Meals a la Carte

Vintage photo from Pinterest

From the Woman's Home Companion, July 1921 (available on Google Books):

Are you planning a camping trip this summer?  It is well worthwhile to collect the utensils for it with care.  Even to those not intending "camp en route," a thoughtfully planned camp home is a "safety first" precaution, and for those who stay at home, the following suggestions put into realization as permanent summer fixtures on the car make possible daily suppers in the park, or country trips on an hour's notice.

The running-board kitchen is an untold convenience.  By curving the front end slightly the box can extend some distance upon the front fender and give added length.  Five-eight-inch lumber is the proper material for it, solidly joined at the corners, as the continuous jar of travel tests weak places.  Iron right angles, screwed inside as joints, should reinforce the corners.  Two strips of thin iron across the bottom (inside), extending up and screwed to the front and back sides will keep the box from spreading.  These iron pieces are very important, as through the holes in their centers the box is fastened onto the running board.  The bottom of the box should be made of galvanized tin nailed closely from underneath to the under rim.  The advantage of this is that, as it is thin, it gives greater depth than wood and also makes a smooth, sanitary surface to keep clean.

Paint inside of box and underside of cover light gray.  Place this box on right or parking side of the car.  Paint outside of box and cover the same color as your car.

Next week -- some information on equipment, but in the meantime, here is Bettina's idea of a cool-weather motor picnic, from A Thousand Ways To Please A Husband.

Warm Veal Loaf        Cold Potato Salad

Fresh Brown Bread       Butter

Spanish Buns     Bananas

Hot Coffee

Veal Loaf

2 lbs lean veal

1/2 lb salt pork

6 large crackers

2 T lemon juice

4 t onion salt

1 T salt

1/2 t pepper

4 T cream

Put two crackers in the meat grinder, add bits of meat and pork and the rest of the crackers.  The crackers first and last prevent the pork and meat from sticking to the grinder.  Add other ingredients in order named.  Pack in a well-buttered bread-pan.  Smooth evenly on top, brush with white of an egg, and bake one hour in a moderate oven.  Baste frequently.  The meat may be cooked in a fireless cooker between two stones.  It is perfectly satisfactory cooked this way, and requires no basting.

Boston Brown Bread

1 c rye or graham flour

1 c cornmeal

1 c white flour

1 t salt

1 1/2 t soda

3/4 c molasses

1/4 c sugar

1 1/2 c sour milk or 1 1/4 c sweet milk or water

2/3 c raisins

Mix and sift dry ingredients, add molasses and liquid.  Fill well-buttered moulds two-thirds full, butter the top of mould, and steam three and one-half hours.  Remove from moulds and place in an oven to dry ten minutes before serving.  If sweet milk is used, 1 T vinegar to the 1 1/4 c will sour the milk.  

Baking powder cans, melon moulds, lard pails or any attractively shaped tin cans may be used as a mould.