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30 Vintage Recipes That Are So Questionable, It’s Hard To Imagine What The Dishes Should Taste Like
A lot can change in, say, 50 years. Just look at the car or communication industry. How we eat is no exception. And nothing shows it as vividly as the Facebook group Questionable Vintage Recipes.
As the name suggests, its members share funny and weird foods from back in the day: we're talking lamb chops, cranberry "candles", and crown roasts of frankfurters. You know, the good stuff.
Continue scrolling to check out some of the most ridiculous recipes the group has to offer. Just don't show them to Gordon Ramsay. He'd be fuming!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
That Might Explain Some Things About The 70s...
Douglas Turner 4 years ago
Poached if necessary? What would make it necessary to poach an egg? Sorry, honey, that egg needs to be poached. No questions, just poach that egg. No, not that one, the other one. Why is this so complicated?
... 4 years ago
My question exactly. Why would it be necessary to be poached instead of hard boiled? Oh but this was different times, maybe Mr. Gigglejuice demanded poached eggs only for lunch?
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Daniel Atkins 4 years ago
Wow not a vegetable in that diet. You know anyone on this diet could not claim their farts don't stink.
RELATED:
#2
Questionable Vintage Recipes
John Baker 4 years ago
Even back then, medical science knew better, but there were no laws against questionable advertising practices in those days.
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2WheelTravlr 4 years ago
This is a modern creation - I saw it first on historiclols.com years ago, along with some fake ads for bacon and lard.
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
You can bet that somewhere near this recipe there's a cigarette ad featuring a smoking doctor
Andrew Gibb 4 years ago
here it is Julia- good ole camels 71Mnes05IF...57f3b1.jpg 
Lee-Gwen Booth 4 years ago
This is a fake ad. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/boy-eating-butter-ad/
Currently, the group has 38,400 members and a 6-people admin and mod team looking after it. Luckily for us, they agreed to answer a few questions, introducing the online community from the inside.
"I started the group as a way to bond with my new mother-in-law," Katiaña, the founder of Questionable Vintage Recipes, told Bored Panda. "We both think wild vintage foods are really funny and I was afraid I wouldn't have anything else in common with her (thankfully I was wrong) so I made what I thought was just going to be the two of us and my roommate Yvonne sharing silly pictures of spamcakes and aspics. It blew up almost overnight."
#3
Who Doesn’t Love A Little Whipped Cream With Their Angel Food?
Spinz 4 years ago
I'm more than certain this was originally intended as a joke, but I'd be lying if I said this didn't look at least a little tempting to try and eat all of
Susan Trevaskis-Owen 4 years ago
Yes, it was an advertising campaign for Reddi-wip. I remember seeing it in magazines when I was a kid & thinking it was hilarious.
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Anna Sadacca 4 years ago
because it's an ad for the canned redi-whip...with a 20 cent coupon...of course they want to sell all they can. The real question should be why is there a cherry on top when it should clearly be another strawberry!
#4
Questionable Vintage Recipes
Cori 4 years ago
Kiwis and olives should never hang out together. And for the love of god, what is that gray stuff!?
Susan Trevaskis-Owen 4 years ago
I see olives, peas, carrots, kiwi, cubed meat of some sort (ham, maybe?) and...are those *oysters* at the top? Please tell me those aren't oysters at the top...
Iggy 4 years ago
I think they are oysters, And the piping is mashed potato.
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Let’s All Just Try And Be Decent 4 years ago
Oh my Lord what is the grey stuff at the top it's making me feel sick just looking at it
Aria Whitaker 4 years ago
They are slimy, canned oysters. Can you imagine having to EAT it? *gags*
Load More Replies...One of the admins, Kelly, said that even though a lot of different monstrosities get submitted, aspic and spam are definite favorites among the members.
Indeed, if you look through popular cookbooks of the 1950s and 1960s, you'll encounter a disheartening trend that has since faded into obscurity: dishes that were encased in savory molded gelatin or aspic.
An article in The Daily Meal says this could've been due to the fact that in the early 1950s refrigerators were still quite expensive, and since gelatin needs refrigeration in order to set, preparing a Jell-O mold was something of a status symbol.
Eventually, molds became so popular and ended up in so many cookbooks because home chefs (and publishers) simply accepted that they were a desirable thing to make. They also were relatively fun to prepare—cooks used to show off aesthetic skills by creating inventive aspics. Plus, the ingredient list was quite cheap if you were using canned goods and leftovers.
#5
I’d Eat It
Iggy 4 years ago
There's nothing wrong with that. You could just freeze it as individual ice pops/ice lollies/popsicles.
Auntriarch 4 years ago
It freezes nicely, not hard, I made a bombe with orange and chocolate flavours
Load More Replies... Full Name 4 years ago (edited)
Isn't this Ambrosia? Vintage, yes. But still not that uncommon even today.
SydneyP 4 years ago
I have grown up eating something my mother calls “sawdust salad” which is: one tub of cottage cheese, 1 can of crushed pineapple, 1 large box of any fruit flavored gelatin (mom prefers lime while I prefer strawberry), one tub of cool whip. Mix it together and enjoy! It’s actually really good but of course everyone has their likes and dislikes
Lillukka79 4 years ago
That's what I was wondering. Cottage cheese is ground moomin meat.
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Sandy D 4 years ago
The cottage cgeesesounds terrible, but it works. It doesn't taste like cottage cheese when it's done.
