Christmas with the Huntingtons

By Nancy Armitage

Where do I start? I have a lot of Christmas information with the Huntingtons!! The Huntington Family loved Christmas & the New Year’s holidays! Mrs. Arabella Huntington’s favorite thing was to Christmas shop & give gifts. She also often gave cash money to her staff and people she met during her day. Alfonzo Gomez, the Huntington’s Head Butler informs us that Mrs. Huntington tucked hundreds of dollars in her sleeve; and she gave money to people that were kind to her.

At Christmas time, Mr. H. E. “Edwards” Huntington gave out gold coins & Christmas bonus money to his employees. The Huntingtons gave Christmas presents to family, friends, work staff, & their work staff’s children, too . Mrs. Arabella Huntington had numerous mansions & work staffs from 12-30 house/garden staff at each Huntington mansion. At the San Marino Ranch, between 1919-1920, there was 110 in-house servant staff & ranch employees. The payroll was filled with painters, electricians, & builders because they were building the Huntington Library Building in those years.

At the Huntington’s San Marino Ranch, “Extra help” was brought in during Christmas time for baking & entertaining. The Huntingtons loved to entertain & have houseguests to their home during the Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Years holidays.

One can see Mrs. Arabella Huntington’s love for the Christmas story in her very large collection of Madonna & Child paintings. These Master oil paintings depict the Madonna & Child – (the Virgin Mary at the Nativity) scene after having Baby Jesus. The family call these paintings – “the Primitives”. For a long time, this Arabella Collection hung at the No. 2 Huntington Mansion in NYC. Then they were transferred to the Huntington Mansion on the San Marino Ranch, CA. I’m not sure about the date that Mrs. H. E. Huntington moved these paintings but it had to be after 1913, when H. E. Huntington & Arabella got married.

Huntington Family Christmas Locations: The Huntingtons spent Christmas usually at the Huntington Mansion at No. 2, E. 57th St. New York City, or Paris France (1903), & in later years, the San Marino Ranch (H. E. Huntington & Arabella D. Huntington) in 1922-1926.

Mr. & Mrs. Collis P. Huntington (Arabella) enjoyed Christmas at their mansion at No. 2 East 57th St. in New York City between 1884-1900. As Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington as a widow (1900-1913) & Mr. & Mrs. Henry Edwards Huntington (Arabella) (1913-1924-the year that Belle died.)

Christmas in Paris (Mrs. Huntington and Archer and Helen Huntington)

New York City is a fun place to be during the Christmas & New Year’s holidays; the weather is wintery: snowing & great for ice skating. After Collis P. Huntington died in 1900, Arabella was very sad & probably very lonely in her very large New York City Mansion. To cope with her grief, she spent many months & years in Paris, France. Often, Arabella would come home for the holidays, from France & spend Christmas at her “No. 2”. I know for sure. But in 1903 she was in Paris for Christmas; Archer & Helen & Arabella Huntington were in Paris in 1903 together. There could have been other years too, but in 1904, I’ve seen the ship documents. The 3 of them with Miss Carrie Campbell & her large entourage (Butlers, 2 valets & 2 ladies maids), sailed on the steamship, “S.S. Kaiser Wilhelm II” on January 13, 1904, to sail to American after the New Year, so we know they were in Paris over Christmas.

When Arabella married Henry “Edwards” Huntington the tradition of celebrating Christmas & New Years continued at “No. 2” in NYC. From 1913, (the year they got married) to 1921, Arabella “Belle” & Edwards” often took a week train trip after Christmas or in January from NYC to San Marino Ranch. In 1922 & 1923, we know that Belle & Edwards celebrated Christmas at the San Marino Ranch, which was unusual.

In 1922, Edward’s son, Howard died & it was a tough year for the Huntingtons. That is probably why they (Edwards & Belle)were at the Ranch at Thanksgiving & Christmas. To be with the Howard’s family & his grandchildren in Oak Knoll, Pasadena. After Arabella died in September of 1924, Edwards celebrated Christmas & New Year’s at his beloved San Marino Ranch & years to follow to – 1924, 1925, & 1926.

