1960's Food Essay [ SHORT ]
Food of the 1960’s
In the United States, the 1960's was a wry decade molded by conforming tradition and radical change. Culinary wise alone is a dramatic play with a backstory for every dish.
WWII rationing was a distant memory and 50’s casseroles had become old and boring. The 1960’s encouraged showy, complicated food with heavy French influence (Julia Child, Jacqueline Kennedy), suburban devotion (backyard barbecues), vegetarian curiosity (Frieda Caplan) and ethnic cuisine (soul food, Japanese Steak houses).
This was also the decade of flaming things, see fondue & Steak Diane, and lots and lots of junk food, which was mainly aimed at the baby boom children. Average suburban families patronized family-style restaurant chains like Howard Johnson's, and clamored when the first Wendy's restaurant opened in 1969.
The 1960’s was also the era of “exotic” and party food. New fruits came in from all over, leaning on tart rather than the sweet America was used to, and set among the geometric swing dresses and bright polka-dotted cocktail napkins also lay kitschy comfort food.
At holiday parties many started serving pigs in blankets adorned with ketchup smiley faces alongside bowls of mustard and different dips with homemade waffle chips. Leaning back on the exotic side, nuts were also a favourite; Brazils particularly, as they were a challenge to crack.
If there’s one thing we know about the food of the 1960’s, it’s that it definitely had éclater.
WC:
http://www.foodtimeline.org/fooddecades.html#1960s
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/kiwifruit/page-2
http://www.candyfavorites.com/shop/history-american-candy.php
In the United States, the 1960's was a wry decade molded by conforming tradition and radical change. Culinary wise alone is a dramatic play with a backstory for every dish.
WWII rationing was a distant memory and 50’s casseroles had become old and boring. The 1960’s encouraged showy, complicated food with heavy French influence (Julia Child, Jacqueline Kennedy), suburban devotion (backyard barbecues), vegetarian curiosity (Frieda Caplan) and ethnic cuisine (soul food, Japanese Steak houses).
This was also the decade of flaming things, see fondue & Steak Diane, and lots and lots of junk food, which was mainly aimed at the baby boom children. Average suburban families patronized family-style restaurant chains like Howard Johnson's, and clamored when the first Wendy's restaurant opened in 1969.
The 1960’s was also the era of “exotic” and party food. New fruits came in from all over, leaning on tart rather than the sweet America was used to, and set among the geometric swing dresses and bright polka-dotted cocktail napkins also lay kitschy comfort food.
At holiday parties many started serving pigs in blankets adorned with ketchup smiley faces alongside bowls of mustard and different dips with homemade waffle chips. Leaning back on the exotic side, nuts were also a favourite; Brazils particularly, as they were a challenge to crack.
If there’s one thing we know about the food of the 1960’s, it’s that it definitely had éclater.
WC:
http://www.foodtimeline.org/fooddecades.html#1960s
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/kiwifruit/page-2
http://www.candyfavorites.com/shop/history-american-candy.php