Kickapoo Restaurant menu

This menu advertising the Kickapoo Restaurant's Thanksgiving dinner ran in the November 18, 1960 issue of the Bossier Press. Bossier Parish historian Clif Cardin notes in his book, Bossier Parish, that the Kickapoo was "considered by many as the place to eat."

Thanksgiving Planning Tips

Advertisers made sure readers of the 1949 Plain Dealing Progress knew that their tasty products were available for the Thanksgiving feast. The above ad for Jolly Time Popcorn has a pilgrim encouraging shoppers to remember to pop some Jolly Time for the holiday.

The 1949 Plain Dealing Progress wanted to be sure its readers were ready for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Their November 17th issue presented tips and recipes:

"It won't be long now before one of the biggest of holiday meals will grace your table: golden brown, done to a turn turkey, chicken or other fowl, with the trimmings, topped off with a dessert of glistening pumpkin pie or spicy mincemeat.
The market list will be a long one, the preparations extensive and the planning careful. Start early and make an outline of all ingredients to have, and just what should be done when. Then even a Thanksgiving dinner will be well organized and efficiently executed."
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Sweet Potatoes with Oranges (serves 8)

8 boiled sweet potatoes, sliced thin
2 oranges, peeled, sliced thin
1 lemon, peeled, sliced thin
One-third cup brown sugar
One-third cup butter
Two-thirds cup water

Arrange potatoes and fruit in layers in a buttered casserole. Sprinkle with brown sugar, dot with butter and add water. Cover. Bake in a moderate (350 degree) oven until tender.
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Oyster Soup (serves 8)

2 tablespoons onion, grated
1 tablespoon celery, minced
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 pint bouillon
1 pint oysters

Simmer vegetables lightly in butter. Add flour and brown. Gradually add oyster liquor and bouillon. Season and cook for 5 minutes. Just before serving, add oysters, either cut or whole, and cook only until they curl.

1960 Thanksgiving

With the holidays approaching, we'll be spending some time looking at our back issues of Bossier and Shreveport newspapers to find recipes, local happenings, advertisements, and other fun tidbits.

We'll start with this post about Thanksgiving 50 years ago - in 1960.

In the November 20, 1960 Bossier Tribune's "Around BC in BC" column, the Roving Reporter found a yummy dessert offered at a local bakery. "Delicious looking cupcakes, decorated with little turkeys, pumpkins, and corn for the Thanksgiving dinner table were on display at Bakery Counter this past week."
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The November 18, 1960 Bossier Press offered readers a tasty grapefruit and cranberry relish recipe. Why not try this for your Thanksgiving meal?
"Grapefruit and cranberries combine to make a tasty and attractive relish for holiday dinner tables. Both the raw and cooked versions of the relish can be stored for several weeks so why not make up some now for your own Thanksgiving and Christmas menus and to give as gifts, too? Although Florida citrus suffered some hurricane damage this year, there is still plenty of quality fruit available in local markets to enjoy often and in a variety of ways. Citrus is one of the richest sources of daily-needed Vitamin C, so Florida oranges and grapefruit area a good investment in health as well as pleasure."
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Raw Relish:
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 Florida grapefruit, sectioned

Put cranberries through food chopper. Add sugar; mix well. Dice Florida grapefruit sections; stir into cranberry mixture. Chill. Yield: 3 and one third cups.
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Cooked relish:
2 cups fresh cranberries
Half cup water
Half cup sugar
1 Florida grapefruit, sectioned

Combine cranberries, water and sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil until berries pop. Remove from heat. Dice Florida grapefruit sections; stir into cranberry mixture. Chill. Yield: 2 and one third cups.

Check back soon for more posts about Thanksgiving's history in Bossier!