Retroessence is living with the sense of style and flair of the '50's
and '60's. If you grew up during this period, this website is for you. If you have an interest in food, trends and style of
the retro era, this site is for you. If you arrived here because you were curious about the title, this site is for you,
too. Not intended to be a comprehensive listing of recipes of this era, this site is an oasis of nostalgia where we can share
a smile of recognition and for a few moments return to a simpler, more gracious way of life. We will explore retroessence together!
If you grew up in the retro era, you know these recipes.
We enjoyed them at picnics, potlucks, and best of all in our own homes. Many of these recipes featured the use of canned
and packaged foods which were becoming more and more varied and interesting. The use of canned soup made
meal preparation faster and easier, so this item was a staple of many of our mother's recipes, as well as many
of our own! Creative cooks brought ingenuity to the canned soup recipe, and strange concoctions such as the "tomato
soup cake" (featured on dessert page) appeared. Cooks of the retro era often gave their recipes
whimsical titles, such as "broken glass torte", and preparing colorful dishes with visual appeal became highly desirable.
Meal preparation had been released from the dull constraints of the WWII years; with the help of canned and
packaged foods, every housewife could serve tasty dishes "with a modern flair".
Retroessence
Hint:Men with hats? Have you ever noticed that in the '50's and '60's both men and women wore hats? They wore hats whenever they went out; most women would not be seen without a hat while shopping downtown,going to
lunch or socializing. Men also wore a "topcoat" or overcoat and hat when out and about. Watch black
and white vintage movies or classic tv shows and you'll see what I mean; think of Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity. Wearing
a hat was a statement that the wearer was to be taken seriously. To create a fashion style of
retroessence, try wearing a hat.
Shipwreck, Eatmore, Pigs in Blankets, S'more's, Broken Glass,
Baked Alaska, Pink Lady, Heaven Food, Mahoghany Cake, Golden Nuggets, Seven-in-One, Midnight Cake, Briney Deep, Hunter's Delight,
Russian Fluff, Chocolate Surprise....these are some imaginative recipe titles from the '50's and '60's. Fluffs,
surprises and delights were especially popular! Email us and share your delicious retro delights!
