Oysters & Champagne – New Year’s Celebration in the Old West

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Champagne and oysters were a favorite combination to ring in the new year on the frontier. As odd as it may seem, oysters were a trendy food in America during the 19th century. While they were mainly imported from the East Coast, some came from Mexico and the West Coast.

In Grant, Nebraska, The Perkins County Herald advertised dances and oyster suppers to their subscribers. And in the beloved Little House on the Prairie series, author Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote that she had never tasted anything as good as “the sea-tasting hot milk with oysters at the bottom” when Ma, Pa and the three girls dined on oyster stew with neighbors on New Year’s Day.

While it seems a little incongruent for pioneers to be dining on what we perceive as delicacies on the frontier, it was surprising to learn that during the late 1800s through the turn of the century, oysters were cheaper than meat, poultry or fish thanks to plentiful oyster beds all along the East Coast. Chicago, St. Louis, and other inland cities throughout the Midwest imported the mollusks from the east, then shipped them, usually by rail, to the western frontier in large barrels full of small tins packed in ice.

Oysters were used by ladies in Helena, Montana in 1875 to raise funds for the Catholic church. Held at the International Hall, they advertised “…refreshments, including oysters in every style will be served at all hours…”

Kansas City, Missouri, celebrated the arrival of 1891 in high style with oysters, champagne, and a snowstorm. As the wicked weather continued, one host treated guests to oysters in cream, ham basted in champagne sauce, lobster salad, Saratoga chips, Roman punch, ladyfingers, fruits, and nuts.

In 1892, San Franciscan residents ushered in the new year in style. Those who could afford to dine at the luxurious Palace Hotel feasted on turkey, chicken, ham, pressed meats, salad with fried oysters, asparagus on toast, artichokes with hollandaise sauce, and prime rib of beef. If they had left room for dessert, they could choose from English trifle, plum pudding with rum sauce, mincemeat, apple or pumpkin pie, and coconut cream sandwiches…and if that wasn’t enough, they could end the meal with ices that included orange water, strawberry, and pistachio ice cream!

 

Although champagne in the mid-19th century could only come from France, winemakers from California were already creating some sparkling wines. German immigrant, Jacob Schram founded Schramsberg Vineyards on Diamond Mountain in Napa Valley, California in 1862.

Mt. Diamond property

Hillside caves for wine-aging & storage

The Jacob Schram family

Today, Schram, Cooks, and Korbel are still made in California. They were and still are wildly popular and well-known. In 1887, French champagne averaged about $30 a bottle…compare that to a miner’s salary which was $4 per day!

The New Year’s meal on the frontier was an occasion that looked to the future, where families welcomed neighbors and visitors, and perhaps mended fences and worked out (or forgot!) differences. It was a time to realize that a united front was certainly the most beneficial, both for individuals and for the community as a whole.

From our home to yours,

Neither my husband nor I like oysters or champagne; nor do we normally go out on New Year Eve. As for watching the ball drop, we haven’t seen it proclaim a new year since 2000…and amazingly, life still went on!!! For a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card, leave a comment to the question below:

How do you celebrate New Year’s Eve? Dinner at a restaurant? Host a family & friends party? A quiet evening at home on the couch?

Winner will be chosen by Random.org.

 

Author at JMV Creative Enterprise | jrobertsauthor@yahoo.com | Website |  + posts

Born and raised in western Massachusetts, Jo-Ann Roberts was fascinated by America’s Old West and always felt she was destined to travel on a wagon train following the Oregon Trail. With her love of history and reading, she began reading historical romance during high school and college. Victoria Holt, Jude Deveraux, and Roseanne Bittner were among her favorites. Influenced by her father, she fell in love with John Wayne, James Garner, and her all-time favorite, James Stewart and grew up watching Wagon Train, Bonanza and Rawhide.
A firm believer in HEA with a healthy dose of realism, Jo-Ann strives to give her readers a sweet historical romance while imparting carefully researched historical facts, personalities, and experiences relative to the time period. Her romances take her readers back to a simpler time to escape the stress of modern life by living in a small town where families and friends help one another find love and happiness.
When she isn’t creating believable plots and relatable heroes and heroines, Jo-Ann enjoys spending time with her husband, children and grandson. She also enjoys baking, quilting and eating way too much chocolate.
After 38 years in public education in Connecticut and Maryland, she’s now calls North Carolina home.

78 thoughts on “Oysters & Champagne – New Year’s Celebration in the Old West”

  1. We have a traditional Southern New Year’s meal of black-eyed peas, collards or other greens, potatoes or turnips, and cornbread. For the last few years, my husband and I have spent a quiet evening at home together, often reading, and we go to bed before midnight.

  3. For the past several years I’ve spent New Year’s Eve at church. We have a service, dinner and games. Nice, safe way to ring in the New Year. Thanks for the chance to win a prize. Happy New Year!

  4. Hey Jo-Ann! This was the first NYE that we watched the ball drop in many many years! Nothing special just home relaxing together. Happy New year to you!

  5. we celebrate at home with meatballs, cheeseball & crackers, and shrimp! I too do not even like the smell of oysters, but hubs does and makes the oyster soup for himself and his 92 year old dad!

  6. As a kid, I always wanted to stay up past midnight because I thought it was a big deal which I think most kids want to do the same thing. As an adult, it just seems like an excuse to stay out late partying or drinking for many, neither of which interest me. I like a quiet night at home and usually watch Christmas movies but don’t usually make it to midnight anymore.

