Reading this Gastro Obscura post reminded me of many years ago. I was in my early teens. My father  had just gotten a job at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Va. There were two big magnificent department stores next to each other downtown on Broad Street: Miller & Rhoads and Thalheimers. I was awed. One afternoon, my mother and two ladies took a few of us young girls to lunch at Miller & Rhoads tea room. As a country girl, I thought it was way cool! I especially remember the mouth-watering mints that were served after lunch. I don’t know if they were Frango Mints but they might have been. They were certainly delicious. I am an old timer and miss those old Department Stores! Memories!

Check out this Gastro Obscura post about Fashionable Food and the golden age of the department store restaurant!