Peach melba is a simple dessert of sweet poached peaches and tart raspberry sauce, served with vanilla ice cream. Created by Auguste Escoffier at The Savoy hotel in London at the end of the 19th century, it was named after Australian opera star Dame Nellie Melba. These days you’re unlikely to find it on dessert menus but we think the simple fruit and ice cream combination is timeless.
A Charlotte Russe is a dessert originating from the 18th century but enjoyed a renewed popularity in the early 20th century. Originally it was made with stale bread to line a cake mold, but sponge cake or ladyfingers became more favored. A set cream mixture was the traditional filling. Later, a simplified version comprising of a thin square of vanilla sponge, a tall spiral of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry, served in a cardboard cup, became popular in New York's Jewish bakeries.
In the early 20th century, ambrosia was a ubiquitous fruit salad found at celebrations throughout the Southern US states. Sliced pineapple and orange were mixed with whipped cream. But there are many variations including ones that use tinned fruit cocktail, marshmallows, maraschino cherries, bananas, strawberries, grapes, yogurt and cream cheese. At a time when citrus fruits were only just becoming readily available, it was a luxury dish. Nowadays, the dessert is far from upmarket, but makes a quick and tasty treat.
Chicken tetrazzini was one of the most popular dishes in America in the 20th century and it’s widely believed that it was invented by a chef who was inspired by opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini at a swanky San Francisco hotel. An extremely rich dish, it’s spaghetti with chicken, mushrooms, Parmesan and cream sauce, baked in a casserole dish until golden on top. By the second half of the century it was a shadow of its former self as home cooks replaced fresh ingredients for tinned versions. We say, bring back the original.
The colorful blend of pears, grapes, cherries and peaches in a tin (and later, pineapple), took off around the 1930s. It was invented to stop the good parts of bruised fruit going to waste, but clever marketing had us viewing it as a speedy and sophisticated dessert. The bright recipe featured by Jell-O in the late 1950s pictured here suggests alternating layers of vanilla pudding and whipped cream with the fruit mix in a dessert glass.
In the mid-20th century, jellos were practical, modern and sophisticated. Brands like Knox Gelatine and Jell-O launched marketing campaigns that had America setting every meal, from tomato soup to ham and cheese, in gelatin. Give the trend a modern update by making fine dining-inspired savory jellos with fresh ingredients.
One of the most popular dishes of the 1950s and 1960s was vichyssoise, a chilled soup of leeks, onions and potatoes, blended into a purée with chicken stock and cream. Despite its French name, it’s an American invention from the kitchen at the Ritz Carlton New York. By the 1970s, it was sold in tins but its popularity waned after a botulism outbreak from a Bon Vivant batch. We think it’s time this summer soup was served again, but stick to homemade varieties.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Steak Diane was one of the most luxurious dishes you could order at restaurants and epitomized Continental glamor. During wartime America, dairy and meat had been rationed so it was a treat to enjoy butter and meat in the same dish. It was flambéed tableside and also contained shallots, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, stock, Cognac and black pepper. The dish fell out of fashion in the late 1970s but we think it should grace menus once more.
The 1950s saw an explosion of budget-friendly, filling and easy-to-freeze casserole dishes. They were a great way to recycle leftovers and stretch them into a second meal to feed the family. Spaghetti casserole was a go-to option, with layers of spaghetti, ground beef, vegetables, tinned soup and grated cheese. Try this dish out for a novel take on spaghetti bolognese.
Tuna noodle casserole was a regular midweek fixture that could be made entirely from pantry staples and canned goods. The dish was made from pasta, Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, frozen peas, tuna, pasta and breadcrumbs. Update this simple one-dish supper by swapping canned soup for fresh chicken stock, butter and cheese and top with panko breadcrumbs.
Cherries Jubilee is a theatrical dish generally credited to Auguste Escoffier, who created the dish for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee celebration in 1887. Whole cherries are cooked in liqueur, flambéed and served with vanilla ice cream. Cherries Jubilee hit its peak in the 1950s and 1960s with adventurous home cooks wowing friends by making it a spectacular dinner party finale. It’s fallen out of favor but we think it makes a wonderful rich, wintry dessert.
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Crown jewel dessert, also known as broken glass cake, is without a doubt a showstopper. The recipe was featured in a 1960s cookbook Joys of Jell-O and calls for orange, cherry and lime Jell-O, cut into cubes and folded into thick lemon cream, made from lemon Jell-O and Dream Whip, a branded whipped cream. If you’re not a fan of Jell-O but want to recreate the same look, give a semifreddo a whirl.
In the 1960s, there wasn’t a soirée without stuffed celery hiding somewhere on the buffet table. If you want to give it a go, pipe celery sticks with a filling of blue cheese, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Garnish with black olives, parsley and paprika, crispy chicken skins or whatever you fancy.
In mid-century America, neither Jell-O nor salads were exclusively savory and dishes such as Under the Sea Salad, found their place on the buffet table somewhere between the main dishes and desserts. A recipe for this dish featured in Joys of Jell-O. It’s a cream cheese and pear base, topped with lime Jell-O and doesn’t sound half bad – maybe just skip serving it on the bed of salad leaves.
Potato salad was a must-have dish when feeding a crowd and this 1964 Hellmann’s Mayonnaise advert in Holiday Magazine showed a stylish new way to present it. Cooked potatoes, celery, onion and parsley are shaped into a pie base, topped with a generous layer of mayonnaise and garnished with tomatoes and watercress.
It used to be the height of fashion to mold Jell-O into many different shapes. This fish-shaped dish of Ocean Spray cranberry Jell-O served with fish salad is the perfect example. Not quite ready to bring back set salads? Take inspiration from the presentation and serve fish pies in fish-shaped dishes.
