Retro 60s Lunch Menu
 

An old friend of my dau's is coming up to stay with her for a few days and I invited them up for lunch. I love this guy and have known him since they were both in Jr. High. He is now an assistant art director for the film industry. His job is to hunt down props and help create sets. He does a lot of nostalgic, historical stuff, so I thought that he'd like a "retro lunch, with a 21 century twist." I'd love some suggestions on the menu. I'm thinking that the main course should be vegan, Chili Mac. I'm at a loss as to what to serve with it. Suggestions please.

Waldorf salad
Lemon icebox pie
A jello salad
Fresh loaf of bread
Shrimp cocktail
Crab Louis salad
Ambrosia salad
Deviled eggs
Sloppy joes
Apple spice cake

LOL my memories of retro lunch is Appian Way pizza from a box or Chef Boyardee Ravioli :p

But like tallchick, I can see a nice fancy Crab/Shrimp Louie or other salad in my super cool retro green class blow glass bowl thingies.

I was looking at my Sunset Magazine, "The Dinner Party Cookbook" dated 1962. Not much to go with things like chili much less vegan, but lots of basic green salads. For their mole "Mexican Christmas Eve Party" menu they had a dessert of Baked Pineapple with Natillas (sort of a custard) where they baked/served in the pineapple shell for that bit of wow factor.

My first thought for fun and retro is fondue -- maybe chocolate fondue for dessert instead of a meat/oil or cheese version.

I also love to do a crowd size gelatin mold but a couple of problems, first not vegan, but after that you really need to make jello for 16 or so people to do it justice. I can't make a reasonable family size, only potluck and shower and neighborhood picnic sized.

Iceblossom, you reminded me of all the fondue pots in garage sales years ago. What a hoot. I love fondue.

Wait, let me get out my high school recipes out! I seriously have two metal boxes of them. Wish my granddtr wanted them, but she doesn't.
All listed sound good!!!

Thanks you guys! Lots of good ideas here. I forgot to mention that I have to go to town that morning, so everything has to be made ahead of time.

Geesh! What a treasure. She'll regret turning those down later.

Geesh! What a treasure! She should rethink that decision. She'll regret it later if she doesn't take them.

Oops...sorry for the double entry. I don't know how that happened.

So, I'm still thinking of the Chili Mac as the main dish, but I'm also considering vegan Swedish Meatballs with noodles. Also, for one side, Coleslaw with blue cheese. For dessert, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, which I can make today and freeze. Wadda ya think?

Sounds pre-groovy! which is I think what you want :)

If you have dishes/tablecloths/etc, place settings. (remember straw flowers?) anything can be retro. Just serving something in a martini glass makes it atomic age.

Was going to mention that the Mole Christmas feast that had the baked pineapple also had sopapilas to go with the chicken mole, I think any sort of bread would go nicely with the chili and shaped breads in particular are currently classified as retro and with the big wooden salad bowls and tiki forks...
edit: Think clover rolls, crescent rolls, breadsticks with seeds on them...

As are any hot appetizers, that Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry (vegan!) is amazing to make something that takes nothing to do but set the tone with a tasty snack.

Thanks IceBlossom...so cool and groovy! So, OK, here's what I came up with. The entire menu is vegan.

Iced Tea, Tab (if they still make it) and beer to drink
Artichoke spinach dip, with Ruffles, (Rrrrruffles have rrrrridges,) Pringles (served in the can, of course,) and fritos (via the "Frito Bandito")
Stuffed cherry tomatoes
Swedish Meatballs with noodles
Cucumbers in "sour cream" with dill
Carrot Salad (maybe)
Coleslaw
Pineapple Upside-down Cake, (In the oven as we type)

60s playlist goin' strong

Mole is still one of our favorites.

I have a couple of pieces of Corning Ware to serve things in and a pretty, covered cake stand for the cake. I didn't put Maraschino cherries on the cake. I kind of regret that, but I didn't have any in the fridge and I'm not going to town, so that's that. It will still look and taste good.

So, I just looked up Tab, and alas, they stopped selling it in Dec. 2020. Maybe RC Cola???

Poppin' Fresh Crescent Rolls might be a fun, added touch.

ohhh...ooohhhhh...I have a copper, chafing dish for the meatballs!!! I'd better get that out and clean it up!!!

Waddabout Fresca?

Watergate salad.

What's in it?

I'm adding a homemade version of vegan, "easy cheese" stuffing for the cherry tomatoes. I'm going to pipe it from a pastry bag, instead of the aerosol can. I'm also going to make my own version of Fresca by using grapefruit juice, monk fruit and soda-free seltzer water.

I'm keeping the "very bad for you" Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. They're just to iconic to skip. But, I'm replacing the stick of butter with Earth Balance.

Easy Cheese, Crackers and a big, vodka martini, (with the vermouth bottle just waved over the glass, garnished with a giant, green olive...which is always given to the closest kid nearby.) That was my Mom's go-to meal and my dau was always the kid that got the olive. She'll have fond memories when she sees that Easy Cheese. :)

I'm definitely skipping the martinis.

I saw some the other day at Safeway, I think it was. Nasty, nasty stuff.

Sounds like you've got your feast figured out :)

Watergate salad is close to my molded gelatins -- basically pistachio pudding mix and pineapple.
https://simplysidedishes.com/easy-wa...e-jello-salad/

Now, despite my earlier protestations about making crowd sized jello brand building projects -- I can make a reasonable sized small jello from green jello and pineapple, I like to add the bit of chopped nuts and celery.

So, I made this menu for my Dau and her guest. It was just OK. Unfortunately, they were running late, really late, so my lunch turned into a dinner. I had to reheat everything a couple of times and some of the dishes just sort of changed texture, especially the Swedish Meatballs. They got mushy. Oh well. The "easy cheese" stuffed tomatoes were great though. :)

retro cookbook site
 

https://www.we-energies.com/recipes/default

The recipe booklets start in 1928 and was put out every year until 1974. This is from the electric company who wanted everyone to cook with the 'new' electric stoves.

Hope everyone can find a recipe they might remember.
Jan

Hope the retro dinner was fun. I still have a few recipe books from the 70s but not 60s. I love the old fashioned jello molds.