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Lisa Shelton 4 years ago
It is basically non-dairy whipped topping. Originally it had absolutely no dairy in it but I guess since 2018 they have been putting in a slight amount of milk or light cream, (less than 2%). Sounds gross but tastes like heaven.
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#6
Tonight’s Dinner Sorted!
... 4 years ago
My age vision loss is playing tricks. I read three times 'garbage grapefruit salad'. But looking at the pic, it's not so far fetched.
Amanita Virosa 4 years ago
Years ago, there used to be a restaurant by me that would have a different Jell-o salad everyday.
"I think viral cooking channels like [ours] have people excited about cooking again," another member of the team, Jennifer, added. "Being in this group has definitely had me and my mom reaching for my great-grandmother's hand-written cookbooks more often. I know early in the pandemic when supply chains were disrupted and we weren't sure when we'd get to the grocery store again, people were definitely putting together weird combinations from the pantry like our grandparents did."
And according to her colleague, Yvonne, that's probably the main reason why Questionable Vintage Recipes got so big. "I feel like what unites our group for a lot of its members is the memories we associate with food, even if it's an odd combination from a time mostly forgotten," she said.
"It's the memory of someone's mother making a ham aspic at a family bbq, or another generation making a dandelion salad when money and resources were tight."
#7
A Personal Favorite, Conceptually. From That 70s Ww Recipe Deck
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 4 years ago
https://vintagerecipecards.com/2012/05/02/crown-roast-of-frankfurters/ Have fun recreating this eldritch monstrosity.
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Aunt Messy 4 years ago
No, it's pretty disgusting...and it's a Weight Watchers recipe!?
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Dorothy Cloud 4 years ago (edited)
That was worth a chuckle.........WAIT. I just saw it's a WW recipe. No Way!!
#8
Not Quite Sure What To Make Of This
Vicky Z 4 years ago (edited)
The gelatin was the avocado of the 80's!!! Huge trend! Edit: yes perhaps it's from earlier years i just remember i have cookbooks from the 80's and it was a huge trend! I'm not saying it was not in the previous years I'm in my 30s and I don't know but for sure it was really popular until the 80's
Aunt Messy 4 years ago
'80s? Nope, those weird salads go back to WWI. Some of the recipes from the 20s and 30s were worse than this.
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Zuzana Andrejchová 4 years ago
This is still common in Czech Republic, you cab buy it at every supermarket.
judy baker 4 years ago
Just when I thought the creamed eggs in corned beef crust was bad enough along comes this.....
The admins and mods also put together a list of recipes to look out for if you choose to join the group. They're not necessarily group favorites, but team favorites:
- Jennifer: "Any dessert with mayonnaise, anything that involves turning food into a candle";
- Yvonne: "Anything with spam. I make spam macaroni and cheese every week";
- Kelly: "Savory banana dishes. I unironically want to try that banana hollandaise dish";
- Katiaña: "I love the gelatinized spaghettios as an idea but I don't know if I could stomach it in real life."
#9
Where A Lot Of 'Salads' Got Their Jell-O From. Special Non Sweet Flavors
Jo Johannsen 4 years ago
This was the sixties ... I worked at an Alpha Beta for two weeks at 16 and they had this.
Nicki 4 years ago
OMG! I remember Alpha Beta's, I haven't heard anyone talk about that store for forever. Ah...memories 😃😃😃
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A Head 4 years ago
My mother made tomato aspic a lot when I was young in the 70s. Never liked it. Tried it out for Thanksgiving last year (with her recipe), and it was...not bad in small doses. Kind of a sweet/salty/spicy combo, that went well with the other dishes. My kids didn't like it, despite being adventurous eaters, but that was expected.
Laurie Ostergaard-Overbey 4 years ago
hey i want to try those!! especially the seasoned tomato!!
Donae Sommerfeld Lugo 4 years ago
If you've never had aspic, give it a try. Tomato aspic is amazing. It's like a jiggly bloody mary.
Onion rings like to make your breath smelly 4 years ago
i cant imagine having jello with salad
#10
Some Of These Look Good...
Glynna Bowood 4 years ago
Also, Chaotic Good looks like what I would come up with after Neutral Good failed!!
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Anna Sadacca 4 years ago
the animals which were slaughtered for this 'jello' and you blatantly mock it...
Cybele Spanjaard 4 years ago
Some are more or less familiar..but earlier than the 70's/. Lawful Evil wins me
#11
Anyone Have The Recipe For This One?
StrawberryParfait 4 years ago
Look. It was a different time. Housewives were learning how to make food "fun" for their families, and fancy food presentation was becoming a "thing". I think this is a touching effort, and clearly required some creativity. They didn't have all the fancy food gadgets back then that we have now.
Eucritta 4 years ago
I can remember rooster-shaped cake molds that could've been adapted for this - just shave off the comb & most of the tail, and apply potato chips. Ruffles chips, from the look of it. I would've loved this as a kid.
Load More Replies... Paula Gray 4 years ago
Yes! It's from the Australian Women's Weekly birthday cake recipe book from the 1980's. It was like a bible for all kids of that era with many a parent groaning when their kid picked out the most difficult cake for their birthday that year.
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
Yay! There's a pic of my with the humpty dumpty cake, chocolate all over my face and sugar crazed gleam in my eyes, circa age 4 😂
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Hogswallop 4 years ago
My mum has that recipe! It's in her Women's Weekly Birthday Cake cookbook. Funnily enough, it never looked appetising as a child. The ballerina covered in marshmallows looked more appealing.
