Summer Project: Recipes From Vintage Food Ads

[frigilux]

Looking through Louie's (Ultramatic) awesome vintage food ads, I decided it would be fun to make the recipes from them. It's going to be my summer cooking project. Tonight's meal comes from a Miracle Whip ad--I'm guessing it's from the early 1950's. Here's the ad (found at Google Images):

 

[frigilux]

And here's the finished project. I had a friend of mine in for dinner before he went to work, and he just shook his head and laughed. It should be noted, however, that he ate two large servings of both the meatloaf and the potatoes, LOL.

Verdict: The meat loaf was OK; one-dimensional and salty. I used 1-3/4 teaspoons of salt and would cut back to 1-1/4 next time. There was some concern about how it would hold together without eggs, but I was able to transfer it from a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet to the serving platter in one piece using a super-wide, long metal spatula. I was also skeptical about baking it at 300 degrees, but it turned out moist and had a nice browned crust. [this post was last edited: 6/11/2012-21:35]

 

[aldspinboy]

Wow Eugene it looks perfect.
Mashed in the middle ...
How funny that is 50's.
I hope you had the music to go with makeing it.

Darren k

 

[polkanut]

I'm going to try the Cocoa Peanut Squares found in the Cocoa Krispies ad in thread no. 2.  I'll let you know how they turn out.

 

[frigilux]

Darren--Thanks! I was actually listening to an old radio broadcast of "Father Knows Best."

Tim-- I made the Cocoa Peanut Squares yesterday and they're very good. I liked not having to deal with melting marshmallows, as many Krispies-based bars require. Took them to work and they disappeared instantly. I'll probably make them again and post the photo along with the ad.

 

[polkanut]

I too like the idea of not having to mess around with melting marshmallows.  Did you make a single or double batch?

 

[lordkenmore]

"Remember: the success of this recipe depends on Miracle Whip's unique combination of ingredients and its one and only flavor!"

So says the ad above. Evidently, they knew about evil people like me who will read a recipe that demands Brand X, but substitute Brand Z because it's cheaper and what is in the pantry!

 

[mattl]

If a recipe calls for Mayo I use Miracle  Whip pretty much all the time.  Personally I hate mayo, but a few recipes really need it so I will buy a small jar.  Generally toss out left over mayo, would never use it on a sandwich. I know there are others that feel the exact opposite.

 

I still make a number of "classic" recipes from the 40's 50's and 60's  that's what I grew up on.  Chiffon cake is my specialty, around her I'm the only one that still makes them, or cakes for that matter.

 

[tomturbomatic]

I don't know why additional fat is needed in meatloaf, except to sell more Miraculous Whip; it certainly would not add flavor. I like tomato soup in mine. Egg whites would hold it together if you were worried about the fat in the yolk. I remember the demonstrated recipes on the Kraft-sponsored programs like Kraft Music Hall & Kraft Theater.

Are you going to make Celebration Salad?

 

[frigilux]

Tim-- I made a single batch. When it turned out well, I made a second single batch an hour later. I'm sure it would be fine to double the recipe and put it in a 13" x 9" baking dish. I used an 8" x 8" Pyrex baking dish and the bars were none too thick (height-wise). They'd be pretty thin if a 9" x 9" pan was used.

Matt-- A chiffon cake is on my list of to-do projects. I was under the impression a chiffon cake was an angel food-type cake, but from the ad I have, I'm mistaken in that notion. The ad calls for using Jello powder in both the cake batter and the 7-minute-style frosting.

John-- You know it! I'm sure many cooks substituted a less expensive store brand for the Mircale Whip. I keep the panty stocked with both Hellman's and Miracle Whip, so I used the real deal.

Tom-- Miracle Whip has 3.5 grams of fat per tablespoon. Using 1 cup of it adds 56 grams of fat to the recipe. No wonder it was moist and creamy, LOL! There is a mild taste Miracle Whip in the finished product, which is expected as it's the only "seasoning" after salt, pepper, and a tiny bit of minced onion. Is Celebration Salad the Jello-based salad with cranberries in it? I have a couple of vintage Jello cookbooks, but no molds, so I need to get online and purchase some. I've noticed a lot of recipes (Jello and otherwise) from the '40's-'50's use molds. I want to make at least one Jello monstrosity; probably with tuna, various chopped vegetables, and olive slices in lemon gelatin--with a mayo-based sauce over it, no doubt. I also found one that is basically potato salad encased in Jello. That might take the checkered flag!

Note: We are certainly more adventurous/diversified in our seasonings these days. So many vintage recipes don't extend beyond the basic three: Salt, pepper, onion. I'm used to adding thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, garlic, bay leaves...

 

[mattl]

Chiffon cake is a heavier version of an angle-food cake. Tha addition of oil to the mix yields a very tender moist cake. None of the real recipies call for jello.

 

[frigilux]

Thanks for the clarification, Matt. Kind of a batter cake/angel food hybrid, eh?

