Of Times Remembered
We all have seen, and some may even remember, visions of a long past era, when the country was in the midst of post-war prosperity, when television first started to shape our behaviors with advertising, and the global processed food superpowers of today were first cutting their teeth and realizing the power of marketing. It was a time when Tupperware was king, when the chic housewife used a Hoover, and she purchased (or sold) cosmetics and kitchenware during social gatherings with other chic housewives.
The trendy kitchen was stocked with Sunbeam appliances, and the pantry included items like Nescafe, and Campbell’s soups, Jolly Time Popcorn, Cheeze Whiz and Kool-aid, and of course, Spam. Stouffer’s began cranking out frozen dinners, and Eggo began sharing the breakfast menu with Sugar Smacks and Cocoa Puffs. Fancy dinner parties may have included a lamb roast, but the truly hip events served frankfurter casseroles and Spam loaf; and no cocktail party was complete without California olives and Ritz Crackers. Processed foods were stylish; they were a symbol of successful living.
It is slightly ironic to look back on those days now. It was the beginning of packaged eating, and while it has become a staple of modern life; the truly trendy these days cook with fresh, natural ingredients. Of course, we also have a much better understanding of what constitutes a healthy diet, and interestingly chemicals and preservatives seldom make the list of ingredients!
I was not alive during this era, but one of the quirks about living in a small mid-western town, pre-Internet at least, was the cultural time warp that seemed to mold local behavior. I was a 70’s child, but to look at the foods we ate and the way we lived – including our giant thirteen inch black and white TV, on which we enjoyed five viewing options – one could easily believe we were still smack in the middle of the 1950’s. Well, you would believe that if you could disregard the paisley clothing. By this time, eating processed foods was an exercise in economics more than a show of style, but while almost every vegetable we ate came from our gardens; we also had more than our share of Spam and Velveeta.
Anyone who knows me knows that I generally cook from scratch, and I almost always tend toward fresh ingredients, even when it means more preparation. It is part of what I love so much about cooking – creating tasty treasures from their most basic elements. Still, I have fond memories of family supper, of Mom’s grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, and of Dad’s notorious shit on a shingle (and of Mom’s exasperated remonstration every time Dad called it that); and every once in a while, I enjoy recreating those flavors from my childhood. The funny thing is that my family usually enjoys it too, especially the mac and cheese based fare.
In the spirit of nostalgia, I am going to begin sharing some of these recipes here. Most of these are not original; in fact, most could probably be found in the Better Homes and Garden or Good Housekeeping archives from the 50’s and 60’s. I could not even begin to guess which are and which are not, so I am not going to try. Just know that I take no credit for the origin of any of this category. Please enjoy the category, “Small Town Gourmet,” and if you decide to sample any of these urban delights; I would love to know how they turn out and how you and your family liked them. Enjoy, and happy cooking!
Kate