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 4 years ago
Indeed it is! I'm just hoping our dear ducky friend is iced with vanilla frosting and not mayonnaise.
Load More Replies... #12
Kielbasa Legs! Ahh My Polish Grandmother Would Have Blown Her Cigarette Smoke On This In Absolute Delight
Kimberley Gayle Thomas 4 years ago
I'm thinking more than 1 pig is involved.
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Suzanne Clark 4 years ago
On a MASH episode they made a spam lamb to honor the Greek soldiers--it sorta looked like this, until Colonel Blake passed out on it.
Monty Is Fiennes 4 years ago
Looks like a good eastern european night in...with some alcohol... a warm fire and other things...
#13
May I Present To You.... Shrimptree! Seemed To Be A Trend In 1965
Aria Whitaker 4 years ago
Looking at this through the lens of 2021 Covid...it is unthinkable.
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Ana Ferreira 4 years ago
Is it just me or does the stuff at the base of the "tree" look disturbingly like a buttercream covered sheet cake?
Douglas Campbell 4 years ago
The article is about Dr. Fujinaga. A pioneer in Japanese shrimp farming.
Let’s All Just Try And Be Decent 4 years ago
The two things at the bottom look like they are about to scamper away and hide under your bed to jump out and climb up onto your face whilst you sleep. No thanks.
Douglas Turner 4 years ago
Oh National Geographic... our trusted source for a look inside the ways of the world.
#14
Why Not Slice The Banana?
#15
Questionable Vintage Recipes
JuJu 4 years ago
I will make this for Sunday dinner when my family won't stop saying "eww...I don't like steak/broccoli/potatoes/prsley/onions/every ingredient ever. *evil laughter*
Kim Lorton 4 years ago
Lol, tht would be so funny! My mom always told us to go in the back yard and eat worms, because she wasn't a short order cook! You only got something different if you were sick, she didn't want you barfing all over, and everyone had to eat your favorite meal for your birthday!
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Joyce Deering 4 years ago
Aside from thinking how awful this looks, I'm also thinking "Get the food away from the crocus!" Wait. THAT'S NOT FOOD!
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judy baker 4 years ago
Best dish to serve those folks that push for a dinner invite again and again.
#16
I Don’t Think I’ve Ever Had A Stuffed Party Pickle Slice. Surprised They Didn’t Suggest Putting The Party Pickle Innards On A Saltine!!
Hilary Mol 4 years ago
I looks weird... but I'd try it. Pickles - good... cream cheese - good... Why not?
Donkey boi 4 years ago
I bet a surprising number of people would actually like this if they tried it.
Mary Hiers 4 years ago
My MIL was a housewife during the 60s and 70s and she made this kind of "trendy" recipe for special occasions. She said she once made a recipe for a cocktail party that involved pitting a buttload of olives and then replacing every single pit with a slivered almond. She said everyone assumed the almonds were pits and just spit them out. -_-
Cyn Haynes 4 years ago
Dice up some ham in that cream cheese. I've had ham roll ups where it was a slice of ham, a spread of cream cheese, and a dill pickle spear rolled up at several parties and events. It's really good.
#17
I’m Going Through My Mom’s Recipe Box Since She Passed Away. I’ve Come Across Some Lovely Recipes (Heh) Including This Gem. I Hope It’s Okay For Me To Share A Few More Later
Jessica Morin 4 years ago
I actually made something similar last week lol. Mom's recipe. My bg liked it! 186481254_...858827.jpg 
#18
Questionable Vintage Recipes
elStiJneriNO 4 years ago
first thought it was shrimp stuffed tomatos (tomate crevette) which is delicious
Vicky Z 4 years ago
And then you realised it's the 80's and that would be too normal for that decade 😅😅😅
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#19
Questionable Vintage Recipes
Let’s All Just Try And Be Decent 4 years ago
So, tip out a tin can of cat or dog food, very carefully so as not to damage the shape, then stick a candle in it. Ta-da!
Gabby M 4 years ago
Corned beef hash, Open at both ends and just push it out. Has enough fat I believe to be sparking a flame lol
Load More Replies... Hilary Mol 4 years ago
I've never heard of cranberries and mayo together. Just, no, thank you.
Donkey boi 4 years ago
It's a bit blurry, but I'm assuming there is no wax in there? Might be alright.
Onion rings like to make your breath smelly 4 years ago
delicious, now i can light up in flames whenever i want to. the question is, am i flammable?
Susan Mercurio 4 years ago
I've actually made something similar, but what's with the candle idea?
#20
I Teach Culinary Arts. One Of My Fav Classes Is Garde Manger. My #1 Rule: Tread Carefully With Animals (Cucumber Sharks, Ugh) But Never Make Food Look Like Other Food. Below Is The First Slide In My What Not To Do Presentation
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 4 years ago
Who lives in a cheez-covered, olive encrusted pineapple under the sea? Spongebob Squarepants! (Yeah, really doesn't have the same ring to it as the original theme song.)
Let’s All Just Try And Be Decent 4 years ago
Ok... but so if this is not, in fact, a pineapple, what is it??
2WheelTravlr 4 years ago
I think a pimento loaf or some sort of cheese spread.
Load More Replies... Auntriarch 4 years ago
So my cucumber and radish cactuses in crushed peanut chili desert are wrong? I am desolate.
Daniel Atkins 4 years ago
Back in the 70's the food was the same color as the couch to hide stains. this looks like an old upholstery patterm.
