Category Archives: nostalgia

December 27, 2011 · 6:29 pm

Cookbook Tuesdays: Mirro Challenge!

Once upon a time (April of 2011), I invited my readers to prepare a 1956 dessert recipe that used, as a main ingredient no less, ketchup.

I had no takers.

The recipe, while unusual, didn’t actually sound awful. I’m still curious about it, and I’ll very likely make that dessert this week while I’m thinking of it.

This time, I’m not so brave. This week I’m featuring a recipe from my 1954 copy of the Mirro All-Purpose Cook Book, which I bought specifically for the chapter on pressure cooking (my Mirro-Matic pressure cooker is also, coincidentally, from 1954). The introduction says that the book “has been written for the average American homemaker who insists upon serving food at its best.” It also claims that each recipe in the book has been tested and approved for taste and appearance.

I don’t think so.

You see, there’s one recipe in here which I have decided must have been placed by a practical joker of an editor, and nobody ever caught it. Until now. Because there is no way, in spite of changing tastes, home economics, food availability, no NOTHING that would ever make this recipe seem like a good idea.

I give you: Banana Tuna Salad.

A recipe that did not stand the test of time. Any time. Ever.

For those of you who might enjoy stumbling upon this post via keyword searching, I’ll type out the recipe.

1 cup (1 or 2) ripe bananas, sliced or diced
1/2 cup canned or fresh pineapple, diced
1 10-oz. can flaked tuna
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 tablespoons stuffed olives, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Combine bananas and pineapple.

Add tuna, celery, olives and salt.

Mix together mustard and mayonnaise and add to salad ingredients. Mix lightly.

Serve with crisp lettuce or other salad greens.

Garnish with additional mayonnaise and lemon slices, if desired

Â Serves 4.

Or 400, as soon as people hear what it’s made with. Go ahead. I dare you to try it. No, really! Post a personal review (or link to same) in these here comments, and be ready to provide photographic evidence if asked. I’ll give you two whole weeks to prepare! On January 11th I’ll choose a random reviewer from the comments to receive a copy of Magical Desserts with Whip’n Chill, published in 1965. This 44-page recipe booklet is worthy of a post of its own, to showcase these gorgeous, fluffy creations made with a product I’d never heard of, but which it turns out is still in production, although apparently only in food-service sizes. I imagine any instant mousse mix would work in place of the home-use-size packets of Whip’n Chill called for in the recipes.

Prize! Approximate $7 value!

View an interesting 1967 Whip’n Chill TV adÂ here.

(as usual, enclick any image to enlarge)

NOTE: You do NOT need to be a U.S. resident to enter!

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Filed under advertising, amusement, collections, food, kitchen, nostalgia, vintage

December 14, 2011 · 4:50 pm

Take a Look-See: WD, Nov 1968

Not much time to write any back-story for you today, but I can tell you that the following advertisements are all from the November, 1968 issue of Women’s Day. Click on images to enlarge.

KiNDNESSâ„¢ Instant Hairsetters by Clairol

Shimmering Chandelier would still look nice today!

Sterling Silver Charm Bracelet and Brooch. I have my grandmother's, although it predates this one by nearly two decades.

Win Schiaparelli fursâ€¦from Wyler's! I always think "jaguar coat" when I'm mixing up a cup of instant bouillon, don't you?

"High-fashion beauties for a low-fashion budget." Heck, it's 43 years later and I still can't afford some of these!

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Filed under advertising, collections, fashion, nostalgia, vintage

December 7, 2011 · 10:09 pm

Take A Look-See: Oh So Tasty Edition

Here’s a quick post for you tonight. From the July, 1950 edition of National Geographic, this ad is (rather obviously) for Hormel ham. Click image for inflating.

Hormel Ham, 1950

Deviled and chopped versions aside, doesn’t it actually look oh, so tasty? Tender, pink, rimmed in that moisture-trapping layer of fat glazed with brown sugar and studded with cloves. As far as I know, and as best as I can tell from the Hormel website (and the FDA as well), canned ham is really the same product as bone-in ham, without the mess of the bone. Who needs spiral slicing machines when your own kitchen knife can glide right through? Why have canned hams fallen out of favor? I think I’ll buy one next time I’m grocery shopping. Let’s bring back the canned ham!

