oldyarns. tells the bowerbird stories

story 299. what's on the menu?

here is an incredible project

& a unique opportunity to get involved...

with approximately 40,000 menus dating from the 1840s to the present, The New York Public Library’s restaurant menu collection is one of the largest in the world, used by historians, chefs, novelists and everyday food enthusiasts. Trouble is, the menus are very difficult to search for the greatest treasures they contain: specific information about dishes, prices, the organization of meals, and all the stories these things tell us about the history of food and culture.

to solve this, the NYPL are working to improve the collection by transcribing the menus, dish by dish. they’ve built a simple tool that makes the transcribing pretty easy to do, but it’s a big job, so they need our help. 

the menu collection, originated through the energetic efforts of Miss Frank E. Buttolph (1850-1924), who in 1900, began to collect menus on the Library's behalf. Miss Buttolph added more than 25,000 menus to the collection, before leaving the Library in 1924. The collection has continued to grow through additional gifts of graphic, gastronomic, topical, or sociological interest.

"Menu writing is an art form seldom appreciated. In our restaurants, we put an incredible amount of time and thought into crafting menus. It's remarkable to see menus being preserved and documented, for them to become a resource for future chefs, sociologists, historians and everyone who loves food. It’s not just What’s on the Menu, it reveals so much more."

~ Mario Batali, chef & author

to start transcribing a menu click here.

to learn more about the project & the interesting discoveries so far read the What's On the Menu? blog here.

 

{images from the NYPL menu collection,

showing the luncheon & gala dinner menus of

the R.M.S. Mauretania 5 August 1962.}

story 292. noticed.

evam eva

linen drop pocket pullover

kinfolk

a guide to small gatherings

manifesto: "Kinfolk is a growing community of artists with a shared interest in small gatherings. We recognize that there is something about a table shared by friends, not just a wedding or once-a-year holiday extravaganza, that anchors our relationships and energizes us. We have come together to create Kinfolk as our collaborative way of advocating the natural approach to entertaining that we love. Every element of Kinfolk – the features, photography, and general aesthetics – are consistent with the way we feel entertaining should be: simple, uncomplicated, and less contrived. Kinfolk is the marriage of our appreciation for art and design and our love for spending time with family and friends."

magazine & journal

an apple a day

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found here in these places

some uncommon beauty

to match the rainy grey outside today.

inside, more quiet acts of preparation,

a shifting & resettling.

now the sun peaks through.

story 282. noticed.

 

noticed in the last few days:

 

1. smooth sensual wooden spoons by attia

bought at finders keepers over the weekend.

 

2. music by tiny ruins,

calm, haunting & especially

'you've got the kind of nerve that I like'.

 

3. still busy loving the 'pop-up shop', this one in Melbourne

by Madame Truffles.

found via the design files,

the concept & display

are striking & inspiring.

 

{all images & artwork as credited in sources}

*

back soon

with photos from finders keepers over the weekend

& a shop update.