  7. Homebodies through and through. Cheese ball, shrimp, meatballs…. snacking mostly all day. I remember reading that lobster was considered workingman’s food as it was so cheap and plentiful and that chicken wasn’t cheap until the factory farms came into play.

  8. Usually quiet. This year hubby, puppy, and I were watching an old classic Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie.

  11. We don’t go out on New Year’s Eve. We stay home, watch TV and this year we went to bed around 11, but turned the TV on long enough to watch the ball drop. Then went to sleep. We don’t like oysters or champagne either.

  12. We have nachos for supper and drink sparkling grape juice. Some years we go to my sister’s house. This year we stayed home and I made caramel corn for a snack and the girls and I played Harry Potter UNO and then I worked on my Christmas puzzle until my daughter said it was time and then we all watched the ball drop. It is hit and miss each year as to whether I make it to midnight but in 2023 I did.

  13. I knew oysters were popular on the East Coast, but had no idea they would stay safe to eat in the Mid-West. I don’t eat them.

    We watch the ball drop on TV and have a champagne toast from home.

  14. It would never be oysters at anytime for me… not much of a seafood lover. For the last number of years, I have been on the couch or my fav chair, reading with a book and some snacks for New Years. Maybe ordering in some Chinese food.

  17. Before New Years Eve arrives at midnight, I am in bed, asleep. We ceased celebrating New Year’s Eve, many years ago. As to the oyster stew mentioned, we had Oyster stew after church on Christmas Eve. This was my Dad’s favorite as he simply loved the oysters. I like the milk they are boiled in along with the oyster crackers. Once he told me you might bite into a bit of sand when you eat an oyster, I never felt challenged to eat one. I wish you the best year and hope you had a very happy New Year’s Eve.

    • Happy New Year, Ellie! I always enjoy a good movie and a cup a tea…Winter Spice by Twinings is my favorite. Since it’s only available during the holidays, I stock up when I find it.

  20. My husband and I usually just celebrate New Years Eve at home with our pup at home. I we just have a quiet reg. dinner . My husband usually goes to bed around 10pm or so and I like to stay up until the New Year rings in. As for oysters, I have never tried them and I will not, they dont look appetizing to me at all. May you and your Family have a Blessed New Year. I enjoyed reading your post.

  23. Hey Jo-Ann! Happy New Year! We enjoy a lobster luncheon with family on New Years Eve day then mosey on home for a quiet evening on the couch!

    (And since I can’t get past the look of any oyster I’ve never had one ;o)

  24. An evening with a book and trying to keep my pets calm… the neighbors love shooting off fireworks throughout the night.

  25. I went to bed about 11 on New Year’s Eve, as I was getting up New Year’s Day to go visit my oldest sister and her family!! If I hadn’t made plans to go there, I’d have stayed up until midnight just because I could. Well, that and the fact the fireworks started around my house at 8 and finally ended after midnight.

  27. We opt for a family get together at home with an easy meal and games afterwards! It’s a nice mix of comfort and community, and everyone can go to bed when they want to!

  28. I usually celebrate with an evening at home trying to calm my dog because of the loud firecrackers that seem to dominate the event.

  30. No more parties for me since my husband passed away ten years ago but I should have one for the entire neighborhood, nobody can sleep or even feel relaxed because the gunfire and fireworks have increased over the past several years. It’s wild.

    • My condolences, Rachel. My hubby passed 9 years ago and life won’t be the same, but we must go on. Blessings to you ;o)

    • Happy New Year, Rachel! Losing a loved one and missing them during the holidays is always difficult. A neighborhood party sound like fun. Wishing you all the best in 2024

  33. I work at a school and have to be at work at 7, so I was in bed by 9. Since I live in Arizona, I figure it was midnight on the east coast.

    • Happy New Year, Becky! Thank you for working on a holiday. So many people are unaware how many people work on a holiday to keep things running smoothly. Wishing you the best in 2024.

  34. Happy New Years to you and your hubby. My husband and I and our two kiddos are all introverts. We didnt really enjoy loud parties with lots of people. So ahead of time we would get our snacks and games ready and both kiddos could pick out two movies as long as they were all different times. We started around four pm and as a family just had a lot of fun together. Than our son got married and moved out and our daughter moved to another state. They both still do things quietly. My husband and I do the same. This year we both are getting over colds so we had a nice dinner at home and watched a few movies. Than we read a short while before we went to bed.

  37. We do not celebrate New Years. We have a quiet evening at home. Thank you for the opportunity. Happy New Year. God bless you.

  38. I can count on one hand the number of times we have been out for New Year’s Eve over the past 51 years. My husband goes to bed early and I am a night owl, so I usually watch the ball drop on TV by myself. On New Year’s Day, we watch the Rose Parade and maybe some football. It has always been a day with no real meals, just snacking pretty much all day. Our children and their families come over, snack with us, watch TV, and play pool. It has always been sort of a fluid day. When we lived in the North, there was usually some time spent out in the snow and maybe some ice skating. We were both sick this year, he had the flu and I had Covid thanks to a Christmas river cruise, so we spent the day doing the usual, just alone.

    • The celebrations in Kansas City and San Fransisco sound wonderful, minus the oysters. Neither of us care for oysters and champagne is a bit dry for our taste. There are many other options to celebrate. I hope you have a wonderful 2024.

  40. We stay in and quietly enjoy ourselves. It does get noisy in the neighborhood but we have never been party people. Used to babysit all the family kids but they are all grown now!

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