A Christmastime Formal Dinner Party at No. 2 on 57th in New York City (1915) H. E. Huntington’s Hobby Club

A Christmas Dinner Party at the Huntington Mansion in New York City. H. E. “Edwards” Huntington hosted on Thursday night, December 16, 1915. He was hosting his favorite club; “The Hobby Club of New York” at the Huntington Mansion & showing his book collections & manuscripts collections and art work. By December 16th, the Huntington Mansion would have been grandly decorated with Christmas trees, Christmas wreaths, Christmas candles, & Christmas Creche.

This Hobby Club Dinner (with a Christmas theme dinner) at their mansion he hosted a elegant 12-course menu; which is preserved in the Huntington Library menu archives. The menu was designed by Tiffany & Co. with the menu & illustrations of Mr. H. E. Huntington Library Books. These book authors were illustrated on the very large 15″ x 20″ menu: Shakespeare, Spenser, Swift, Defoe, Thackeray, Dickens, Bacon, Fielding, Goldsmith, Merrick, Lamb, Milton, Burnes, Lincolniana, Washingtoniana, Holmes, Bryant, Poe, Hawthorne, Lowell, Irving, The Federalist,1786, Cruikshank, 1725 New England Primer, Franklin MS Autobiography 1171-1790.

Hobby Club Dinner December 16, 1915

hosted at H. E. Huntington Residence at No. 2 57th St. New York City, New York

1st Course: Caviar on Toast [with condiments of chopped egg, onion, & baby chives]

2. Soup Course: Consomme Royale *

3. Fish Course: Terrapin

4. Chicken course: Chicken Mousse with Truffle Sauce

5. Punch: Roman Punch *

6. Entree Course: Saddle of Lamb

7. Vegetable course: Peas, Potatoes, & Currant Jelly

8. Salad Course: Pate de Foie Gras in Aspic *

9. Fruit Salad: Fruit Salad [Exotic fruits or Waldorf Salad]

10. Ice Course: Macaroon Ice Cream [crushed French Macaroon on ice cream with berries]

11. Dessert Course: Cake [Assorted Fancy Cakes, Christmas Petit fours with icing of holly leaves candy on top]

12. After Dinner Coffee: Coffee [Brandy & Liqueurs]

Document: HEH Coll. HEH Bio File MS 17/1 (uncat) [Hobby Club Menu Portfolio (15×20 menus in huge portfolio]

*Recipe included in this blog

Consomme Royale (Soup) (1917)

A super simple but delicious soup served at the Huntington Mansion at No. 2 in New York City. It is a beef broth soup with royal custard cubes. One could use firm tofu & cut it into petit cubes.

Consomme Royale can be served hot of cold.

3 cans Campbell’s beef broth

garlic powder

4 pkg. Knox gelatin, unflavored

pinch white pepper

Royal Custard, diced fine (below) or Firm Tofu

Heat beef broth, add gelatin, garlic & white pepper. Heat until gelatin is dissolved. Ladle into small soup bowls with lids & serve to guests. Serve hot. To serve Consommé Royale cold & jellied, at this point, pour this mixture into a mold. Add the diced royal custard or tofu cubes. Let cool & place in the refrigerator for 2 hours until until firm. Unmold on a plate & serve in sliced with a lemon wedge & a piece of parsley or herb on the side. Recipe: Nancy Armitage

Royal Custard (Savory) (1917)

This recipe was adapted from the 1917 Malone Cookbook of New York, it was under the name “Consommé Royal”. The Huntington’s Kitchen had special Royal molds or “Roy” molds, the cook called them to put the custard in. Dessert royal custards are usually sweet & had sugar added. For this soup this custard is savory.

