Oh, hi there!

The story behind History Hotdish

I’ve spent almost two decades sharing stories of historic places online. Each of those places has a unique story to tell. I’ve tried to tell it in an informal, approachable way. One of the ways I’ve done that has been through food and the places we, and the people who came before us, ate outside of the home. 

I had an idea to learn more about the places we went on dates, met friends after work or school, celebrated life’s happiest moments, grabbed lunch, and the popular restaurants that we bragged about eating at. Of course, it’s better to explore those stories and look at a moment in time by sharing the recipes that people loved enough to ask the chef for and share with friends.

So here we are with a website where I will share my collection of vintage recipes from eateries you may remember with a side of history. 

Have a question? Start here.

When did History Hotdish begin?

The History Hotdish website launched in 2022, but planning and design of the site began in 2020.

How long have you been collecting vintage recipes?

I have been gathering recipes for nearly a decade. Many of them are from well-known eateries in the Twin Cities and popular tourist areas.

Are all the recipes from eateries in Minnesota?

For now, yes. I am working on expanding my collection to recipes from other states in the upper midwest. 

I own(ed) an establishment that serves food and would like to share a recipe with you. How do I do that? 

Thank you! I consider vintage recipes served at your eatery at least 20 years ago. Please be prepared to tell me about your eatery and include photos and/or menus. 

How do I submit a recipe from my collection, ask if you have recipes from my favorite eatery, share additional information, or make a correction about an eatery you’ve posted about?

Send me a message!

Wishlist

There are several eateries that I’m looking for more information about. If you have the info I’m looking for, please get in touch.

Akre’s Dutch Oven – recipes and history from the Nisswa restaurant.

Crabtree’s – history and photos from the Scandia restaurant.

Riverwood – recipe for the walleye sandwich and photos of the Monticello inn and conference center.

Whitey’s Cafe – recipes and history from the East Grand Forks restaurant.

World of Christmas – photos of the Park Rapids gift shop.

Young-Quinlan – recipes from the cafe inside the Minneapolis department store prior to 1947.

I’m always looking for menus, photos, postcards, memorabilia, and other visual material to help tell the story of these historic places. If you have something you’d like to share, please get in touch. You don’t even need to gift the item to me, most of the time I’d prefer for you to send a digital copy and keep the item in your collection.

Thank you for reading

Here’s where else you can find articles I’ve written. Drop me a message if you’d like to work together.