Apr 28 2026 | By: Becky Diamond
Eating out of doors was not a new concept in the Gilded Age, but outdoor parties and other activities where it was customary to eat a meal of some kind outside became very popular during the era. Nature settings were seen as being particularly attractive for dining and socializing. An 1889 article in Ingalls Magazine states that “May is preeminently the month for picnics. Not the opening days—which are apt to be too chilly—but the last of the month, which we may rightly claim, by reason of work accomplished, sunny skies and fragrant woods, and the general demand of the system for relaxation.” Sample items on a spring picnic menu would include ham sandwiches (like the recipe featured below), marble cake, and oranges.
ROLL SANDWICHES
Gilded Age picnic sandwiches could be made on sliced bread or the roll variety. Crafted out of split finger rolls, these roll sandwiches were filled with minced meat such as ham, cold boiled tongue, or chicken, mixed with a rich homemade mayonnaise made from mashed egg yolks, butter, and cream. The two halves were then tied together with a narrow ribbon. In the article “Provisions for Picnics,” featured in an 1893 issue of The Outlook, Christine Terhune Herrick suggests using different-colored ribbons as an attractive way to indicate the filling type.
Above photo by Heather Raub of FrontRoom Images; Foodstyling by Dan Macey
SERVES 8
In a large bowl, mix the chicken or ham with the salt and pepper. Set aside.
Mash the hard-boiled egg yolks in a medium bowl with the back of a fork until a very fine consistency. Add the melted butter and mix well. Gradually pour in the milk and stir with a whisk until smooth. Add to the bowl with the chopped meat and stir until well coated.
Cut the rolls in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the center portion and fill each with 1/2 cup of the chicken or ham mixture. Tie the two halves of each roll together with a pretty ribbon. If using multiple fillings, different ribbon colors can be used to indicate sandwich type.
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