Wombatred26 4 years ago
The pineapple looks like a meatloaf with American cheese slices over it and olives pressed in...no?
#21
Campbell's Cream Of Mushroom Soup. Is There Anything It Can't Make More Delicious?
Grumble O'Pug 4 years ago
We still make a tuna cassarole using it. Comes handy in a pinch.
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Anita Pickle 4 years ago (edited)
Never thought I would ever have heard of Tuna 'N Waffles... It's just so bad. Did Campbell's have a demand in staff for so many recipes? Maybe someone was not reaching the quota and just started to make s**t up to get by.
Daniel Atkins 4 years ago
This is how they sold cream of mushroom soup. No one was buying it so they made up recipes like green bean casserole.
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#22
I Found This Recipe And I Just Had To Try It
It's called Frankaroni loaf. It calls for macaroni, bread crumbs, cheese, hot dogs, tomato sauce (not spaghetti sauce) and stuffed olives. I had all ingredients on hand. Except I chose to make it with Spaghettios because it just made the whole thing campier (more campy?campier? Technically that's not a word but I'm a trailblazer) also the only olives I have are stuffed with blue cheese and are for Martinis (guess what wins here). So I reserved some of the Spaghettio juice (or whatever it's called), mixed all the ingredients and put the hot dogs in the middle. It called for 6 hot dogs in a loaf pan longer than the one I had so I needed to break hot dogs in pieces and arrange them to fit (which drove me nuts that I couldn't get into perfect rows). I had 1 left over that I just couldn't fit in and I was already stressed from the guilt of saving the stuffed olives for Martinis so I just left it out. I baked it then used the reserved Spaghettio juice to make that classy diagonal stripe. But alas, what do I do with the leftover hot dog? Well, since the lack of green olives left a gaping hole of despair in our culinary sensibilities I decided I would use the extra hot dog in the style of nouvelle cuisine. Nouvelle cuisine uses the presentation of the dish artistically. For example, you may have a salad that resembles a sunset over the ocean. And the chick pea, if placed perfectly, represents blissful departures with good fortune. So I placed the leftover hot dog along the diagonal stripe of Spaghettio juice to represent a hand hewn boat floating with tranquility across a placid fjord. And the tooth pick represents a flaming arrow shot by a viking setting his dead friend ablaze. Finally it was cool enough to try. I took my first bite and I must say this pretty much tasted like crap. Not spit it out and wash your out out with Scope bad. It just tasted like Spaghettios with bread crumbs. Maybe it will taste better tomorrow. That's OK. I'll just wash the taste out with this Martini...with olives
Victor Botha 4 years ago
The description is hysterical, best recipe and review I've seen in ages.
#23
Questionable Vintage Recipes
SydneyP 4 years ago
Tastes like sadness mixed with middle aged soccer mom 🥴
Load More Replies... Suzanne Haigh 4 years ago
I thought htis may have been a good idea, so many youngster living on their own
Let’s All Just Try And Be Decent 4 years ago
This is so sad! But also, comedic that it implies she microwaved both the wine and the ice cream she's got in front of her
Rebekah G. 4 years ago
Ah, that makes sense. I’ve seen the cookbook in my parent’s house but they were married with kids before they bought their first microwave.
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Anna Sadacca 4 years ago
HOW MUCH ARE YOU EATING FOR ONE ??? That can feed a family in Ethiopia for a damn week
#24
Anyone Fancy A Lamb Chop Tandoori With Mango Chutney- In A Glass?!! Taken From A Book Called Aphrodisiac Cuisine...
lenka 4 years ago
Drunken glass and creapy mask aside... I love me a tandori lambchop with mango chutney. Throw in a mango lassi and the foreplay is complete.
Vicky Z 4 years ago (edited)
I was reading in horror and at the aphrodisiac part i burst out laughing 😅😅😅
s. vitkovitsky 4 years ago
The aphrodesiac is when one person picks up the glass and pokes themselves in the eye. The other person laughs. Laughter is an aphrodesiac, right? ...
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#25
Jellied Bouillon With Frankfurters
think we (mostly) really like each other in this group. I don't know why we feel compelled to do this to one another. For the record, I'm REALLY ashamed of myself for posting this. Sigh.
Jellied Bouillon with Frankfurters
Directions: "Dissolve unflavored gelatin in hot beef broth. In a pretty gelatin mold, place diced celery, slices of hard-boiled eggs and hot dogs in an eye-pleasing design. Pour beef Jell-O into the mold. Chill until firm."
k1ddkanuck 4 years ago
At least this one dispenses with the kiwis, olives, oysters and spray cheese.
Kim Lorton 4 years ago
Save this eat it fast the next morning then barf it up so you can stay home from school!
#26
Uestionable Vintage Recipes
#27
Here...all These Years...steak, Lasagna, Burgers, Pizza...sigh...all I Needed Was A Can Of Beans & A Hollowed Out Onions! “Honey, Dinners Ready!”
k1ddkanuck 4 years ago
"Ma and Pa" probably slept in separate beds back then anyways. And now we know why.
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Iggy 4 years ago
While everyone else will accompany him on the bum trumpet!