Cooking in the 1960s was heavily influenced by cooks such as Julia Child and French-inspired cuisine rose in popularity. Jambon persillé en gelée, also known as ham in parsley aspic, is a fine example of this. We love its show-stopping presentation. Bring the dish into the 21st century by making a ham and herb terrine.
Duchess potatoes was the hottest side dish of the 1960s and 1970s. It’s simple to make: roast russet potatoes, pass through a ricer, enrich with egg yolk, butter and nutmeg, then pipe onto a baking tray. They’re traditionally shaped into little stars or spiral mounds, brushed with egg yolk and baked until crisp on the outside and fluffy in the center. Serve them with roast beef as an alternative to roast potatoes.
According to food historians, the term "upside-down cake" first appeared in the late 1800s but it wasn't until the early 20th century that the pineapple upside-down cake popped up in magazines and cookbooks, after the introduction of canned pineapple. The dessert hit its peak in the 1960s and while cakes are still around today, they usually use different fruit, for example this clementine and cardamom cake. We say bring back the retro appeal of the original with whole pineapple rings and glacé cherries.
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Tunnel of fudge was a rich chocolate and nut bundt cake with a fudgy tunnel running through the center. It was introduced in 1966 when it won second prize at the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest. Despite losing to Golden Gate Snack Bread, it became Pillsbury’s most-requested recipe and single-handedly brought bundt cakes into fashion. If you like the texture of gooey brownies, you’ll love this.
Salisbury steak was a staple cafeteria lunch and TV dinner in the 1970s. Ground beef was shaped into miniature meat loaves and served with mashed potatoes and gravy. It was first invented at the end of the 19th century as a health food by an American physician but by the end of the century it was regularly accompanied by tater tots, instant mashed potatoes and other convenience foods. Give this dish a modern makeover with sweet potato mash and homemade onion gravy.
Throughout the 20th century, root beer floats were a popular summertime treat. Legend has it that the first one was created in 1893 by Frank J. Wisner, owner of a gold mine and tavern in Cripple Creek, Colorado. The story goes that the snowy peaks on Colorado’s Cow Mountain made him think of ice cream floating in soda so he decided to try it. We like the idea of homemade root beer floats with a shot of bourbon, crumbled brownies and pretzels.
Look to the 1970s for party snack inspiration and whip up a trio of cheese balls for your next gathering. Blend cream cheese with blue cheese, Cheddar, pink salmon or crushed pineapple, shape into balls and cover them in walnuts, pine nuts and parsley. Or make up your own recipe based on your favorite ingredients. You can make them ahead of time, storing them in the fridge until guests arrive.
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We don’t think that grape jelly meatballs should be confined to the 1970s. The perfect appetizers, cocktail-sized meatballs (you can use shop-bought or make your own) are slow-cooked in a sticky grape jelly and chili sauce mix. You could also add a pinch of paprika for added smokiness.
It was once the height of sophisticated hosting to make puff pastry case vol-au-vents and fill them with cooked mushrooms, coronation chicken or prawn mayonnaise. We think pastry-based starters or snacks are always in fashion so give this retro dish a makeover by updating the filling. Try pesto, hot smoked salmon, or Stilton and mushroom.
Invented at the start of the 20th century, chicken à la King was often served at weddings throughout the 1950s and 1960s. It reached its peak in the 1970s and 1980s, the topic of food writers such as James Beard and The New York Times’ Craig Claiborne, but soon after that it dropped off. Chicken is cooked in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and peppers, and served with rice or toasted bread. It makes a convenient and quick family-friendly midweek meal.
Blancmange is a thick and creamy, gelatin-based dessert that was eaten throughout the 20th century. British brand Pearce Duff had four pale, opaque options to choose from: strawberry, raspberry, chocolate and vanilla. Revive a classic with fresh raspberries, raspberry liqueur, double cream, ground almonds and rose petals – a far cry from the pallid dessert of the 1970s.
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Cheese cones were a staple at Christmas gatherings in the 1970s. One recipe consisted of cream cheese, grated Parmesan, mayonnaise, oregano and garlic powder. Another was shredded Cheddar, mayonnaise, horseradish and seasoning. They were shaped into logs and studded with almonds and walnut halves so they resembled pine cones and served alongside crisp melba toasts and crudités.
One of the most popular drinks of the 1970s, the snowball cocktail would always make an appearance at Christmas parties. So simple to make, fresh lime juice is shaken with advocaat – a creamy Dutch liqueur made with brandy, sugar and eggs. It’s then poured into a martini glass and topped up with lemonade. A maraschino cherry or mini meringue is the final festive touch.
New York’s Le Cirque popularized pasta primavera, a creamy pasta dish brimming with broccoli, zucchini, asparagus and beans, in the late 1970s. Make a sauce with butter, lemon and Parmesan, and throw in whatever cooked vegetables you fancy.
In the 1970s, apricot chicken was a staple in Australian households. It was easy to make, didn’t contain too many ingredients and was satisfying. Back in the day, it was comprised of chicken legs and thighs with French onion soup and apricot nectar, poured over rice. Give it a new lease of life and make a Middle Eastern-style chicken and apricot tagine, with cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, almond slices and fresh herbs.
A birthday party in the 1990s wasn’t complete without a bowl of Rowntree’s strawberry jello served with a scoop of Wall’s ice cream. It wasn’t sophisticated but it sure was delicious.
In the early 1950s, New Orleans was a major import hub for bananas and the story goes that a chef at local restaurant Brennan’s was challenged to create a dish using the fruit. Needless to say, it was a roaring success. The dessert is comprised of bananas flambéed with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, dark rum and banana liqueur, and served with ice cream. The decadent dessert is still served at Brennan’s today, but we want to see it brought back everywhere.
These are the foods we fell in love with when we were growing up