2 eggs, slightly beaten

garlic powder

pinch of salt

3 T. consommé (beef or chicken)

pinch cayenne pepper

pinch mace

Whisk eggs & add consommé. Add garlic, cayenne & salt. Pour into a small pan. Place the same pan in a pan of hot water, until the custard hardened & is set. Let it completely cool, then dice up the custard into petit cubes. Add cubes to consommé to make Consommé Royale. Adapted recipe: Nancy Armitage

Roman Punch a la Huntington (Cold) from a 1907 recipe

The original Roman Punch was served as a frozen punch or iced punch. A Roman Punch has champagne and rum or both & fruit juices. This recipe is adapted recipe from 1907 cookbook by Paul Richards called Breads, Cakes, Pastries, Ices. I found this cookbook in Mr. H. E. Huntingtons cookbook collection at the Huntington Library San Marino, CA. The recipe states to blend ingredients in a blender & place in punch bowl; but I don’t think that is necessary.

1 large crystal or fine china punch bowl (no silver)

1 (12 oz.) can frozen limeade

1 (16 oz.) can frozen orange juice

1 (12 oz.) can frozen pineapple juice

1 bottle French champagne, chilled

1 bottle Jamaican rum

1 bottle chardonnay white wine, chilled

2 lb. ice cubes

Slices of limes, & oranges or lemons

Add all ingredients to a large punch bowl. Float lime & orange slices on top. Serve in punch cups. Recipe adapted by Nancy Armitage

Huntington Christmas Plateware

So what Christmas plates & plateware did the Huntingtons use at Christmas time?? Did they have red & gold plates? Or green and gold plates?? Mrs. Arabella Huntington had many fine china sets that were gold & white. Maybe elegant Spode, Coalport, or Royal Crown Derby or these gorgeous Italian Capodimonte plates (below). They look very elegant & regal with the armorial crest in the middle. Maybe Mrs. Huntington’s fine porcelain was in red & gold plates, or gold & white, or green & gold? Maybe for this Hobby Club Fancy Dinner, they might have used these Armorial Plates like below?

I also found another Armorial plate (pink & gold fine bone porcelain plate – below). I found it selling on-line & I don’t know if it was the Huntingtons armorial plate but there are so many similarities?

It had the Huntington’s family coat of arms at the top of the plate. The whole rim of the plate in hot pink & gold, a favorite of Arabella Huntington. In the center, the grand hawk dominants the center of the plate, (Hawks are often seen flying around the Huntington’s San Marino Ranch property – now the Huntington Library in San Marino, CA ). There are pink roses & yellow roses are on the left (Mrs. Arabella Huntington’s impressive rose gardens and flower gardens) & a cornucopia of fruit is on the right (Mr. H.E. Huntington famous orange groves & family fruit orchard on the ranch). These could be symbols of the grand rose gardens, fruit orchards, & great abundance of the Lath-House on the Ranch, also. Copeland & Garrett – Spode English fine bone china was also favorite of Mrs. Huntington, also.

Huntington Christmas Tea or Open House (at the Huntington Mansion)

Huntington Tea Blend (NY & SMR): Orange Pekoe (combination of India & Ceylon tea) or Huntington Hotel, Pasadena, CA “Christmas Tea” Blend: Black tea with cinnamon, cloves, orange peel & allspice

Christmas Punch: Roman Punch, Bishop Punch (Bishop St. Nicholas Day – Dec. 6th) Champagne Punch, Apple Cider Punch, Christmas Wassail, Gingerale Punch with Hawaiian Punch, Homemade Root Beer or Sarsaparilla, Ginger ale

Sinterklass Hot Dutch Cocoa (for the children) especially on Dec. 6thfor Bishop St,. Nicholas day (Dec. 6th), Spicy Speculaas cookies, Dutch chocolate in the shape of letters.

Passed Hors d’oeuves: Cheese or Crab Puffs, Caviar Canapes, Roquefort Puffs, Dutch Cheese Twists with cayenne pepper or “Sables” (savory cocktail cookie or biscuit), Roquefort Puffs, Iced Cold Jumbo Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce

Open House French Charcuterie Trays: Dutch Gouda & Edam Dutch Cheese, French Brie Cheese & Camembert cheese, Gorgonzola, French Roquefort & Pont l’Levesque from Normandy, with Roasted Nuts & Dried Apricots, Queen Olives & Relish, Dill Pickles, Pate de Foie Gras in Aspic, Roquefort & Cheese ball with toasted almonds

