Poetic Snacks to Eat at 10 p.m., in 1950

by Bonnie

In this November 1950 issue of Good Housekeeping, Genevieve Callahan offers:

Forty menuettes sure to delight the hostess and guests after evening get-togethers of cards, television, movies.

I’ve distilled this bounty down to a list of the charming descriptions. It’s like an obsessive housewife’s precursor to The Minimalist.

1. Plate of rosy apple quarters; bowl of cheese popcorn; cold or hot drink.

2. Tiny hot meat balls; buttered crosswise slices of hard rolls; pickles.

3. Warm raisin tarts topped with lemon sherbert or ice cream; coffee.

4. Jellied tomato squares or rings on lettuce, topped with mayonnaise and crumbled crisp bacon; celery curls; rye or whole wafers, or thin sandwiches; coffee or tea.

5. Bowl of cheese dunk; crackers; pumpernickel; chilled or hot cider.

6. Broiled open-face cheese-treat sandwiches; gherkins; cocoa.

7. Small skillet of tiny sausages, with picks; plate of cheese cubes and pickled pineapple chunks, with picks; crackers; hot or cold drink.

Almost as charming as the illustrated dachshund on the cover. If the weather where you are is anything like what’s predicted here, best run to the market now for rosy apples and cheese for “dunk,” otherwise you’ll be left to the last few croutons accompanied by moody snow-staring again.