Passenger taking Canadian Pacific around-the-world cruises got to celebrate three holidays in the space of 11 days in February: Lincoln’s birthday, Valentine’s day, and Washington’s birthday. Here are two Washignton’s birthday menus, the first used aboard the Empress of Scotland‘s round-the-world cruise of 1926-1927.

Click image to view and download a PDF of this menu from the University of British Columbia Chung collection.

The musical program would not be politically correct today. It starts with Sousa’s Stars and Stripes, which is fine. But this followed by William Paris Chambers’ Reminiscences of the Plantation and then by songs from the Civil War, which was quite a bit after Washington’s time.

The chef has randomly added a few Americanisms to some of the menu item names with the usual puzzling results. It is hard to imagine what “Cream of Tomato Soup, Liberty Bell” might have been. Is “Saddle of Lamb, Farragut” named after the Civil War admiral? Virginia quail makes sense and Delaware water ice sort of makes sense, but Louisiana sweet potatoes and California asparagus are both named for states that didn’t exist during Washington’s lifetime. Probably the asparagus was grown in California but both it and the sweet potatoes could have been grown in many of the original 13 states.

Click image to view and download a PDF of this menu from the University of British Columbia Chung collection.

The second menu was used aboard the Empress of Australia‘s West Indies cruise of 1937. As in 1927, the musical selections start with Sousa’s Stars and Stripes. This was followed by something called East Side, West Side, which was probably this song, also known as the Sidewalks of New York. These were followed by pieces “arranged” by Lake and Seredy. I don’t know Lake, but Seredy was probably Julius Seredy.

The menu includes several items with Americanized names, such as consommé Liberty Bell, Cream of Sweet Corn [soup] Washington, and Saddle of Spring Lamb Capitol. Pandering to the then-current president (who had probably alienated many of the passengers on board), one of the fish items was Pompano Sauté Roosevelt. Virginia ham and Vermont turkey might make sense, but how are Sweet Potatoes Georgia different from Sweet Potatoes Louisiana from the 1927 menu?

One item not available in 1927 was Saratoga Potatoes, meaning potato chips. Though these were first offered in a Saratoga, New York restaurant in the 1850s, they weren’t available outside the restaurant for many more years. While potato chips are fun, I don’t think they really go with roast turkey with chestnut stuffing and cranberry sauce, which is what the menu suggests.

This photo of the statue of Washington by OptimumPx is from almost exactly the same angle as the images on the menu covers.

The statue of George Washington that is depicted on the covers of both of these menus is on Wall Street in New York City. Sculpted by John Quincy Adams Ward to commemorate the centennial of Washington’s first inauguration, it is located at the spot where he stood when he took the oath of office.