Downtown Dinner

November 29, 1922, Menasha Record

Above...the menu for Thanksgiving at the Hotel Menasha.  I must admit, despite my advanced age and my growing up in Wisconsin, I was still totally unaware of the famed "Watertown Goose," as presented by the hotel that day in 1922.  The geese were somewhat unique, in that they were filled with German noodles instead of a breaded stuffing. My research found that since the late 19th century, the geese were raised and prepared in Watertown, Wisconsin and found their way to the tables of wealthy people in the east- New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and other eastern cities usually purchased the bulk of them. Orders were placed weeks and even months in advance and some wealthy families had standing orders from year to year to be certain of getting them.  Over the years, the idea fell out of favor, both due to labor intensity plus animal rights concerns and by the 1950's, only one farm in Watertown still produced the birds.  But this link to the Watertown Historical Society tells much more about the geese than I could ever tell:  http://www.watertownhistory.org/articles/stuffedgeese.htm.  It's always fun to learn something new.

I'm taking a little time off over Thanksgiving, so I'll see you next week!  Enjoy whatever time you can carve out with your loved ones, be it in person or via technology.  But please keep yourself and them safe.  Happy Thanksgiving!