I'm wrong about the Jello powder being added to the cake. That's for a Betty Crocker Party Cake Mix addition from a different ad. The chiffon cake ad is for a chocolate chiffon, and what appears to be a 7-minute frosting with coconut sprinkled all over it.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Celebration salad is shredded cabbage encased in Jello, sort of a cole slaw that stands up on its own. I have had it made with lemon Jello and it is quite delicious, surprisingly so when you consider the lumpen disasters that are so many congealed salads. Years and years ago, Jello made a celery flavor and that was used in lots of the vegetable salad(congealed salad)recipes. Mom used it to make Tomato Aspic. Alas, celery flavor is no more. I guess throwing celery seeds into hot Jello would give some sort of infusion of celery flavor.

While on the Jello topic, I will mention an OB-GYN resident in a South Carolina hospital who reported seeing babies named Lemonjello and Orangello with the accent on the second syllable.

 

[franksdad]

Lemonjello and Orangello

And these twins grew up and played football for USC!

 

[polkanut]

I doubled the recipe for the Cocoa Peanut Squares and put it into a 9x13-inch pan.  They're just the right thickness.  Delicious, just like I remember.  Thanks Louie!!!

 

[mattl]

Here is one of my favorite Chiffon cake recipes, I think I posted it before, but I think it's worth a repost...

 

 

 

[strongenough78]

There are a few I'm going to try. The Easy Doozits, the peanut butter chiffon pie and the blondie brownie.

 

[frigilux]

Project #2: Oven Croquettes

 

[frigilux]

The finished project: OK, so these don't look as good as the ad photo, but they're tasty. I'd definitely make them again, but I'd form them into cakes, coat with flour and shallow-fry, then bake them in a pool of the sauce.

 

[Ultramatic]

Wow! How cool is that!

<span style="font-size: medium;">As for them not looking exactly the same, perhaps the meat was ground finer in the original . But it sure looks yummy! This is one interesting thread!</span>

 

[lordkenmore]

"As for them not looking exactly the same, perhaps the meat was ground finer in the original ."

This reminds me of one problem I see with this sort of project: trying to match the ingredients of today with the era the recipe was published. Many things have changed at least slightly. In some cases, it might not matter. But in others it might. For example: is the Hunts of today like the "kettle simmered Hunts" of yesterday? If not, will the difference be noticeable in a given recipe?

 

[Ultramatic]

You have a very good point,

<span style="font-size: medium;">Manufacturers have often changed their recipes throughout the years, so that may be a factor as well. </span>

 

[frigilux]

Project #3: Swiss Steak

 

[frigilux]

The finished project: This Hunt's-based recipe was pretty adventurous compared to some. It ventured beyond the '50's trinity of salt-pepper-onion to include both bell pepper (I went with red) and Worcestershire sauce. It was very good, actually, and another one I'd make again...and if a bay leaf or two should fall into the pot, so be it.

 

[Ultramatic]

Good Lord, I'm getting hungry!

<span style="font-size: medium;">That looks deliciously fork tender....</span>

 

[lordkenmore]

I can't remember for sure, but it seems to me that green peppers were involved in my grandmother's idea of Swiss steak. I'm not sure her cooking only had salt, pepper, and onion--but I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't the case much of the time. Certainly, at the end of her life, she had little sense of adventure when eating.

Incidentally, I looked up Swiss steak. It has NOTHING to do with Switzerland (which had been my guess, given what I know about other American foods that have a name that hints at foreign connections.) Wikipedia says: "The name does not refer to Switzerland, but instead to the process of 'swissing', which refers to fabric or other materials being pounded or run through rollers in order to soften it."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_steak

 

[mattl]

I think it was originally called "swissed steak", but over time it just became Swiss steak. I too had it growing up, never really cared for it as the meat usually turned out stringy or grainy.

 

[polkanut]

I made the sour milk waffles in reply #21 of the Pancake & Waffle thread for breakfast this morning.  My wife & I loved them!  I've always made waffles using the recipe on the back of the Hungry Jack pancake mix box, but they always seemed somewhat like cardboard when done.  These were very light, and had a nice clean taste.  The Hungry Jack version is also somewhat sweet to me.  The sour milk helps activate the baking powder and baking soda to help give them their light texture.  I will definitely keep this recipe for future use.  Thanks again Louie!

 

P.S.  I served them with pork sausage patties, and real WI maple syrup.   

 

[Ultramatic]

Hey glad you liked it Tim!

<span style="font-size: medium;">That breakfast sounded delicious!</span>

 

[frigilux]

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake: This recipe, which dates back to the WWII era, when dairy products were precious commodities, is absolutely my new go-to chocolate cake. There was some skepticism the first time, but if you love a moist, dense, fudgy chocolate cake, this one's for you. I don't know how or why it works with no eggs, but it's wonderful. Highly recommended, but don't over bake, as it will get a little crunchy around the edges. If that happens, frost it, cover it, and refrigerate it for a few hours.

The frosting is one I use all the time, in any flavor. I add some baking cocoa to the chocolate version, vanilla extract to the white version, lemon zest to the...you get the idea.