Breakfast Afloat – SS American Farmer Menu, 30 June 1934

Rare Vintage Breakfast Menu Card From Saturday, 30 June 1934 on Board the Ss American Farmer of the American Merchant Lines Featured a Typical Selection for That Era, Offering Salmon Fish Cake With Tomato Sauce and Grilled Yorkshire Ham. | GGA Image ID # 154bd6f87b

☕ Review & Summary – SS American Farmer Breakfast Menu – 30 June 1934

Good morning, sir or madam! Allow me to walk you through today’s breakfast offerings aboard the SS American Farmer of the American Merchant Lines. Judging by the selections—full hot entrees, fresh fruit, and multiple egg preparations—this menu likely comes from the First Class or Cabin Class dining saloon, where passengers enjoyed leisurely, made-to-order breakfasts.

🍽 Featured Entrées of the Day

While many items are available, two stand out as the day’s likely featured dishes—those that would have drawn the most attention from diners:

Salmon Fish Cake with Tomato Sauce – A savory breakfast choice, made with flaked salmon blended with mashed potatoes, seasonings, and lightly fried, served with a tangy tomato sauce. Ideal for those preferring a lighter protein over meat in the morning.

Grilled Yorkshire Ham – Thick slices of cured ham from Yorkshire pigs, noted for their robust flavor, grilled to perfection. This would have been a premium meat selection, reminiscent of English country breakfasts.

Menu Items

• Baked Apples with Cream
• Grapefruit Juice
• Tomato Juice
• Compote of Prunes
• Oranges
• Figs in Syrup
• H-O Oats
• Farina
• Corn Flakes
• Bran Flakes
• Puffed Rice
• Fried Sea Bass
• Salmon Fish Cake, Tomato Sauce
• Grilled Lamb Kidney
• Chipped Smoked Beef in Cream
• Grilled Yorkshire Ham
• Broiled Breakfast Bacon
• Eggs to Order (Fried, Boiled, Scrambled or Shirred)
• Plain or Spanish Omelette
• Hashed Brown Potatoes
• Assorted Rolls
• Sultana Scones
• Dry and Buttered Toast.
• Rice Griddle Cakes with Maple Syrup
• Chiver's Assorted Jams, Jellies, Honey, Marmalade
• Tea, Coffee, Cocoa, Postum

⭐ Special & Engaging Items

Grilled Lamb Kidney – A very British breakfast item, rich in flavor and slightly gamey. Served simply grilled, it was often enjoyed with mustard or light seasoning.

Rice Griddle Cakes with Maple Syrup – A twist on the traditional pancake, incorporating cooked rice for texture; served with real maple syrup for a sweet finish.

Sultana Scones – A British tea-time favorite offered here at breakfast; tender scones dotted with sweet golden raisins (sultanas).

Chipped Smoked Beef in Cream – Similar to what Americans later nicknamed “creamed chipped beef on toast,” this dish features thinly sliced smoked beef simmered in a cream sauce, served over toast or potatoes.

📜 Unusual or Potentially Confusing Items for a 1930s American Traveler

H-O Oats – A brand name for Hornby’s Oats, a popular pre-cooked oatmeal from the early 20th century.

Farina – A hot breakfast cereal made from milled wheat, similar to today’s Cream of Wheat.

Postum – A caffeine-free coffee substitute made from roasted wheat bran, molasses, and barley; popular among those avoiding coffee or tea.

Sultana Scones – Less common in the U.S., these scones are leavened pastries with dried golden raisins.

Grilled Lamb Kidney – Offal (organ meat) breakfast choice, more familiar to British than American palates.

🥐 Variety & Balance

This menu provides four key breakfast categories:

Fruit & Juices – A variety of fresh and preserved fruits, juices, and compotes to start the meal.

Cereals – Both hot and cold, catering to American and British preferences.

Main Hot Dishes – Multiple meat options (ham, bacon, lamb kidney, fish), egg preparations, and hearty accompaniments like hashed brown potatoes.

Breads & Sweets – Rolls, scones, toast, griddle cakes, plus a selection of jams, marmalade, and honey.

This variety allowed passengers to mix light and hearty choices, reflecting the luxury of unhurried shipboard dining.

💡 Engaging Detail

The Rice Griddle Cakes stand out as an example of shipboard kitchen ingenuity—using leftover rice from the previous day’s meals in a creative and delicious form. The presence of Postum also reflects the interwar period’s health-conscious trends, as coffee alternatives were marketed to those worried about “coffee nerves.”