NYC Mid Century Supper Club Potluck at The Beauty Bar

Grab a cocktail and strap on your feed bag - it's chow time! We had such a great time at the NYC Mid Century Supper Club Potluck at the fabulous original Beauty Bar!

1950s Appetizers & Classic Cocktail Recipe - the Algonquin!

On today's menu we have four 1950s appetizers by request, along with the classic Algonquin cocktail! Travel back in time with us for a happy hour cocktail party laden with retro favorites! Many may scoff at this menu in 2017, but I guarantee they will still scarf down these tidbits like it's their job. Cheers!

When Your Home Is Also Your Set

We took a production design class at the YouTube Space here in New York the other night, which was really great, since I've been thinking that we need to refresh our "set" for the show for a while now. However, our set also happens to be our living room (and occasionally our dining room or kitchen)! I'd love to create a fantasy bar space, with fabulous mid-century bar stools and whatnot, but 1) we still need to live in our living room and 2) our living room is approximately the size of a cracker box. However, sitting in that class, it came to me - exactly what I want to do with our space! Because the changes I want to make are so big, it also involves redoing at least one other room, but that's okay. We'll be keeping our bar (my favorite piece of furniture), but pretty much every other piece of furniture is going to shift into another room. This will take both money and time, so it won't all happen at once, but I'm inspired! Here are some gratuitous shots of seating that I would love to add, along with a fabulous mid-century bar to keep me inspired.

I would love to pick up one of the fabulous MCM sectionals on the market, but they wouldn't even fit into our room!

Wish me luck! I'm going to be busy!

Food For Fitness, 1942-Style

When contemporary life seems a trifle strange it helps to look to the past and see that life has always been strange. Today's example comes from the Pet Milk Company, in the form of their 1942 booklet, Food for "Fitness" (the quotes are theirs) for 2 or 4 or 6. This World War II cookbook and nutrition guide is densely stocked with recipes and advice that bear little resemblance to any fitness advice one might receive now, but is fascinating nonetheless. Some examples:

Everything is better when it's molded.

You have to love a fitness regimen that features sundaes!

This booklet was published before canned milk became a rationed food, which accounts for the lack of points mentioned for each recipe - a typical feature of wartime cookbooks. And so many mid-century recipes call for molding. I'd love to know how many homemakers actually molded their meals. 

Let's meet the woman responsible for these recipes - a media star in her day - Mary Lee Taylor, host of the twice-weekly radio broadcast from the Pet Milk Experimental Kitchen:

I have so many questions for Gordon Ellis, "Official Taster" of these recipes!

You have to hand it to Ms. Taylor: she was committed to creating recipes that provided low-cost nutrition and that were accessible to everyone. They may seem bizarre now, but she was fighting the good fight. If you're curious about any of these recipes, pick up a can of Pet Milk today and give them a spin! I'd love to hear how they turn out!

FOOD Exhibition at the Smithsonian

We just returned from a weekend in Washington, DC, where we attended the Smithsonian's Food History Weekend and saw, among other fabulous exhibits, the FOOD: Transforming The American Table 1950 - 2000 exhibition. If you have any interest in mid-century American culture, particularly food and drink, do try to get to the National Museum of American History for this fabulous experience! Besides being greeted by Julia Child's intact kitchen, which you can view from many angles, there is everything from a Trader Vic's cookbook and tiki mugs to the first frozen margarita machine to Cheez Whiz! Here are a few of my favorite photos. Admission to the museum is free. While you're there, don't forget to check out Dorothy's ruby slippers, Archie Bunker's chair and the "The Star Spangled Banner" - the flag that inspired the national anthem!

7-Eleven ad: Leave The Youngsters In The Car? I don't think you could do that today and not get arrested!

What will they think of next?

Fast Cheese

Cooking with Fritos

World's First Frozen Margarita Machine, from Mariano's Mexican Cuisine in Dallas, 1971

I think this speaks for itself!

Tiki at the Smithsonian!

How To Have A Ball On A Baby Sitter's Budget

We recently received a box in the mail from a fabulous friend, filled with honeycomb decorations for several holidays and vintage cookbook pamphlets, one of my favorite things in life! These are the books that you see in line at the supermarket or that you can send away for or get free when you purchase a product. There were some amazing ones in the box, including this one, with which I’m obsessed: How To Have A Ball On A Baby Sitter’s Budget, from the Pillsbury Junior Home Service Center. It’s not dated, but judging from the section entitled “Soaring Into 60s” I’m going to guess it’s from 1959. It is a treasure trove of Christmas-themed fabulousness, with ideas for parties like “Winter Barbecue,” “Mocktail Party” and “Slumber Party.” Today let’s look at Slumber Party for some ideas for a Christmas breakfast (click images to make them larger):

I love that hard boiled egg decorated like Santa! Actually, I love everything about this, from the idea that one might use toothpicks to prop up their drooping eyelids the morning after (you just can’t suggest things like that in cookbooks anymore) to the punch made from Pillsbury Fluffy Orange Frosting Mix. Sprinkle with nutmeg (and copious amounts of rum couldn’t hurt)!

I’ll share more from this fabulous tome soon! In the meantime, start planning that holiday slumber party! It’s a natural for New Year’s Eve!

Breakfast Nook and Apple Salsa

Our breakfast nook renovation is practically done and I'm so happy! I made the curtains for the new pantry today:

And Paul installed our new light fixture:

I love that fixture so much! I've dubbed it Flintstones Modern, since it looks like something Wilma would have chosen if she'd moved into a mid-century modern home.

All that's left is the finishing touches - putting stuff back on the shelves, hanging pictures, etc. I'm glad to have something done!

Paul has been busy filling holes in the bathroom walls that had to be cut out to install electricity. I guess that's why they add electricity when the house is being built. They had to cut out huge chunks. More wall patch!

In other news, I quickly improvised this salsa last night and it turned out to be really good! All you do is chop an apple, half a cucumber and a few jalapeño peppers (I was using what I had) and toss with fresh lime juice, salt and pepper and a little garlic and red pepper flakes, if you like. It was great with salmon and today we're having it with chips!

Bit By Bit

That's what Paul keeps saying about our home improvement projects: "Bit by bit."

My cookbooks are housed! Not all of them, but the vast majority.

I'm going to make covers for those ugly-yet-get-the-job-done bookends, probably out of the fabric we bought to make the curtains for the pantry. Right after I make the curtains for the pantry. I'd do it tomorrow, but hopefully our power will be out tomorrow - the electrician is supposedly coming to wire up our powder room! I say "supposedly" because I'm a little skeptical after the false starts. Please send good electrical thoughts our way!

Breakfast Nook: Light At The End Of The Tunnel

After an anxiety attack, which involved our new shelves NOT bearing the weight IKEA promised, we're back in business! Paul shored two of them up with supports that claim they'll now hold 200 pounds of weight and now I can move the food back into its rightful pantry (right, which currently harbors cookbooks). Next up: our new light fixture, our new utility cart, curtains for the front of the pantry and, eventually, more painting.

If  you're ever home improving, I recommend watching the film Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, on a continuous loop, if possible. There is no better inspiration or, frankly, antidote for delays and other frustrations. 

I'm getting kind of annoyed

I just unearthed the old tub in our powder room and found that the previous owners built this weird frame around it, which is going to be all kinds of fun to rid ourselves of. However, I'd rather look at the unfinished tub side than that hideous wall board. I really think this house has every issue it could possibly have, along with some other fun idiosyncrasies for good measure.