60s/70s Retro Dinner

“Inspired” by some recent articles in various food columns on such dishes as Beef Stroganoff and Baked Alaska, I was thinking it might be fun next year to cook a 60s/70s Retro Gourmet dinner.
Others have likely done this, but a first for me.

Other dishes might include:

  • Grilled Grapefruit (yes, really… details only to those who ask,)
    Prawn Cocktail w rose sauce
    Oysters Rockefeller,
    Breaded Scampi or Goujons of Sole,
    Lobster Thermidor,
    Duck a l’Orange,
    Chicken Kiev,
    Tournedos Rossini,
    Beef Wellington,
    Crepes Suzette,
    Black-Forest Cake
    Cherries Jubilee
    Grand Marnier Souflee
    Syllabub

Etc.

So, I’m looking for input on a couple of issues. (plus of course any other comments!).

First, obviously, more suggested dishes to pick from.

Second, and this is my main dilemma: any thoughts about whether to refresh or update the dishes, vs look for authentic recipes from the era. And for the latter, any suggested sources? I’ve long thrown out the Sunday Times Colour Supplements!!

Once I have a menu (or two!) I’ll start thinking about wine. Have to work Mateus Rose and a fiasco of Chianti in somehow! Or not. Just because I was young and immature back then doesn’t mean the wines have to match!

It occurs to me that a number of these dishes that were popular back then might just be regarded as classics. I’m not sure should disqualify them or not (Id say not - the goal is - what was trendy back then, and perhaps focusing on dishes that are less trendy now).

I love the concept of your dinner!!!

IMHO, the wines should just be yummy, appropriately matched to the foods. The highlight would be the novelty/nostalgia of the food; the wines would elevate the flavors.

Of course, a fun wine included in the mix - Mateus, Blue Nun, Lancer’s, etc - is a great idea.

To find recipes: you can get the Craig Claiborne NYT cookbook for cheap and it has most of those 60’s “fancy” recipes. A copy of Martha Stewart’s original 1982 “Entertaining” is pretty classic too, though not nearly so comprehensive.


You have to decide if you want to channel Nouvelle Cuisine, its New York or California (read: early Panisse in the Jeremiah Tower era) manifestations, or more 50’s-60’s aspirational Better Homes and Gardens post-war middle class stuff with the casseroles and things floating in Jell-O…

I think of…
Fondue, ambrosia, pickled herring in sour cream, deviled ham on those little square rye bread pieces, melon balls, Lipton onion soup dip with potato chips, meatloaf, hamburger helper, rice a roni, beef bourguignon.

And cocktails.

That’s exactly the issue. Read The United States of Arugula. There is high cuisine and low cuisine and the two are kitschy in very different ways and represent very different techniques and ideologies. You have to decide if you want to go high or low.

I love the idea, and would make the dishes as accurately as possible, as a lot of these dishes are delicious. I’ve annoyed my friends with rants about young foodies and chefs who express contempt for classic Continental gourmet cuisine but were too young to have ever experienced it, and that food hasn’t experienced “retro” resurgences in the way of music and fashion.

For recipes, check out Craig Claiborne’s brilliant New York Times Cookbook, which is an exceptional foundational cookbook that every cook should own.

To get some more ideas -

https://twitter.com/70s_party

Exactly, some of those high end dishes are fantastic. Who doesn’t like a well rendered Beef Wellington?

Coulibiac is a similar option.

For home food a lot depends on ethnicity. We never had fondue or ambrosia, but flanken and chopped liver were two of my favorites from my mom’s dinner party repertoire.

I had Lobster Thermidor two weeks ago in a suite at the Niners/Jets game. I congratulated the chef on his historical knowledge. I suggested that the next game, he should try Shrimp Newburgh and Coquilles St. Jacques. Another good one is crepes stuffed with chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce (“Crepes Farci a la Volaille”).

I second Coulibiac of Salmon, which I occasionally make with store bought pastry dough.

Love the “aspirational” bit… I think that exactly captures what I remember of the (UK) Sunday Times colour supplement, but more 60s & 70s. Plus the burgeoning restaurant scene in Chelsea similar enclaves.

If you want to get really psyched for this dinner, read Jeremiah Tower’s autobiography. It’s a fantastic read. All he drinks is champagne and yquem, the bastard, and goes from Harvard to a France to Chez Panisse as its inaugural chef.

Just watched a dinner party scene from the second season of Mad Men last night, and this brings that to mind!

John suggested I post our family Christmas Eve tradition, Lobster Crumble

It is a really easy dish. It’s lobster meat, mixed with Ritz cracker crumbs, Sherry and lemon juice, with lots of melted butter. Put it in a baking dish and heat at 375 until browned and bubbly. It’s addictive, and great with Chardonnay or Champagne.

Still a classic, but a table side Caesar salad just screams 70’s to me.

Great call.

In another episode of Mad Men, Roger orders iceberg lettuce wedges with blue cheese and bacon – another epochal dish.

And what retro dinner would be complete without apple-free Ritz mock apple pie! The recipe used to be on the side of every Ritz box. I see the official Ritz site now has a recipe with apples – a sign of the changing times.

Rumaki?

JD

No ones mentioned Chicken Ala King, maybe not fancy enough for a formal dinner?

Yes! Table side anything really, especially crepes suzettes also, or anything flambeed. By an elderly gentleman in an ill fitting shiny black jacket.

Is that “Start the Fire” or “California Dish”?