Hot Dishes: Lobster Newburg or Lobster Thermidor, Southern Jambalaya or New Orleans Gumbo, Potato au Gratin, Chicken Croquettes,

Salad: Chicken Salad with walnuts or almonds, Waldorf Salad, Lobster Salad, California Crabmeat Salad,

Tea Sandwiches: Roast Beef, Deviled Egg, Lobster or Crab, Salmon with Dill, Chicken Salad, Pimento & cayenne, Cucumber sliced in vinegar with cream cheese, McClaren’s Canadian cheese (Roquefort & Sharp Cheddar), Bread & Butter sandwiches

Cream Scones or Buttermilk Beated Bisquits: with Ranch Raspberry Jam, Ranch Loganberry Jam, San Marino Ranch Orange Marmalade, Tuttie Fruittie, Brandies Peaches

Christmas Cookies: Huntington Mansion Honey Spice Bars (1920’s) Iced with Royal Icing, Loone Doones Shortbread cookies, Christmas Gingerbread Men decorated with Royal Icing, Petit Blanc French cookies, Mrs. Kley’s Cinnamon Swirl Cookies

Small Tarts: Christmas Mincemeat Tart, Raspberry Tarts, Lemon Curd Tarts, Southern Pecan Tassies (Mini Pecan Tarts)

Huntington Fruit Cake made with nuts, fruit, raisin, brandy, & sweet spices. In Corona Cookbook from San Francisco, CA handwritten in this cookbook in Mr. Huntington’s cookbook collection.

Sinterklass Dutch Hot Cocoa (Dec. 6th -Bishop St. Nicholas feast day)

New York City was once called “New Amsterdam”, it was once peppered with delicious Dutch bakeries & stores. At Christmas time, the Dutch bakeries would be selling special cookies like Speculaas & peppernoten, great with hot cocoa. Some speculaas cookies shaped in the image of Bishop St. Nicholas 3-4 ft. tall!!!They had chocolate made of huge ships and gingerbread, chocolate made in the image of Bishop St. Nicholas. The Dutch make the very best chocolate & cocoa!!

1 t. Dutch cocoa (Van Houten)

1 c. milk or half & half

1/2 t. brown sugar

drop of vanilla extract

mini marshmallows or

Peppermint candy cane or cinnamon stick

heavy whipping cream

chocolate shaving or Dutch chocolate sprinkles

nutmeg, dusted on top

Mix the cocoa with hot milk & sugar. add vanilla extract. Top with marshmallow or whipped cream. Dust with nutmeg and or chocolate sprinkles. Use a peppermint candy candy unwrapped or cinnamon stick to stir. Recipe: Nancy Armitage

Christmas treats: Chocolate gold coins, Speculaas Dutch spicy cookies, Petit Mincemeat tarts, Pecan tarts, Mincement Pie, Pumpkin Pie squares, Dutch chocolate letters, Candy canes, Creme de Menthe or Peppermint Patties Chocolate Brownies, Peanut Butter Cookies with Hershey Kiss in the middle,

Christmas Cakes: Christmas Fruit Cake in small cubes, Orange Cake with cranberries, Christmas Petit Fours in small paper wrappers, Irish Christmas Cake with white fondant and tied with a thick red ribbon, Raisin Cake with Royal Icing or Powdered Sugar, Dutch Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting,

Glaces: Ice Cream molds shaped like a Train or a Teddybear or Santa Claus

Christmas Candies: Chocolate Bonbons from Huylers, Peppermint Bonbons, Candies & Special Cakes from Louis Sherry’s NYC,

Mincemeat Mini Tarts with Stars

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 suet (ask your butcher) or use Crisco

3 lb. apples, mince

1/2 c. sugar

2 c. brandy

1 c. sherry

1/2 c. orange or lemon peel

1/2 c. raisins, currants or [dried cranraisins or dried cherries]

pinch of salt

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. mace

2 t. freshly grated nutmeg (great scent)

1 t. cloves

pinch of black pepper

1 c. walnuts

1 c. pecans

1 c. sunflower seeds

1/2 c brown sugar

2 c. apple cider

1/2 c. apricots, dried

1/2 c. golden raisins

1/2 c. citron

Sauté the suet with ground beef. Add apples & cook down a bit. Add all ingredients & mix. Store mincemeat in sterilized jars, seal & label.