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#28
So, The Company’s Coming Cookbooks Were A Huge Hit In Canada In The 1980s. You Could Buy Them At Every Drug Store, Grocery Store And Department Store. Probably Even Larger Gas Stations And The Most Canadian Of All Stores - Canadian Tire. Lots Of Canned Soup Involved In The Recipes. Some Are Actually Pretty Good. And Then There Is This Gem:
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
It was closely followed by a sequel, "Company's Leaving and Not Coming Back"
Candace Fitzpatrick 4 years ago
Yes! Remember the author had her picture on the back of the book, and her shirt always matched the colour of the book
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Philly Bob Squires 4 years ago
"Congratulations, you managed to kill off your friends and family!"
Agnes Jekyll 4 years ago
These books had the best bars and squares--nanaimo, Lemon, peanut butter/marshmellow, puffed wheat squares. LOVE.
#29
Church Cookbook. 1991
Cyn Haynes 4 years ago
This is like Ethiopian peanut soup, or Thai peanut satay. It's not that strange.
Agnes Jekyll 4 years ago
but Ethiopian peanut soup has spice in it--like usually chilis. This is just......not flavoured.
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Robin Roper 4 years ago
I was a Home Economics major and learned to make peanut butter soup in a "food" class in undergraduate school. It was not good. In fact, it was yucky.
Tara Clarkson 4 years ago
Peanut soup was common in the 18th century. I had it at Colonial Williamsburg and it was delicious
Mevrouw Madelief 4 years ago
In The Netherlands a lot of people eat peanut soup and peanut sauce, the last is delicious with fries, mayonnaise and cut onions. We call it "patatje oorlog" what translates too war fries lol
#30
Questionable Vintage Recipes
Saico Hipe 4 years ago
...but I was already nauseated! Wait, now that you mention it, thinking about Hawaiian pizza will make me go ahead and puke, which will help settle my stomach. Thanks! :)
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Susan Trevaskis-Owen 4 years ago
I'm totally using that as an insult from now on. "Back off, you crusty spambake!"
judy baker 4 years ago
I grew up with Spam. Dad had it during his service in World War 2 and he loved it.
rs_adahl1971 2 years ago
Spiced Ham in loaf form. Like a hot dog in loaf form
Load More Replies... Anita Pickle 4 years ago
Spam should only be prepared cut thin and fried (not really just my opinion)
Brooke Boyd 4 years ago
My mother used to make a casserole that was baked beans, spam, and pineapple. (There may have been another ingredient or two--ketchup, possibly.) Anyway, it sounds disgusting, and I have never tried to make it myself, but I remember liking it.
#31
Aunt Florence's Famous Lima Bean Casserole Pie
Gabby M 4 years ago
I'm throwing my money behind Brussel sprouts ... thoughts, comments, opinions?
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Sewanee Citizen 4 years ago
this reminds me of the time I vomited so forcefully a lima bean came out of my nose. That memory is more appetizing.
Marissa Taylor 4 years ago
Dear aunt..what kind of weed were you smoking to make you think this was okay???
#32
Why Does It Look Like It's About To Crawl Off Of The Plate?!?!
#33
You Sickos Liked My Pear And Blue Cheese Recipe, So We Can No Longer Be Friends, But I’m Doing This Gem To Sweeten The Dinner Party Y’all Aren’t Invited To!
Eucritta 4 years ago
I was just thinking, leave out the gelatine and it'd be a pretty decent tuna salad.
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Caligirl20 4 years ago
There is an actual fish mold that was made specifically for these nasty recipes. There is a fish one and I think a lobster one. The only reason I know is I have the fish one that my moms kept as a decoration in our kitchen.
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Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
My mom used to make a version of this, but the spice combination was distinctly curry. I thought it was really good.
Roxy Eastland 4 years ago
I'd eat this, with really thin slices of toasted wholemeal bread and lots of butter.
#34
Surprise Your Guests With Our Vomiting Lobster Loaf. There Won't Be A Dry Plate In The House!
Donkey boi 4 years ago
When you read it, it sound quite nice. When you see it, it looks minging!
#35
Not Just One, But Six Different Sandwich Recipes Featuring Mayo And Pb!
SocksNeverMatch 4 years ago
Ugh pnut butter and mayo...in the 70's my mom made those for our school lunch, my sister and I thought she went crazy
#36
I Joined This Group Specifically To Share This Amazing Recipe. It Gets Worse With Every Line
#37
Sorry That I Didn't Hunt Up The Recipe, But I Thought Of You Guys Today. I Will Look It Up If Any One Wants. It's Pork Skin Aspic
Glynna Bowood 4 years ago
Reminds me of Head Cheese...don't laugh it's a real food- gross, but real.
Attila Ángyán 4 years ago
We eat this at easter in Hungary, but not only from skin. There is ear, tail, nose and trotter inside as well. Its yummi with horseradish. And no, there is no gelatine inside, it gets jelly naturally because its full of collagen.
John Baker 4 years ago
Maybe for a million dollars - if I'm allowed to cut it into tiny pieces I can swallow without chewing and wash it down with a couple of gallons of beer. ;-)
#38
From Fanny Farmer 1896 Cookbook. My Teenager Says He’s Going To Tell His Dad He Can Have Noodles For A Vegetable At Dinner
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
Right? Fresh pasta needs like 30 seconds to a couple minutes at most.
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Sky Render 4 years ago
I just checked, and they took that recipe out by the time my 1965 edition was published, as well as the fritter beans recipe. There's a new version of the royal custard recipe in it, though!
Mary Hiers 4 years ago
There are many qualities that Cracker Barrel lacks. However, they classify macaroni and cheese as a "vegetable" and I'm totally down with that.
