Get retro with "The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Sixties Cookbook: More Than 100 Retro Recipes for the Modern Cook" by Rick Rodgets and Heather Maclean.
With the popularity of the show "Mad Men" or just a hankering for food like mom (or grandma) used to make, this book caters to dishes made popular in the 1960s dinner party scene, and even gives ideas for party themes, menus and decorations.
The book is divided into six chapters: Food to Drink By: Appetizers and Hors d' Oeuvres; Vichyssoise, Iceberg and Aspic...Oh My! Soups, Salads and Sandwiches; Company Food: Main Courses; Best Supporting Players: Vegetables and Side Dishes; Showstoppers: Desserts and finally, Executive Cocktails.
Examples of appetizers featured are Blini and Caviar, Deviled Eggs, Rumaki-a-rama and Eat-by-the-Barrel TV Mix.
Soups, salads and sandwiches (and even aspic) featured are Tomato and Shrimp Aspic, Iceberg Lettuce Wedge with Blue Cheese Dressing and Bacon, Blender Gazpacho, Sixties Secret Grilled Cheese Sandwich (the secret is mayonnaise) and the ever popular Sloppy Joes.
Main courses range from Beef Wellington, Leg of Lamb with Gravy and Mint Jelly and Matterhorn Fondue to Ultimate Meat Loaf, Potato Chip Baked Chicken and Chicken a la King.
Vegetables and side dishes are such recipes as Asparague aux Blender Hollandaise, Butter-Whipped Potatoes, Steakhouse Creamed Spinach and Green Beans in Mushroom Sauce.
Desserts are sweets like Flaming Baked Alaska, Soused Grasshopper Pie and Cherries Jubilee.
The book ends with cocktails like Bloody Mary, Screwdriver, Tom Collins and Vodka Gimlet.
I tried making Sweet and Tangy Meatballs and Real Onion Dip for an appetizers for dinner one night. The meatballs were homemade, and then a chili sauce, grape jelly and hot pepper sauce marinated over them. They were easy to do, baked in the oven and were super tasty! My dad loved them and wanted the recipe (since he says I never make anything more than once.) The onion dip you could make from scratch, or do the 60s thing and just use a container of sour cream and an envelope of dry onion soup mix, which is what I did. It was good and the girls thought it was so cool I made dip! (Don't tell them.)
"The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Sixties Cookbook" is published by Running Press. It is $20.
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Contact Amy Phelps at aphelps@newsandsentinel.com
