My love of cooking started early; it’s hard to avoid food when you grow up in a restaurant! My cookbook collecting started in 1959, with the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book. My mother gave me the 1959 edition of this longstanding general cookbook and I still use it to make several of my favorite dishes. Since it was published in the late 50s, it’s perfect for some recipes from that era to compliment this special edition of the Richfield Springs Mercury. One of the favorite ways to entertain during the 50s and 60s was with appetizers and beverages. The following recipes are taken from the chapter of this cookbook with that name. Gosh, can you still buy dried codfish? Gloucester Codfish Balls
One and one-half cups freshened, shredded salt codfish Three cups diced raw potatoes Two tablespoons butter or margarine One-quarter teaspoon pepper One beaten egg
Freshen codfish by soaking in water several hours or overnight. Cook potatoes and codfish in boiling water until potatoes are tender; drain. Mash and add remaining ingredients; beat thoroughly. Drop from tablespoon into shallow fat, hot enough to brown bread cubes in 40 seconds. Fry until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper. Makes 1 dozen fish balls. NOTE: if canned codfish is used, reduce potatoes to one and one-half cups and increase codfish to three cups. Blue-Cheese Rolls
Two packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese One-half pound blue cheese Two tablespoons finely chopped celery One tablespoon finely chopped onion Dash cayenne pepper Salad dressing or mayonnaise One and one-half cups chopped California walnuts Blend cheeses. Add celery, onion, cayenne and salad dressing. Form into tiny rolls. Roll each in nuts and chill. Makes 16-20 rolls. Anchovy Puffs
Blend one-half cup butter or margarine and one three-ounce package cream cheese. Mix with one cup sifted flour. Chill. Roll very thin and cut with 2-inch cookie cutter. Spread with anchovy paste. Fold over and bake in a hot oven (400 degrees F.) 10 minutes. Serve hot. Minced Clam Dip (This one was THE dip to serve during those years!)
One clove garlic Two packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese One teaspoon lemon juice, fresh, frozen or canned One teaspoon Worcestershire sauce One-half teaspoon salt Dash pepper One-half cup minced clams, drained One to two tablespoons of the clam broth
Rub mixing bowl with a cut clove of garlic. Blend cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, clams and broth. Place in the center of a large tray of fresh potato chips or crackers. Let your guests dip right in.
There are so many classic recipes from the 50s and 60s: finger sandwiches, Jell-o molds, cobblers and cakes, fruit filled pies and much, much more. People entertained at home a great deal, as they didn’t have the vast selection of restaurants we now enjoy. Money was sometimes tight plus it was great fun to have your friends come over to eat, play cards or watch television. Joan Gilbert Buell reminded me, at my class dinner during the reunion, of the Tuesday night gatherings where we would make pizza from a Chef Boy-R-Dee boxed mix. Those days were great fun and re-living some of them during this reunion was a big part of the pleasure of getting together.
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