Easter Menus From History: Spring Lamb to Sea Turtle

March 25, 2016 8:00 AM EDT

The traditional American Easter menu as we know it today revolves solidly around lamb, with its ritual references to Jesus Christ and the springtime season. These historic restaurant menus are just one more piece of evidence that the ritual is nothing new. Spring lamb appears on turn-of-the-century bills of fare, too.

But at the same time, there’s a lot more going on back then. These menus are also full of odder dishes, like Deerfoot sausage, pickled pig feet and green sea turtle.

These menus are from the vast collection digitized by the New York Public Library—the same source of the amazing Thanksgiving menus we revisited last fall.

Easter dinner held by Wiley & Haskell at Stanwix Hall in Albany, NY. 1893. From the Buttolph collection of menus.Rare Book Division, The New York Public Library

Easter dinner held at the Hawk & Wetherbee at The Windsor in New York, NY. 1893. From the Buttolph collection of menus.Rare Book Division, The New York Public Library

Easter dinner menu held at the Hawk & Wetherbee at The Windsor in New York, NY. 1893. From the Buttolph collection of menus.Rare Book Division, The New York Public Library

Easter breakfast held by Haddon Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. 1905.Rare Book Division, The New York Public Library

Easter Sunday dinner held by Cincinnati's Grand Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. 1896.Rare Book Division, The New York Public Library

Easter Sunday lunch held by Princess Hotel in Hamilton, Bermuda. 1899.Rare Book Division, The New York Public Library

Easter Sunday dinner at the Princess Anne Hotel in Virginia Beach, VA. 1898.Rare Book Division, The New York Public Library

See 8 Tasty Easter Menus From History

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