Have You Met Rum Tum Ditty?

This is George Rector, scion of one of New York's most famous restaurants of the nineteenth century.  Strikes me as a true bon vivant.

I found his 1939 cookbook sitting on my shelf, and spent a very happy time leafing through the pages.

Some of the recipes are priceless.  Who, for example, could possibly resist something called Rum Tum Ditty?

I like Rector's way around an omelet:

And this old Rector recipe is very refreshing (and very seasonal):

And finally, an interesting salad dressing.  Chopped watercress leaves?