“Lunch Hour” Exhibit at the New York Public Library

At the New York Public Library

A perfect companion piece to the AMNH’s “Global Kitchen” is “Lunch Hour NYC,” an exhibit at the New York Public Library  (Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Gottesman Exhibition Hall, 42nd and Fifth Avenue). This free exhibit, on view until February 17, 2013, looks back at more than a century of New York lunches.

On view are photographs, cookbooks, recipe cards and products from the working class lunches in the taverns of  lower Manhattan to the power lunches at Sardis; from hot dog pushcarts on Fifth Avenue to Horn and Hardart’s Automat in Times Square. Some of my favorite pieces included:

Creamed spinach recipe from Horn& Hardart’s Automat

Sandwich choices at the Automat

The exhibit is open Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm  (Tuesday evening until 7:30pm).

Lunch boxes

Puzzle pieces to practice budgeting your lunch

“Power” lunch menu at the Four Seasons