The sauce is the thing

 
Barbecue grills and smokers have become a hot commodity over the last decade, which means it's gotten harder and more expensive to keep up with the Smoky Joneses. But how much difference does the device make? Isn't it really all about the sauce?

The groovesome dude above sure thinks so. And apparently so does Andy:

He's not the only celeb from yesteryear doling out saucy advice. Here's Dick:

Apparently no one told him it's not about the thickness, it's about the magic in the bottle. This company did get the memo:

He's got the mumbo, ma'am. Now make like a light switch.

Did you know that magic isn't just for meat? 

Mmm mmm, each bite a curly mouthful of sweet and salty smoke sauce! 

Be a careful consumer whether you're pouring it in a noodle kugel or on a brat, because "Original" flavor is habit forming:

Kraft is crafty. They don't want you to crave just barbecue sauce, so they created a culturally inappropriate spokescharacter to get you hooked on another great product: 

The Whiz of Cheezez.

Whether you're meat grilling, beer swilling, cheese whizzing, magic wielding, or thickness bragging this Labor Day, be sure to sauce your barbecue up!

Candlestick Salad (That's what -she- said.)

I remember this recipe from an old children's cookbook read in years past, but when I checked the three I have in my library, it wasn't included.

As with the recipe for Prune Loaf (jello), I find the shifting societal trends reflected in cookbooks really interesting. In today's world, the only place this salad could be served would be at a bachelorette party.

I wonder when the shift away from phallic shaped foods (other than those served in buns) was complete? Early 1970s perhaps?

If the trend continues, might hot dogs soon be flattened?

Candlestick Salad

For each person allow 1 slice of canned pineapple placed on a lettuce leaf. Put one half a banana in the center, pour a little mayonnaise at one end, to represent the wax running down, with a small piece of red cherry for the flame. Use orange peel or green pepper for the handle.

Stove Love. It's a thing.

A few days ago we posted this amazing, fantabulous, dream stove on the Cookbook Love Facebook page:

The darned thing was apparently in competition with Kim Kardashian's butt to break the interwebs, judging by all the likes, shares, and comments that resulted. People tagged each other to call them in and see. People asked if it is for sale (sadly, we do not own it.) People commented in other languages so that we had to use a translator to make sure they weren't pitching discount sunglasses.

It was a glorious mayhem.

When I asked another vintage-loving FB group why this might have happened I got a few interesting responses. The first was that several people had watched as the post went viral, seeing it pop up in other groups. A couple termed it "amazeballs", which it is. Another person said that they had a "positive, visceral reaction to old ranges".

And that, apparently, is the power of stoves. Or of this stove in particular.

Stove love. It's a thing.

Pasta by any other name

I like it, this child likes it, and you probably like it too. Whether you call it pasta, noodles, or a feather in your cap, it's MACARONI!

There's a lot of richness to be found in vintage macaroni marketing. Take this little cardboard cutout:

When Fanny Folds speak, the whole world listens. 

Flavory. Firm. Tender.

The early Mueller's person might be less charismatic but they assure us of an absolute requirement in pasta making: cleanliness.

Eww. 

(I am however hungering to find out what "elbow spaghetti" looks like.)

The sanitary proclamations continue in this ad, though that message is drowned out by the fallacious claim in the blue stripe.

Meat.

From wheat.

For those who like their gluten meat lengthy, have I got a button for you!

Most of us don't care that much about length, we want efficiency, and this ad is all about speed of service:

We'll close with something a little more modern, but still focused on efficiency. This time, of cost.

Two kinds of meat (wheat, and mystery) with pickles as veg. All it needs is a splash of ketchup for fruit, and it's nutritionally complete. <Joking.> 

As the ad says, "Come on Mom, join the macaroni crowd!"

Smiles all around!

Studies show that the act of smiling actually makes you feel more positive, whether you want to or not. So it only stands to reason that chewing up a grin which you've shoved in your own smiling pie hole couldn't help but lift your spirits! 

Here are a few options for dopamine boosts, starting with meat.

According to Pink Floyd wisdom, eating your protein is a requirement if you want your pudding. In this case pudding=cookies.

If you're like me, and salty is more your jam, check out this flavorful grinning fish.

Of course this isn't the only swimming smiler. We all know and love the tasty bite-size snack that smiles back.

And for smiles AND songs, you really can't beat a banana.

Now that you've stuffed yourself with grins, pass on the joy. Smiling is infectious!

Pancake Races

Flipping flap jacks has never been so much fun!

20th Century Wieners! The Dogs Kids Love to Sprinkle with Parmesan

Everyone loves hotdogs. Fat kids, skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks. (Click it. You know you want to.)

Armor says it. Oscar Mayer says it. It must be true.

Cutco obviously believed it as well; it includes a whole chapter titled "Wieners."

Here are some kids enjoying a string, as if to prove the songs.

And here's a recipe in case your kids are bored with the same old dog in a bun. (Or cut up into unchokable chunks if they are little.)

If they are anything like my kids when they were young, they'll want nothing to do with this dish. But then, I was a bad parent and didn't teach them to eat what was placed before them. Hopefully you can learn from my mistake and tell them to clean their plate or lose out on the Jello.

I wonder what the 21st Century Weiner will be like?

Suggestions appreciated.