#39
Weiners, Creamed Corn & Cheese....i’d Probably Eat It But Seems Questionable
My O My 4 years ago
Corn with mixed with a cream-bechamel-sugar-sauce. Tastes better then in sounds and looks
Load More Replies... Donkey boi 4 years ago
I'm glad cream-style corn isn't around in my country (or at least I've never seen or heard of it)!
#40
Anyone Like Peanut Butter But Also Mayonnaise?
Jo Johannsen 4 years ago
Nope, my mother thought so, too, but my 10-year-old self opening my school lunch begs to differ.
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Watching 4 years ago
My mom used to cut a ripe tomato in halves and put a big dollop of mayonnaise on it and eat it like that.
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Suzanne Haigh 4 years ago
How does anyone French Fry something? Is it different to normal frying, somehow special?
#41
Questionable Vintage Recipes
Amanda Sherland 4 years ago
"...as many mothers are negligent when left alone without a man's supervision." Whoa.
Bacony Cakes 4 years ago
This is from the 50s, what did you expect? A plasma TV?
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Stephen Wild 4 years ago
No magazine of the period would have published the word 'FART' at all, let alone devoting an entire advert to the subject... Another clue that this is fake is the inclusion of this "In practice - this rarely happens, as many mothers are negligent when left alone without a man's supervision"... it was a horribly sexist era, but I have trouble believing this and all...
Catherine Graves 4 years ago
I've seen plenty of ads and articles from this era and believe this is true. My favourite Ovaltine ad "guards against night time starvation". A warm cup of Ovaltine before bed prevented you from starving to death while asleep.
Load More Replies... k1ddkanuck 4 years ago
Children, crack the code so you can decipher the secret message from Little Orphan Annie!
#42
Swedish Birds Nests. A 1970s Recipe From Fanny Cradock (A Famous English TV Celebrity Chef.)
A bed of finely chopped ("scissored") chives, parsley or a mix are arranged on a plate, in a sort of double helix pattern. On top of that are arranged (going from the outer rings inwards) capers, cold diced potatoes, finely chopped anchovy filets, then finally two raw eggs. "These are particularly delicious when served with dark rye bread and butter"
Auntriarch 4 years ago
That is nothing compared to the stink eye F***y could give you
Load More Replies... Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
Cradock and her husband Johnny were a great double act. I lived in hope that his monacle would fall into one of her creations
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
Not sure which is creepier: the dish or the chef. Those permanent marker eyebrows are really something.
#43
Sure Would Be Light With Just A Few Cups Of Oil!
#44
For Those Curious About The Raspberry Drink From The Rebecca Cake Post.... Grammy Stella For The Win?
Kimberley Gayle Thomas 4 years ago
Anyone who makes this, their teeth are jumping out on their own like a suicide bomber.
M O'Connell 4 years ago
Please do not add a whole ounce of red food coloring, nor the full 10lbs of sugar. Good god.
StrawberryParfait 4 years ago
It's a recipe for a syrup to be added to water.
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#45
I’m Not So Sure It Would Be A Good Surprise
Roxy Eastland 4 years ago
I like both cake and blue cheese. I do not want to eat a cake with blue cheese melted through it. Jeez.
#46
Pinterest/Metv Has 12 "Vintage Cream Corn Recipes" And You'll Find Some Really Unusual Recipes There. It Even Says You May Not Want To Look At These. Here's A Doozy:
Glynna Bowood 4 years ago
Leave off the bologna and the buns and the corn recipe with celery and black olives seems reasonable.
#47
Tongue Anyone?
Otter 4 years ago
I tried it once, without knowing what it was. It tasted like the mildest, tenderest beef ever... but when someone told me what it was I couldn't take another bite. I mean, the "rind" was still on and I could see taste buds!
Load More Replies... Jo Johannsen 4 years ago
Properly cooked (neither over nor under), and well trimmed, tongue is good. The sherry sauce - I'll pass.
Suzanne Clark 4 years ago
I happen to love tongue but I've never seen it prepared like this or quite that color.
#48
Questionable Vintage Recipes
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
It can't be a coincidence that a generation of America's worst serial killers were brought up with ads like these
#49
If I Compared 2020 To A Recipe...
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
It's a crime against prunes, cottage cheese, lettuce, and mayo as well. Yikes.
Load More Replies... Roxy Eastland 4 years ago
I that Brits and Americans use the word 'salad' slightly differently, but how the f. u. c. k. is this a salad?
#50
Yummy
Olivia Betterton 4 years ago
Its actually pretty creative. I love the way the flowers look. Wouldnt be so easy to eat tho
#51
Um...
#52
Found In "The Gourmet Cookbook"... This Entire Book Belongs On This Page Basically. The Breasts Are Removed And Reformed From Ham Mousse. The Chicken Is Then Covered In Pink Tomato Puree/Mayo Mixture. Served In A Bed Of Aspic With The Removed Breast Pieces Made Into Mayo 'Boats' And Placed Around The Plate
Sewanee Citizen 4 years ago
So many recipes freakishly "in aspic". The bonus is that the phrase makes the kids giggle. And rightly so ("aspic...hee hee").
#53
I Couldn't Find Anything That Confirms This Is Real. I'm Posting It Anyway. It Belongs Here
Crochet lady 4 years ago
This comment make me laugh out loud. Woke my husband up!
Load More Replies... Aunt Messy 4 years ago
I'm guessing some kind of fish broth that's been jellied. This was a way to get rid of bits and ends of fish in canneries. It's a fishy version of wieners. Gills and guts plus rejected shrimp and stuff in jelly. Kinda gross.
