String Beans A La Vienna-Φρέσκα Φασόλια Ἀλὰ Βιέννα

This recipe hails from the early 20th century, appearing in a Greek-American cookbook published in New York in 1917. The collection, compiled by Michael Gkines, served the vibrant Greek immigrant community, introducing them to American culinary practices while preserving beloved recipes with a cosmopolitan twist. "String Beans a la Vienna" reflects the European influence on Greek home cooking at the time, evoking both the cosmopolitan atmosphere of turn-of-the-century Vienna and the comfort of familiar Greek vegetables. Dishes like this offered Greek-Americans the taste of sophistication blended with reassuring simplicity, bridging old and new worlds in the bustling neighborhoods of New York.

Traditionally, this dish would be made using a large pot for boiling the beans and a heavy-bottomed saucepan for preparing the white sauce. A wooden spoon or whisk would be essential for stirring the milk into the roux to achieve a smooth sauce. A sharp knife would serve for trimming the beans and chopping parsley, while a colander would be used for draining. All utensils would have been basic but robust, suitable for stove-top cooking over gas or coal ranges common in early 20th-century American kitchens.