Bitter indeed

I've spent the spring in our new home watching mysterious plants pop up here and there around the small yard. Several types grew quickly and were getting large, so I researched them and discovered they were varieties of dock. You've undoubtedly heard of burdock, or encountered it in the hair of a beloved pet or young child. Dock tends to be aggressively invasive, so I realized it was time for them to go before seeds arrived and they took over.

I've had a longstanding interest in foraging and have nibbled bits of greenery and berries across the decades. All those experiments went well, and I thought small samples were harmless.

(Queue the foreboding music.)

I'd read a decent amount about dock, and knew they were used in lots of traditional medicines. Both leaves and roots were reportedly edible. So when I dug up a root like a fat white carrot, I thought why not give it a try? 

So I ate some. Not much. Probably a piece about the size of a quarter.

It did not go well.

I spent the night in the emergency room. 0/10, would not recommend. 

I've done more googling since coming home, and am still convinced what I ate was dock. It's not clear why I had such a bad reaction. 

As a way to vent my spleen about the experience, I decided to see what sort of vintage cookbooks or recipes might exist for the stuff.

And what, pray tell, did I find? 

I'm trying to imagine the mind of the artist who designed ads for this company, but each time I enter in I get scared and have to slam the door shut on it. But I'm pretty sure they're a close relation to Sweeney Todd.

Here's another of the company's idea of a good time:

Wha wha wha what???

Animals were featured in several ads. Like this inexplicable bit of imagery:

(Is she bleaching her children?)

Sometimes the ads focused on human children rather than puppies.

CHILDREN.

Like this poor wain, whose face seems to be saying, "Please mother, might I have something to eat?"

Then there's this child, who looks downright giddy in contrast. Perhaps they've already enjoyed a few sips of the elixir.

The back of the card is equally charming, plus packed with useful intel:

And then there's this. For which I shall offer no comments.

I'm still recovering from my bad decision making, and am tired. So I'll leave you with one final image:

Startling in its vividness. Shocking in it's timelessness. Ugly on multiple levels, though different from the ugliness of my emergency room experience.

The moral of the story my friends, is to be careful what you eat in your backyard, and who you hire to do your advertising. Blood purity just isn't worth it.

 

Vintage Summer Cookout Recipes

Oh, summer! The air is warm, the days are long, and there's nothing quite like the sizzle of the barbeque grill and the laughter of loved ones filling up the backyard. While modern cookouts often feature gourmet burgers and artisanal sides, sometimes our hearts (and our appetites!) yearn for the simple, comforting flavors of summers past. You know, the kind of dishes your grandma used to whip up that just felt like sunshine and good times.

This year, why not take a delicious trip down memory lane? Dust off those old recipe cards and cookbooks. Let's bring back some vintage summer cookout classics that are as easy to make as they are delightful to devour. Forget the fuss, embrace the flavor, and get ready to create new memories with a dash of old-fashioned charm!

Three Timeless Cookout Treasures

These recipes are cherished for several reasons: they're crowd-pleasers, they travel well, and they embody the spirit of carefree summer days.

1. A quintessential Potato Salad

No summer cookout is complete without a creamy, tangy potato salad. This isn't your fancy, herb-laden version—this is the comforting, classic kind that tastes like childhood.

Ingredients:

3 lbs russet or red potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1 cup mayonnaise (full-fat for that authentic richness!)

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Salt and black pepper to taste

Paprika for garnish (optional)

2. Old-Fashioned Baked Beans

Step aside, canned beans! These homemade baked beans are sweet, smoky, and simmered to perfection. They're the ultimate companion to grilled hot dogs and hamburgers.

Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce) cans great northern or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

4-5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (reserve a little of the drippings!)

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

3. Summertime Ambrosia Salad

For a touch of retro sweetness, ambrosia salad is a vibrant, fruity dessert that’s light and refreshing. It’s like a party in a bowl!

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well-drained

1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, to your preference)

1 cup mini marshmallows

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, halved

1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (for a tangier twist)

1/2 cup whipped topping (like Cool Whip) or freshly whipped cream

Optional: 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch

There you have it! Three simple yet sensational vintage recipes to get your summer cookout started. These dishes are more than just food; they're an invitation to slow down, savor the moment, and connect with the timeless joy of good company and great cooking.

What are your favorite vintage cookout memories? 

Share them in the comments below!

New Cookbook Day! Cutco Meat and Poultry Cookery

It's time for a new cookbook!

Declan found this little beauty for my birthday, and I can't begin to tell you how much joy it gave me.

Best $1.50 she ever spent.

It's a promotional piece produced for the cutlery division of Wear-Ever Aluminum, Inc. in 1961.

Here's what it looks like on the inside front cover:

All the meat you could ever hope for in one place!

The best thing about this book is the illustrations. Oh, the illustrations!

The drawings are done by one Frank Marcello. Unfortunately, I can't find much about him.

He's got quite a sense of humor. I'm surprised that Wear-Ever let him get away with half the stuff he put in. Here are a few classic examples:

You'll be hearing more about the illustrations in coming posts, so for now I'll just comment on this last one.

What the heck is going on in this kitchen? Look at the position of mom's feet. Is she pigeon toed, or is there more to the story? They both seem to be happy about it, though the girl's smile looks just the tiniest bit more genuine to me.

Hmmm.... Let me know what YOU think.

Stay tuned for more meat and illustrated hilarity, 1960s style!