The Grosvenor

A three-line soda-fountain formula rather than a cook's recipe, written for someone standing behind a marble counter with everything already prepared. The only real decisions are the consistency of the grape and the temperature of everything else.

• A ladlefulRead as a single generous scoop; a No. 16 disher (about 2 fl oz) is a reasonable modern equivalent, though the book gives no measure. Two scoops is the modern expectation for a sundae dish.
• "A grape juice"The article is probably not a typo: at a fountain it likely meant one portion poured from the bottle, an ounce or so. Bottled unfermented grape juice of the day was sweet, though how it compared in body to modern juice is not something the recipe tells us.
• Thin juice will flood the dishStraight juice runs off the ice cream and pools. If you want a sauce that clings, reduce 1 cup of grape juice with 2 tablespoons sugar to about a third of its volume and chill it, though the recipe as written asks only for juice.
• Cold sauce onlyChill the grape thoroughly before it goes over the scoop, or the whipped cream slides.
• Whipped creamLittle or no sugar is needed, since the grape carries the sweetness. Whip to soft peaks; stiff cream sits on top like a cap instead of settling.
• The nutsWalnuts, pecans or blanched almonds all suit; use them dry and unsalted. Toast them if you like, but add at the last second so they stay crisp.
• The dishA footed tulip sundae glass or any small stemmed bowl. A wide shallow dish lets the juice separate out and puddle.
• YieldOne serving.