Lost Treasures
There are a number of dishes in culinary purgatory, that we no longer eat, or rarely so. I know some will say you still serve these bygone foods, but generally their popularity has waned. Once upon a time, we had little concern for the fat, sugar, salt, or calorie content of what we ate. If the dish was tasty, easy, and cheap, it went on the table.
Here’s a few oldies, but goodies—well, some of them, at least.
Creamed Chip Beef on Toast
Perhaps it was over exposure that did this dish in. Commonly know in the military as “s–t on a shingle,” it was regularly served in homes of the 40s, though at the time I always thought it was a lot saltier than most things we ate.
Tapioca Pudding
This common dessert quietly disappeared from kitchen tables some years ago. My mother served it frequently, always with a maraschino cherry atop.
Chicken á la King
Chicken Pot Pie stood the test of time, but Chicken á la King went the way of the dodo bird.
Welsh Rarebit
This toasted bread blanketed with cheese sauce is now missing from most kitchen tables and restaurant menus.
Ambrosia Salad
The fluffy side dish was made with Jello, whipped cream, Cool Whip, cream cheese, pineapple, oranges, coconut and pecans. A real artery buster.
Tomato Aspic
I hated to see this one fade. My family didn’t care for the dish, so I didn’t make it. But it was often served at women’s luncheons in the 60’s and 70s.
Kool-Aid (in original packets)
Super sugary, doused with artificial flavorings, and simple enough for a kid to make. At five cents a packet you could make an entire pitcher at far less cost than a bottled soft drink.
Sassafras Tea
Digging sassafras roots for tea was something we did in the Ozarks each spring. The root was thought to be a treatment for gout, rheumatism, high blood pressure, dropsy, or whatever ailed you come warm weather. In recent years, sassafras in beverages has been banned, because it caused liver cancer in rats. The front door of my farmhouse (below) has a carving of the unique sassafras leaves.
The interesting leaf formation of the sassafras tree made it easy to identify: a left hand mitt, a right hand mitt, and a full mitt.
Baked Alaska
Elegant and tasty, but the uncertainty of how it would turn out made for nervous home cooks.
Succotash
The corn and lima bean combo could be made pretty tasty with enough bacon grease.
Fondue
Restaurants charged handsomely for this cheese/bread concoction. I don’t miss this one at all. I’m just sorry I spent money on that avocado green fondue pot I only used twice.
