By mid-November it was clear that the crisis of the war’s early weeks was past and Ambassador to France Myron T. Herrick arranged to hand control of the Embassy over to his successor, William Graves Sharp. Herrick and his wife Carolyn prepared — again — to leave Paris for the United States. The evening of November 27, Embassy France First Secretary Robert Woods Bliss and his wife Mildred hosted a farewell dinner for the Herricks at their apartment (4, rue Henri Moissan).

Scenes from the Bliss apartment at 4, rue Henri Moissan, Paris.
Credit: Harvard University - Harvard University Archives / Papers of Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss, ca. 1860-1969. Photograph Album, France, Belgium, World War I, 1913-1914. HUGFP 76.74 Box 4.

The dinner at the Bliss apartment included Mr. and Mrs. Percival Dodge and several other friends, though many canceled due to illness. With a mimosa arrangement as the centerpiece and white violets at the table ends, the Blisses served up sumptuous fare (much of which there is no direct English-language translation for):

Potage (soup), timballes vauhalières, truites meunières (trout), poulardes garnies (hens), vol au vent de maïs (corn), glace à la vanille (vanilla ice cream), and various desserts alongside wines.

Mildred Barnes Bliss’ notes on the farewell dinner for Ambassador and Carolyn Herrick.
Credit: November 27, 1914 Dinner, Bliss Papers. Dinner Book: Dec. 25, 1912-Apr.19, 1915, HUGFP 76.32 Box 1, Harvard University Archives.

To view the full-size image, click here