your lap, and use it to blot your lips and wipe your hands.
Do wait for your hostess to be seated before you start eating, unless requested to do so earlier.
Do cut food into manageable, bite-sized pieces, and swallow before you speak.
Do say, “Please pass the…” instead of reaching across the table and igniting yourself on an open flame.
Do place fork and knife diagonally across the upper right hand corner of your plate when you are finished eating.
Do remove hot or inedible substances from your mouth with your fork, not your fingers or napkin.
Do eat drink garnishes after draining your glass, not before.
Do use a fork when sopping up gravy or sauces with chunks of bread.
Do use finger bowls to clean fingers, and hot towels to clean hands and mouths.
Do refrain from making or receiving phone calls at the table.
Table Don’ts
Don’t grasp eating utensils as you would a garden trowel or hammer, or place used utensils directly on the table.
Don’t tuck your napkin into your shirt collar.
Don’t primp or clean your teeth at the table.
Don’t fidget or make loud noises while you eat (slurping, burping, lip-smacking).
Don’t slouch or otherwise lean on the table.
Don’t scoop ice from your water glass to cool hot soups or beverages.
Don’t season your food before you taste it.
Don’t push your plate away from you when you are finished eating.
Don’t leave your spoon in your mug while drinking from it, or wring tea bags with your fingers.
Don’t dunk donuts or scones into beverages.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen
Food is to the soul what words are to the mind. – Tiny New York Kitchen
If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. – J.R.R. Tolkien
Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate. – Alan D. Wolfelt