Vintage early 1950's United Fruit Steamship Company T.E.S. Talamanca "Diner Adieu" (Farewell Dinner) dinner menu from Sunday August 10th, 1952. The cover has the United Fruit Co. logo, silver seagusls, and 'Great White Fleet'.

The first page of the menu lists the names of the captain (Captain George B. Foster) and the ship's staff officers.

Entrees for the meal included Poached Halibut with Nonpareil Sauce, Broiled Filet Mignon with Mushroom Sauce, Crepes Susette au Rum, and Roast Stuffed Squab Chicken with a Demi Glace. Dessert was Banana Nut Sundae (fitting since the ship transported bananas), and French Pastries.

Condition: The menu is in very good condition. The front cover has a small number written on the top right corner in pencil (see photos).

The menu's cover is made of white card stock and the front cover has a "ruffled" edge effect.  The inner menu pages are heavy good quality paper, and are attached to the cover with silver twine with a silver tassel on the end.  The menu measures 6 1/4" x 4 1/4" (159mm x 108mm).

Cruise Ship History: The Talamanca was one of 6 passenger cargo sister ships which were built for United Fruit from 1931-1933: ss Antigua, ss Talamanca, ss Peten (later renamed ss Jamaica), ss Chiriqui, ss Quirigua, and ss Veraqua.  The 447 ft long, 6,982 ton American owned and registered ships, carried 113 passengers and had a refrigerated cargo capacity of 240,070 tons (mainly bananas). 

The 6 "Great White Fleet" ships operated with United Fruit on its banana trade from the U.S. to Panama until the late 1950's when the ships were sold to various owners.  The Talamanca was transferred to Elders and Fyffes and renamed the ss Sulaco. It was scrapped in 1964. The other 5 sister ships were all scrapped during the period 1964 to 1971.

The term "banana republic" was coined to describe United Fruit's questionable method of operating in Latin America.  The company changed its name to United Brands in 1970 after merging with AMK, and it changed its name to Chiquita in 1984.