Price List. American Drinks. The New York World's Fair 1939

New York: [Imprimerie Chauvelot, 149 West 21st Street], 1939. Bi-fold menu (18 x 14.2 cm.), [4] pages. FIRST EDITION. It does seem a bit ironic to find a list of "American Drinks" at the French Pavilion, an exhibit dedicated to delivering the best of French food and drink to some of the forty-five million visitors to the 1939-40 World's Fair. The French Pavilion was a pivotal event in American culinary culture, bringing a new level of fine French dining to New York City, as it gave birth to Henri Soule's Lutece, and its offshoots, Le Pavillon, La Côte Basque, La Grenouille, and La Caravelle. The list includes selections of Scotch, Irish & Canadian, and Rye, along with Sherries and Ports, as well as short lists of Cocktails and Fancy Drinks. Beer from Pabst Blue Ribbon, Rheingold, and Ruppert were also available. We've seen a later - 1940 - form of this list titled "American Drinks and Sandwiches" offering a Cream Cheese and Jelly Sandwich, perhaps an indication of the financial issues the Fair in general was having with low attendance and a perception of high prices. Some light staining and age-toning to the menu's tan paper, printed in blue. near very good.