Long for the days of starting the morning off with a breakfast of fried calf’s liver, stewed kidneys, and stale bread, washing it down with a pint of Haute Satuerne?

What about tucking in for a dinner of roast pigeon and stewed tomatoes with Indian pudding for dessert?

Those probably aren’t dishes most people long for anymore—or, in some cases, even know what they are. But they were menu staples in the 1850s and 1860s, as evidenced by a post from jbrav88 in Reddit’s Food community.

The post is reminiscent of a 2012 thread that linked to the University of Houston’s extensive menu collection from that era and features 10 examples. These menus provide a glimpse of the types of meals hotels in New York, Baltimore, and other North American cities offered their guests and customers in the mid-19th century.

What items and details grabbed the attention of commenters?

What Are “Forced Meat Balls?”

User TRIGMILLION mentioned these meatballs that are listed as a side dish on the 1862 menu for the American Hotel in Buffalo, N.Y. Ilovemud and other users stepped in with an explanation:

Kraft Didn’t Invent Macaroni and Cheese

This much-loved comfort food seems like such a modern dish. But it had its place on tables in the 1800s. The Royal Hotel in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, served mac and cheese—the hotel calls it “Macaroni & Cheese a la Italian”—as an entree in 1862.

Desserts Weren’t Always Fancy

Users were unimpressed by the offerings of almonds, walnuts, and raisins on many of the menus as ways to top off meals.

Some places, however, did prepare some sweeter dessert fare. New York City’s Merchants’ Hotel had a variety of pies in 1863, such as rhubarb, custard, and cherry. The Royal Hotel in Ontario served tapioca pudding, bread and butter pudding, gooseberry pie, and other goodies.

The best selection, however, came from the Barnum’s City Hotel in Baltimore, which put different puddings, pies, cakes, and other sweets on its menu: