BY

This Thanksgiving, treat family and friends to an authentic Gilded Age menu of roast turkey garnished with chicken forcemeat balls and served with a side of sweet potato croquettes using the recipes and cooking tips contained in The Gilded Age Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from America’s Golden Era, from food writer and historian Becky Libourel Diamond.

With a tasteful combination of easy-to-follow recipes, artistry and history, readers can expect to get a good sense of what the Gilded Age looked (and tasted) like through The Gilded Age Cookbook.

Gilded Age Thanksgiving celebrations were sophisticated events emphasizing décor and elegance. Harvest-themed decorations such as autumn leaves, chrysanthemums, asters, dried grasses, and grains would be placed throughout the house, particularly the dining room. Fresh fruit piled high on a silver or pewter platter, embellished with vines and clusters of grapes, would create a stunning centerpiece. Other dining table decorations included fruit-filled