Monthly Archives: September 2012

An 1898 Gem: Chicken in Pineapple-Chorizo-Almond Sauce

Most of the 13 cookbooks represented in Vintage California Cuisine  are rudimentary, to put it politely. El Cocinero Español (The Spanish Cook), California’s first Spanish language cookbook, published in San Francisco in 1898 by Encarnación Pinedo, is a notable exception. … Continue reading

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A First in 1884: Salad Dressing Recipe Labeled “Californian”

Labeling culinary items and concepts “Californian” is such a cliché these days that it’s hard to imagine there was a time when the state’s name had no such cachet. Yet such was the case in the first decades after statehood, … Continue reading

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S.F. Celebrity Chef a Century Ago Swore by Prune Souffle

French born and trained Victor Hirtzler drew culinary tourists from around the world to the lavish Hotel St. Francis dining room in San Francisco during his more than two decades as head chef at the landmark restaurant beginning in 1904. His prune souffle is “a … Continue reading

Posted in Desserts, Recipes | 1 Comment

Courtesy of the Theosophists of 1897, Poor Man’s Cake

The first recipe I’ve chosen to report on here is Poor Man’s Cake. I’m in Los Angeles for a couple of weeks, back on a visit to my old stomping grounds from my new home base in Philadelphia. I’m staying at my … Continue reading

Posted in Desserts, Recipes, Vegetarian | Leave a comment