To make little tartlets: Divide one recipe pie crust into mini muffin pans. Cut into large round cookie cutter and place in muffin pan. Add mincemeat to pie crust. Make stars out of pie crust & top each mini tart with a star. Bake 400 for 20-22 minutes & golden brown. Recipe: an Old Irish Recipe

Southern Pecan Tassies ( Mini Pecan Tarts)

Cream Cheese Dough:

2/3 c. butter

6 oz. cream cheese

2 c. flour

Let butter & cheese soften at room temperature then mix well & add flour. Mix the soft dough. Chill at least 1 hour or overnight. Using a mini tart/muffin pan with 1 1/2″ sides. Make a ball of dough the size of a walnut. Using a wooden “tart tamper”, take pieces of dough and push down in the little tart pan individually- making a little crust holder.

Pecan Filling:

1 t. melted butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 large egg

1 t. vanilla

3/4 c. pecans, chopped

Mix all ingredients well, fill tart 3/4 full. Bake 350@ oven for 15 minutes, then 250@ for 30 minutes until brown. Opt.: Dust top with powdered sugar. Makes 24 tarts Recipe: Nancy Armitage

Huntington Mansion Honey Spice Bars (1920’s) with Royal Icing (Christmas time)

This special Spiced Honey Bar recipe were made especially for Mr. & Mrs. H. E. Huntinton (Arabella) at their mansion at the San Marino Ranch. They were made especially at Christmas Time, by their dessert chef: Mrs. Lena Kley. They are perfect for afternoon tea or a Open House. They taste like a brownie & a chocolate truffle, & super rich, so you must cut them into small cubes. They are iced with Royal Icing & are absolutely heavenly! Lena Kley would come help out the kitchen at Christmas time for “entertainments”, parties, at-home teas, & holiday time to bake sweets for gifts. The Kley’s, granddaughter, Chris Storey, sent me this special Huntington Mansion recipe!

2 c. walnuts, chopped (Ranch walnuts)

1 pint orange blossom honey (San Marino Ranch orange honey)

1 c. sugar

2 t. ground cloves

2 t. nutmeg

5 c. flour

1/2 lb (2 c.) ground [Dutch] cocoa

2 t. cinnamon

6 eggs (plus 2 whites for the icing)

6 t. baking powder

Mix honey, cocoa, sugar first. Pour in beaten eggs. Add flour & spices & baking powder. Grease pan & bake in slow oven [300@ for 38 mins] oven until dry. Recipe: from Mrs. Lena Kley’s Recipe (Dessert Cook for Mr. & Mrs. H. E. Huntington -Arabella)

Royal Icing

1 box Powdered Sugar

2 egg whites

Mix powdered sugar into the 2 beaten egg whites to make a white icing that is smooth & drizzles nicely over the petit fours after they are baked & cool. [Maybe a candied flower or leaf made out of icing & red food coloring added.]

Note from Chris Story: All these years & I still don’t know how long to bake them! They can become too dry, if they are overcooked.

Nancy Note: When I made these amazing Honey Spice Bars: Mix the dry ingredients first, then add walnuts. Add the eggs, the honey & mix well. Pat dough down in (2) 7 1/2″ x 11″ glass purex dish. Cook at 300@ for 38 mins. Take out of the oven & let them sit. When completely cooked, ice the bars with royal icing in the pan. Cut into small squares (they are very rich).

Document:

HEH Coll MS 38/11 (NYC No. 2 Papers & Receipts)

HEH Coll. MS 17/1 (Mr. Huntington Bio File/ Hobby Club Portfolio of menus)

HEH Coll MS 8/9 uncat (San Marino Ranch: Plants trees & receipts & grocery lists)

HEH Coll MS 12 1-8 Box 1 (Chateau Beauregard Boxes)

all documents found at the Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

Ship: S.S. Kaiser Wilhelm II found on www. ellisisland.org