Load More Replies... Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
Three words that I'm sure should never be used together: unfiltered, sea, and jelly.
#54
It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s...a Cream Cheese Frosted Honeydew, With Gelatin In The Center
Daniel Atkins 4 years ago
how do you spread cream cheese on a melon? It doesn't say peel and if it does how does it stick of not peeled who eats the skin?
Scott 4 years ago
From the first sentence of the second paragraph "Peel a medium-size honeydew...." As for how to make the cheese stick, I think the "soften one 8-ox package of Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese with a little milk and whip it fluffy" helps with that, but I'm not sure I'm willing to try it.
Load More Replies... #55
Remembered That I Found A Set Of These At Goodwill For $3.00 A While Back. I Reckon I Should See What Gourmet Delicacies Are Hidden Within
Crochet lady 4 years ago
Dean Koontz the writer published his wife's family recipe for corn pudding and it's absolutely delicious and has become part of our Xmas meal for the last 10 years. Think it was in a Sunday newspaper magazine. It's basically a custard with corn, it browns on top and we all fight for the brown bits. Lol. Thanks Dean.
Gabby M 4 years ago
Oh my....I Iove DK....looks for the recipes now you chave convinced me lol
Load More Replies... MotherofGuineaPigs 4 years ago
my mother had these - there are some scary recipes in there and quite a few good ones
#56
Not Exactly A Recipe...but It's Kinda Questionable...
Julia Atkinson 4 years ago
"Dip into boiling water until 'arms and legs' spread"...clearly plagiarised from "The Jeffrey Dahmer Cookbook"
#57
Spam-Fruit Cocktail Buffet Party Loaf!
1 (15-ounce) can Del Monte fruit cocktail, drained (reserve syrup)
2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 (12-ounce) cans Spam luncheon meat, very finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, very finely chopped
1/4 cup green olives, very finely chopped
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 lemons
Paprika
Additional Miracle Whip
Arrange drained fruit cocktail in 9-by-5-by-3 inch loaf pan. In top of double boiler, mix reserved syrup with gelatin, vinegar, cinnamon, and cloves. Place over hot water and stir until gelatin dissolves. Carefully pour 1/2 cup of gelatin mixture over fruit cocktail. Place in pan in refrigerator and chill until gelatin has thickened but is not set.
Mix Spam with celery and olives. Mix Miracle Whip with mustard, salt, and remaining gelatin mixture. Add Spam mixture to Miracle Whip mixture and blend well. Spread over fruit cocktail. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours.
For garnish, make lemon cups by halving lemons, slicing off ends (so lemons will stand up), and scooping out pulp. Dip cut edges of lemons in paprika. Fill cups with Miracle Whip and sprinkle lightly with additional paprika.
To serve, unmold loaf onto large platter and surround with lemon cups. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
#58
Seems Like Grapes With Extra Steps
#59
A Few "Gems" From The Joys Of Jell-O Cookbook, Which A Quick Google Search Informs Me Is A Promotional Cookbook From 1962. There Wasn't A Photo For The "Bleu Cheese Deluxe" Mold, And More's The Pity, Because I'd Love To See That
k1ddkanuck 4 years ago
The strawberry jello in a glass with mousse on top doesn't look terrible...
#60
I Was Inspired To Make A Jello...bloody Mary Was My Flavor Inspiration. I Call It “Bloody Mara Salad” Has The Trifecta Of Questionable Ingredients...egg, Olive, Mayo
Crochet lady 4 years ago
The front of it resembles a monkey face, especially looking at the picture on my phone and from a distance. And maybe because I'm high. Lol.
Dorothy Parker 4 years ago
I'd laugh so hard walking over to their house I'd wee in my pants.
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#61
Not Really A Recipe, But Certainly An Ingredient... Legally Edible And Digestible By Most Humans! What Could Possibly Be Better?
Ana Ferreira 4 years ago
I'm going to guess this is a recent spoof image. "Fire resistant" and "Minimum Vermin" seems a bit much.
Tracey Hirt 4 years ago
"A meat roll that rivals pigeon and rodent products in cost effectiveness and palatability while staying mostly within the mammalian phylum."
Load More Replies... k1ddkanuck 4 years ago (edited)
"First they bone me, then they roll me... Woo woo!" Story of my life hunny...
Jo Johannsen 4 years ago
"Rivals pigeon or rodents...?" This is a crime against humanity even if it is a spoof. Those brain images will never go away.
Tanya MacLeod 4 years ago
I think this is the questionable meat served in prisons and hospitals.
Dorothy Parker 4 years ago
"Carl Switzer" was the actor who played Alfalfa in the original Little Rascals.
#62
I Came Across This Beauty On Pinterest Today
#63
Mmmm! Straight Out Of The July 1953 Issue Of Better Homes & Gardens...jello Barbecue Salad! Jello, Tomato Sauce, Vinegar, Salt, Pepper...and For Added Spiciness, You Can Opt To Add Onion Juice, Seasoning Or Celery Salt, Cayenne, Worcestershire Sauce, Pepper Sauce Or Horseradish! Barf!!
Aunt Messy 4 years ago
Tomato aspic is delicious. It dates back to the mid 19th century and possibly earlier.
Auntriarch 4 years ago
True. Aspic was a high status food when you had to boil a bucket load of bones and clarify the resulting gloop.
