Life This Week: March 4, 1940 and a Confession

There are a couple of recipes in this issue of Life magazine. The one I decided to try is the Bacardi. Since Paul and I have had some bad luck with liquor lately, we decided to spring for the rum and try something new. You know what? It was dee-licious. Plus, it helps prevent scurvy.

Bacardi ad in Life / my delicious Bacardi cocktails

Bacardi Cocktail 

juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon sugar
2 jiggers Bacardi Superior

Combine above ingredients and shake over ice. Strain into two cocktail glasses.

Click to enlarge

I want to talk to all of you about my 1920s Menu Challenge. First off, I'd like to say that I'm no longer selling the March 1927 Sourcebook and if you bought it, your purchase has been refunded. You're welcome to keep the pdf, though.

I began to dread the project almost as soon as I'd announced it. What crazy-ass shit had I gotten myself into? These were recipes designed for households with domestic help in an era when cooking took up 30 to 40 hours each week. Plus, menus were designed for households of six who ate every meal en famille. Because it's the twenty-first century, Paul and I generally only eat dinner together and I have neither a cook nor a maid. But beyond all of that, I didn't think I was going to have fun. What's the point of all of this if it isn't enjoyable?

Also, I'm spending waaay too much time blogging as it is. I'm supposed to be writing a book and I can't even spend time doing that because of blogging, writing newsletters and keeping up with social media. For my own well being, I'll be cutting down on the blogging to anywhere between once a week and once a month. I'll only be sending out one newsletter (no more monthly option) and it will go out, at most, once per week, so if there are multiple posts in one week, there'll just be one newsletter. I'll also only be on social media a couple of times a week so I can actually get some work done!

I have to do all of this because I still love blogging and I love interacting with all of you and I want to do my best. I've started feeling twinges of resentment toward blogging and I don't want to feel that way. I hope you understand.

As for the 1920s Menu Challenge, I'd like to keep it going, so I'm planning to make the St. Pat's menu that you received in the newsletter. (If you haven't subscribed yet, there's still time to get the recipe booklet.) I'd still like to do a virtual movie night, as well. The film is The Beloved Rogue, starring John Barrymore. It's available for free on Internet Archive and is also available on DVD. Let's meet up at 7pm (Central time and it will be Daylight Saving Time as well) Saturday, March 30th. I'll start a facebook thread about fifteen minutes ahead of time. Hope to see you there!