Oh, and that little violator banner in the lower left? The one that mentions The Hormel Girls? Click here to hear them share a few words.

Mmmm, hammmm.

Cookbook Tuesdays: Pastry Cook Book

Thought I forgot today, eh?

I did. A little. That is, I remembered a few times, when I was otherwise busy. And then I remembered when I wasn’t. Whew!

Pastry Cook Book, 1954

Today’s randomly selected feature (this one happened to be on the coffee table tonight) is titled Pastry Cook Book, and is book number 237 in the series of Fawcett Books. We even get a photograph of our author, the lovely and Cordan [sic] Bleu-trained Mrs. Hyla Nelson O’Connor. Who looks as if she just might whack you with a rolling pin if you mess with her kitchen.

Mrs. Hyla Nelson O'Connor

I’d like to take a moment to deviate from the cookbook portion of this post, and focus for just a minute on Mrs. O’Connor’s manicures, as seen in the many How To photos scattered within the book. I’ve merged two examples here. (As usual, clicking on the images in this post will biggerate them).

A chef's manicures, circa 1954

On the top, we have a classic “moon” manicure with a tidy and efficient nail length. Below it, a more glamourous length and polish shade, this time covering the entire nail. Note the pointed almond shape. This is the nail shape I try to achieve, but my tiny, Jelly Belly nail beds don’t wear it very well. Still, I persist.

Okay, back to the cooking part of this book. Because posts like this are supposed to contain some humor regarding mid-century cooking, I’ll share with you my favorite cake decorating technique held within the pages. Given the publication date, you’d think this design would have rung a bell pretty quickly with the art director.

Danger! This banana cream torte is radioactive!

But how about some actual recipes? I haven’t (yet) cooked a single thing out of this book. The contents are a curious combination of complicated recipes containing 17 or so ingredients (Pfeffernuesse) and recipes that use boxed cake mix (Sherry-Cream Filled Angel Food Cake, for instance). However, I’ve selected a couple to share with you, based on their real ingredients, relative simplicity, and that they had photos. I hope to try them soon, and to hear from you if you try them as well!

First up, Danish Pancakes. I’ll bet the cardamom is a nice touch! If you like, I’d say you could skip the fruity bits, top them with lingonberry jam, and give Ikea’s Swedish Pancakes a run for their money.

Danish Pancakes

Next up, Apple Ring Fritters. I suspect that if you actually served them “piping hot” as suggested, you’d blister the roof of your mouth on the first bite.

Apple Ring Fritters. In today's terminology, "Stuffed Crust Donuts."

Finally, Petits Fours. Because petits fours are not just tiny cakes. When made properly, they have a flavor and texture all their own. Mmmm!

Petits Fours and Frosting

I’ll leave you with one last scan, of the back cover. And you’d better believe that I’m now on the hunt for Today’s Woman Pie Cook Book and especially Build Your Own Modern Furniture!

Pastry Cook Book, back cover

Bon appÃ©tit!

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Filed under collections, fashion, food, nostalgia, vintage

November 17, 2011 · 11:05 am

Take a Look-See: Kil-Glare Diffusor

Ach, so many things on my plate! I go away for ONE weekend, and it takes me three days to catch up. I promise new listings in at least one of the shops today (probably Winkorama, as I’ve already done most of the work for those listings), and I’m desperately trying to finish up the new, improved splash page for tiddleywink.com. Yes, the same splash page I started working on back in August, and then stopped working on back in August! To entertain you in the interimâ€¦

You say diffusor, I say diffuser. Click image for embiggenating.

I bought this pair of light diffusers at an estate sale yesterday. There’s no date on the packaging, but the address of “Fluorescent Lighting Labs, Bronx 59, N.Y.” indicates that they were made between 1943 and 1963. On the other hand, the bullet lamp graphics already suggested that much. What I can tell you for sure is that I happen to use a twin bullet lamp on my office desk, and when viewed from just the wrong angle, the bulbs provide an unpleasant glare. These clip-on jobbies are the PERFECT solution, and I was thrilled to pick them up for a mere $1. If any more had been available, I’d have grabbed the lot of them. As advertised, it “Enhances Beauty of LAMP.” My lamp’s beauty; it is enhanced.