Again, not to appear to keep incessantly plugging things but if you want to see some vintage disgusting food, surf here: http://omababe.blogspot.com/2013/01/serving-suggestion.html
Hard to think of life being different than it is now, but... In the 1950s and 1960s you couldn't get all produce all year round. Want strawberries? They're only available in the grocery stores in May/June. Want blueberries? Only available July/Aug. Raspberries...you almost never saw them because they were too hard to ship. Avocados on the East Coast...almost never. Pineapples? Only an expensive treat when company was coming over (served vertically quartered, sliced on the rind with a toothpick and a marrachino cherry in each slice.) Fresh vegetables? Only when they're in season. Freezers not efficient so most food was shipped canned. That's what people had to deal with, canned food. All of these foods were recipes to try to improve what we had. Today we have fresh BABY vegetables all year long. Shipping/refrigeration/logistics have improved dramatically. These recipes were the best for the time. Ladies lunched in groups at each other's homes because it gave them ideas on how to improve their cooking repertoire and gave them a reason to get out of the house and socialize with someone over the age of their 5 year old kid. (only 3 TV channels). Today there's no reason to cook like this unless you want the nastalgia.
Never heard of it... googled it, I recognize it (definitely a French-Canadian thing, not popular here), and it looks decent. I'd eat that. Ah, you're likely referring to tourtière. Also not common here. Like most pies, this is something I can't eat because it typically contains potatoes, to which I'm allergic. I can't see what's particularly unappetizing about this though. Or have I assumed the wrong dish type from what you meant by "meat pie"?
Great link! Thank you for sharing! No matter how horrible some of those dishes look This one stood out to me in a good way though... burgers in flapjacks. This would be outrageously popular in today's brunch circuit:
This. It's a cheap, easy way for midwestern families to make a decent tasting casserole dish for the family. I grew up in South Dakota and ate a lot spaghetti, lasagna, pork cutlets, and tater tot casserole. My buddies ate a lot of "Hamburger Helper". If you want to try it, my guess it's no worse than a decent macaroni & cheese dish, and could be tasty. p.s. I had never heard of poutine until I was in my late 20s.
I think many of these recipes were invented in test kitchens of food manufacturers in order to increase demand for their products. Also, it was a time of rapid change, when women were transitioning to work outside the home, many people had appliances like refrigerators for the first time, etc so there was a need for dinners that could be prepared quickly and people could keep leftovers.
Also, we now import produce from other countries. I had never tasted or frankly even seen a mango in person until i was in my 20s and now they are available anywhere, any time. Although there are only one or two varieties available here, whereas in India I've heard there are over 100.
When I was in college I lived in a house where everyone took turns cooking dinner for everyone else. One woman who had very little cooking experience found a cookbook that had been on the shelf for many years. She poured her heart and soul into making some kind of hot dogs wrapped in French toast, and each one was carefully sewn together with a toothpick. I felt terrible not eating them but it was awful in every way possible.
@azlefty is right. We've now reverted to an almost pre-WWII behavior where "fresh" (as in right outta the dirt) is the selling point. And although there have been lots of "farm to table" frauds exposed over the past few years, this is what the public wants. As strange as it may seem, at one point in the kitchen, the ability to produce something in minutes - instead of the traditional hours - was seen as a benefit. Mom - in the 60's & 70's - was no longer the little woman staying home operating the kitchen for hours just waiting on supper (can we say that? supper?) at six when dad comes home. Now, we can get our ingredients and menu shipped right to the house where our telegenic family not only helps in the prep but sits around the table all smiles and satisfied. According to the marketing department. No more TV dinners in aluminum trays any more so than hours spent working on a cake. The culinary screw has turned.
Anyway, there's nothing wrong with trying turkey tettrazini now that your expectations have been sufficiently managed. Just remember that some comfort foods have survived everywhere (macaroni and cheese, fried chicken) and others appear once a year the day after Thanksgiving at the Longhorn. It's just one meal, why not? Here goes $10. In other words, tacos are delicious.
Maybe smaller ones, kinda like flapjack sliders. (Don't get me started on White Castle!) Full size? Uh, awkward to eat, and remember condiments and such. Tres messy!
Yum. Hawaiian Salad and 7-layer salad! I just had the latter for dinner last night. And green bean casserole is the best! green beans, milk, cream of mushroom soup, salt, pepper, and french's onion crisps. one of my all-time favorites. you have to cook it way longer than they say, though. it tastes better.
forget turkey tetrazzini. chicken tetrazzini is where its at. It's usually made with a white wine sauce and is fantastic over a bed of pasta.
This is exactly what happened: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thevintagenews.com/2017/04/13/milestone-in-american-culinary-history-green-beans-and-campbells-mushroom-soup-its-strange-beginnings/amp/
