Web Page No 2528

18^th November 2018

1^st Picture. Artic Roll

2nd Picture. Ambrosia Rice

3^rd Picture. Chicken in a basket

4^th Picture. Black Forest Gateau

Food Glorious Food!

When you look back over the past few decades it’s amazing how much our tastes have changed when it comes to our favourite foods. Here are a few stand out dish for every year from 1950 to 1970. From jelly and custard to stuffed peppers, this lovely lot are a real walk down memory lane…

1950: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Because sweet treats were in short supply during the years after the war this amazingly colourful bake was welcomed with open arms when it burst onto the foodie scene in 1950. Made with tinned goods, pineapple upside down cake was an easy thing to whip up with your butter and sugar rations and could make its way round a big family if sliced thinly enough.

1951: SPAM

While fresh meat was still being heavily rationed SPAM provided an unlikely source of protein to thousands of British families during the 1950s. Love them or hate them, SPAM fritters were the dish of the year. These crispy morsels were coated in batter, deep-fried and served up for many a supper.

1952: Baked Alaska

To be a true child of 1952 you’ve got to have had a baked Alaska or two in your time. This science-defying pudding wowed the masses when it was introduced in the 1950s with its hot outside and freezing cold inside. Made with a sponge bottom, a thick layer of jam, a mound of ice cream and a baked meringue shell it really was an impressive party centrepiece.

1953: Devilled Eggs

Liberated from egg and sugar rations but still firmly in the grips of cheese and meat rationing British cooks of 1953 were keen to make the most of their new found culinary freedom. The result? Devilled eggs of course! These were a real favourite for serving up as part of a party spread.

1954: Burgers and Milkshakes

1954 saw the end of rationing altogether and the opening of the first Wimpy Bars, selling burgers and milkshakes to Britain’s teenagers – and they loved it.

1955: Black Forest Gateau

With its layers of chocolate sponge, whipped cream and cherry syrup, Black Forest Gateau was the dish of the moment in 1955, after being invented in Germany some years earlier. It appeared in recipe books everywhere following its inclusion on a list of best-known German cakes in 1949.

1956: Coronation Chicken

Coronation chicken was invented for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 and gathered popularity with every year that passed. In 1956 this mix of cooked chicken, mayonnaise and curry powder and truly become one of Britain’s favourite lunchtime sandwich fillers.

1957: Rice Pudding

Ah, Rice pudding, a deliciously creamy dessert that was traditionally made in a pot but somehow found its way into a tin during the first world war. Despite the tinned version coming years earlier it was 1957 that marked a huge step change for the most popular brand, Ambrosia, when it had to open up a whole new factory to cope with the demand from the masses.

1958: Chop Suey

A rise in immigration gave us a real taste for strong flavours from further afield. 1958 was the year Chop Suey was introduced to the menu of Butlins’ holiday camps – making it officially a British favourite!

1959: Arctic Roll

Birds Eye inherited Arctic Roll in 1959, when it bought an Eastbourne ice cream factory and went on to have great success with this freezer staple of the time.

1960: Chicken Tikka Masala

The increase in the number of immigrants certainly had an effect on the food we were eating during 1960. It really was the year that Indian restaurants began to flourish and it’s when we first got our taste for chicken tikka masala.

1961: Lager

Although we might think of lager as a national drink now, it wasn’t actually introduced to us until the 1960s.

1962: Cheese and Onion Crisps

Cheese and onion crisps were introduced in 1962 by Golden Wonder and joined the existing crisp flavours of ready salted and salt and vinegar.

1963: Duck a l’Orange

Famously one of Grace Kelly’s favourite dishes duck a l’orange was thought to be one of the most exotic flavour combinations to date in 1963. Rarely before had meat been paired with fruit and was thought of as very modern.

1964: Prawn Cocktail

We can’t help but hold a fond place in our hearts for all children of 1964 because their birthdays coincide with one of our all time favourite  The prawn cocktail.

1965: Crêpe Suzette

Following on from 1963s duck a l’orange the next recipe to gain popularity using oranges was crêpe Suzette. The recipe was brought over from France and it became one of the stand out dishes of the year.

1966: Chicken Liver Pate

In the 1960s we were a lot more used to offal and using up every part of the animal, which meant chicken liver pate quickly became one of the most loved dishes.

1967: Angel Delight

Question: What is nationally famous dish, enjoyed by millions from its first appearance in 1967, is made of whey powder combined with several emulsifiers and gelling agents and (despite these unlovely ingredients) was originally marketed as a health food? Answer: Angel Delight, this odd y dessert was served up in glasses all over Britain during 1967.

1968: Jelly and custard

What child doesn’t love jelly and custard? This school canteen favourite was made popular in the late 1960s thanks to its cheap packet ingredients and simple flavours.

1969: Fray Bentos Pies

Fray Bentos pies were the latest in a sudden line up of convenient meals in the late 1960’s. All that was required from any cook was to peel back the ring pull tin lid and bake the pie in the oven.

1970: Spaghetti Bolognese

Believe it or not back in 1970 spaghetti bolognese was a pretty fashionable ‘foreign’ dish that would be served up at dinner parties up and down the land. Guests often spent the evening working out how to get the slippery strands into their mouths while trying to avoid tomato sauce going all down their best dress!

I know I have not mentioned at least three classics Instant Whip, Chicken in a Basket and Scampi in a basket. I will leave those for another day.

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On this Day 18th November 1960-1965

On 18/11/1960 the number one single was It's Now Or Never - Elvis Presley and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Take Your Pick (AR) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

18/11/1961 the number one single was Little Sister/His Latest Flame - Elvis Presley and the number one album was Another Black & White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels. The top rated TV show was Sunday Night at the London Palladium (ATV) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 18/11/1962 the number one single was Lovesick Blues - Frank Ifield and the number one album was West Side Story Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 18/11/1963 the number one single was You'll Never Walk Alone - Gerry & the Pacemakers and the number one album was Please Please Me - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Conservative Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Socialists win Dundee West by-election.

On 18/11/1964 the number one single was Baby Love - Supremes and the number one album was A Hard Day's Night - Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 18/11/1965 the number one single was Get Off Of My Cloud - Rolling Stones and the number one album was Liverpool. The top rated TV show was "Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music.

A pound of today's money was worth £not very interesting and 11.69 were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Take Your Pick (AR)".