Thursday, April 12, 2007

Shortcut Cooking

The Meredith Corporation was responsible for one of the greatest cookbooks of the 1960s. Shortcut Cooking, published in 1969, isn't just any cookbook. It's a revolution in the way we look at food! Well, at least hot dogs.


1. Front cover - This is supposedly Ham in Cherry Sauce, though the sauce reminds me of something I once saw growing on a tree. Either way, this would be easy to make and take up very little time!


2. Inside cover - An Apricot Coconut Ring, a tropical touch to your summer barbecues. Best placed near palm tree.


3. Photo courtesy of Proud Mary's Kitchen: Bigwheel Burger Skillet.


4. You know you're someone once you're able to prepare the Bigtime Broils Meal! Nothing really says 'success' like a Mixed Grill, but, hopefully, you won't ruin your reputation with those Strawberry Pudding Cakes!


5. As the hand model sprinkles snipped parsley on her Aloha Broiled Chicken, so can you! Don't forget those crab apples because, without them, you're just serving Broiled Chicken.


6. What a sight for sore eyes, it's another look at that gelatinous favorite, the Easy Perfection Salad (recipe therein)! She looks transcendental topped with a bow made from a lettuce leaf, some carrot curls, and a plump olive.


7. It's very rare for us to catch a glimpse of some Baby Orange Babas away from their protective mother. Scientists believe this picture shows them feeding, and that they surely are the Dandy Do-Little Desserts all the books claim they are. At the very least, they are fairly post-modern looking. They'll go well on your kidney-shaped coffee table by your Eames chair!


8. This Wonkaesque concoction is either lemon-lime or mint. Or both. Either way, why not fix up one of these Fountain Fix-Ups?


9. Let's Go Dutch with these deviled eggs and packaged luncheon meats! I do believe I spy Spam! This looks more like a lazy antipasto than something Dutch to me..


10. Frankly, before your Fountain Fix-Ups, you should try some Frank Fix-Ups, including Circle Pups and Rafted Wieners!


11. Tasty Toppers courtesy of the Aloha and Mountain Burgers. A burger isn't a burger without monosodium glutamate!


12. Here is the Sea-Food Spectacular spread. My favorite part is the cake. It's allegedly Lemonade Angel Dessert, but I think it's actually made of hard boiled egg yolk.

4 comments:

Jason Stockl said...

I'm still skeptical about savory molded/jell-o salads...

There's just something inherently wrong about them...

Maria said...

Well, yes, they're certainly not right to eat, but you can't help but feel a bit humbled when you're looking at a miracle of nature! Maybe if there was some kind of refrigerated zoo or museum where you could just browse, and maybe read little placards describing where they originated.

Jason Stockl said...

I'd call it "The Curly Wurly Conservatory"!

Maria said...

That would be an honor!