How to lose friends: Bring vintage '50s recipes to Friendsgiving

sfgate ^ | 11/22/2019 | Madeline Wells

[mylife]

The year is 1950. The Thanksgiving table is set, and before your growling stomach lies a cornucopia of show-stopping dishes: tomato aspic, jellied turkey vegetable salad, creamed spinach and whatever “cranberry surprise” is (yep, there’s mayonnaise in it).

Celia Sack, owner of Noe Valley’s 11-year-old Omnivore Books on Food, is a connoisseur of vintage recipes like these. Formerly a rare-books specialist at an auction house in San Francisco, both her personal collection and her in-store collection of antiquarian cookbooks are extensive.

So when I waltzed in one drizzly San Francisco afternoon with a strange request, Sack was more than prepared to help. I was embarking on a journey most would never choose to take: Instead of leaving the gelatinous monstrosities of ‘50s American home cooking in the past, I was determined to revive them.

With Sack’s help selecting a menu, I planned to test the boundaries of friendship by serving these dishes in an impromptu “Friendsgiving.”

[mylife]

Mmmm Larks tongues in aspic...

[Larry Lucido]

Don’t call it Friendsgiving, and don’t bring Tofurkey.

[Vision]

“If someone really brought this to Friendsgiving, I’d ask them to leave,” Chang said of the jellied tomato.

Chang’s a good guy to stay away from.

[mylife]

[moovova]

I thought any kind of people-gathering in SF was verboten.

Somebody call the mask-denier Hotline...1-800-UWEARIT.

[mylife]

Personally I love all things tomato. why did they take away my Snap E Tom? Why?!!!

[albie]

“The Gallery of Regrettable Foods” by James Lileks. One of the funniest tributes to 50’s and 60’s recipes ever.

[Tax-chick]

That was my first thought, too, so I checked the date on the article: last year.

[Vaquero]

SF. They eat a big meal then crap in the streets. It’s their culture.

[Joe 6-pack]

While it has little to do specifically with American Thanksgiving, I was hooked by the BBC series, "Supersizers Go...," and the follow on, "Supersizers Eat..."

Both examine the culinary history and traditions of a period of British history ranging from Roman times up to present. Fascinating information presented in a very entertaining package, all available on YouTube.

[mylife]

I’ll look those up :)

[Joe 6-pack]

I’m a mild foodie, but a rabid history buff. The series hit the spot on both accounts for me :-)

[ArtDodger]

tastes change over time, for various reasons.

I remember watching ‘Romancing the Stone’ when it came out. Everyone thought it as funny as all get out.

Now, most will watch for 10 minutes, max, before switching to something else.

[Larry Lucido]

Covering yourself in oregano and parmesan, well, your mileage may vary.

[Drew68]

Personally I love all things tomato. why did they take away my Snap E Tom? Why?!!!

I need one of those right now. With vodka in it.

[V_TWIN]

Still not gettin' it

[mylife]

Yup, Fad Culture can be that way, Pop will eat itself! but the belch goes on...

[M1903A1]

Great album though....

[mylife]

It certainly makes the rest of the day better, Ollie..

[Reeses]

Copper Jello molds doubled as high fashion interior decorating.