
“Food for the inner man is just as important on a motor journey as agreeable traveling companions. ย And stopping at a hotel for meals often consumes more time than one feels can be deducted from the journey. ย Then it is that the roadside meal proves its worth. ย It does not take long; it is satisfying, easy to eat, and attractive.
Of course bacon cooked in the open air, coffee made while you wait, and corn roasted on the ear in the embers of a bonfire are alluring, but they are time consuming, and it you wish to appear neat at the end of the journey, are not always recommended. ย But there are roadside meals which are easy to prepare and easier to serve than a meal at home, for they are what one might call “one-plate roadside meals” as the following menu will suggest: roast chicken, potato ships, jelly sandwiches, egg sandwiches, fruit or a combination salad, pickles, olives, cake or cookies, fruit, cheese and coffee. ย The coffee comes from the thermos bottle who’s twin carries ice water. ย A quart-size, paraffin-treated, covered container, such as oysters are sold in, is used for the cream bottle, chopped ice surrounding the bottle. ย A covered jar is used for the loaf sugar. ย For each person, a paper fork, spoon, heavy paraffin drinking cup, and two paper napkins are provided.

1920’s Picnic/Camping sets
Before leaving home, each individual’s roadside meal is prepared on a plate, as follows: In half-pint paraffin cartons, having covers, arrange individual fruit salads, lining the cartons first with lettuce, filling with fruit salad, and placing a crisp leaf of lettuce on top before adjusting the cover. ย Place one of these filled cartons in the center of the each large sized paper plate. ย Cut the roast chicken, which has been previously cooked in order to be cold, into convenient pieces for eating and divide into the desired number of portions. ย Wrap each portion in paraffin paper, and place one on each plate. ย Wrap individual serving of potato chips in paraffin paper, and also arrange on each plate. ย Wrap three or four olives and sweet or sour pickles in individual packages for each plate. ย Wrap the sandwiches in paraffin paper and arrange on each plate.
When all the food has been placed on the plates, lay each plate in the center of a large paper napkin, and place another paper napkin over the top of it, twisting the opposite corners and thus entirely enclosing the plate. ย Then pack these in a large basket, one plate on top of another, the salad container acting as a base for each plate place above it. ย Wrap cookies and cake in individual parcels and serve when desired. ย At meal time, drive the car under a tree, or up a side road, and it can instantly be converted into a dining room. ย Trays, carried in a denim bag and packed under the basket, are passed, and the plates are served on them. ย In this way, everyone is enjoying his luncheon in a very few minutes.”
By Amy W. Osgood, Good Housekeeping. Volume 77, Number 2. August, 1923


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