Load More Replies... Valley Girl 4 years ago
I don't know what aspic is, but I guarantee I would not need a pic. It will all flow freely.
MotherofGuineaPigs 4 years ago
i would be easier to keep a slice of this on your burger at a picnic...
k1ddkanuck 4 years ago
My mom STILL makes tomato aspic for holiday dinners. I'm the only one in the family who has never liked it.
#64
From My Gramms Old Church Cookbook, A Touch Of Dutch. Any Ideas What It Makes After We Let It Stand A Few Hours?
**I think there was an assumption given the time, that people would just know what was next after it sits a few hours, which seems to be forming and baking. You cookie guessers I'm willing to bet are absolutely right. PLEASE don't eat raw flour.**
Sky Render 4 years ago
Well if you actually bake that at the end, it would make some very tasty molasses spice cookies. I don't see why you'd let it stand for a few hours before doing that, though...
Saico Hipe 4 years ago
It appears to be a reference to soured milk. I don't know if it traditionally just meant milk that was beginning to spoil naturally, but if I were trying to recreate it today I'd use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar + enough milk to make 8 oz.
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#65
I'm Not Sure This Qualifies As "Vintage" Since This Cookbook Is From 1998, But It's Certainly A Questionable Recipe That Has Nothing "Mexican" To It. And Hey, It's Over 20 Years Old, So...can We Call This Vintage?
Jo Johannsen 4 years ago
Mexico could declare war over this, and they'd be justified. Carnitas is delicious, this? Not so much.
Rae Reyn 4 years ago
Mexico is going to build a wall after reading this recipe
Load More Replies... Saico Hipe 4 years ago
Also, you want pork shoulder for canitas. Lean pork after 8 hours in a crock pot would be like shoe leather.
#66
Inspired By The Coffee Jelly Post, I Give You “ Tea Mousse” Circa 1966:
Pawlise Glemtepassord 4 years ago
This doesn't belong here; tea is a fine flavour for dessert. Sure, the colour isn't the best, but I'd certainly make and eat this.
#67
Look
Sky Render 4 years ago
Not a bad idea for flavoring, but least make a proper bechamel of it...
Gabby M 4 years ago
My Face....at each and every one of the totally gross ones....wish you could see it. Seems to get worse each time lol OIP-60b970...657f6d.jpg 
#68
Keeping It Simple..
lara 4 years ago
Rice: one cup rice, 1 1/2 cup of water, pat of butter and salt. Put water in a lidded pan, add butter and salt, bring to a boil, add rice, stir, bring back to a boil, cover pan, turn off heat, twenty minutes later voila perfectly cooked rice. [Depending on rice type, more water might be needed, but no more than a half cup more.]
Saico Hipe 4 years ago
That definitely does not work at higher elevations. I live in Denver and rice needs at least 20-25 mins at a steady low simmer, or it's hard as a rock.
Load More Replies... Sky Render 4 years ago
I've always just done a 2:1 ratio of water to rice, plus any seasonings I want. Boil the water with seasonings added first, then add the rice, then cook covered for 20 minutes on simmer.
Vivian Ashe 4 years ago
My theory is that this was all caused by anxiety over more women joining the workforce in the 60s and 70s. Hear me out: More working women meant that women had less time to cook. The anxiety over "who's going to take care of the family" caused this weird backlash in the form of a food trend where dinner could no longer be a simple piece of meat with a vegetable, it had to be something complicated. Food companies tried to capitalize by distributing recipes using their processed products as a shortcut for making something that was essentially just a bunch of ingredients dumped together, but looked like it was a lot of work to make. Suddenly there were all these weird recipes with Jello, canned soup, processed meats, fake whipped cream, etc. I think every woman had a few of these cookbooks, and they may have tried one or two recipes. But I don't remember those big nasty jello mold things with meat and vegetables in them ever actually appearing on the table.
#69
Because No One Can Ever Have Enough Aspic
Jo Johannsen 4 years ago
I know botanically, tomatoes are fruit, but NOT WITH RASPBERRY JELLO!
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What do you think ?
Seabeast 4 years ago
I grew up eating stuff similar to this in the 60s. One reason people came up with these bizarre recipes is, there was very limited choice in grocery stores back then and only so many ways to serve what was available. An avocado or an eggplant was expensive and "exotic" back then. Restaurants tended to serve steak and potatoes as the height of sophistication. Chinese food and pizza were exotic and "foreign".
P.A.B. 4 years ago
I was raised in the 60’s and my mother NEVER served my family anything even resembling this stuff.
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Easily Excitable Panda 4 years ago
Anyone doubting these recipes are real should check out the website "The Gallery of Regrettable Food." *shudders*
Seabeast 4 years ago
You beat me to it. https://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/
Load More Replies... A Head 4 years ago
All right, that's it. I am determined to make at least a dozen of these dishes for family and friends over the summer. We're spending a couple weeks in Maine with friends where we rotate cooking responsibilities, and they WILL be subjected to some these. HAHAHAH.
Joseph Holtom 4 years ago
Please - for the Love of God - have a camera handy....I have 2 see your families reaction 2 the "Crown Roast of Weiners"....
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Lisa-Marie Dhondt 4 years ago
And you have to keep in mind: these were ‘styled’ for photography. The results on your average plate will have looked…….. not like that.
THOMAS TIGABOJ 4 years ago (edited)
I'm using this column as my new weight-loss program. I don't think any of this is "legally edible." See the institutional "Rol-o-Pig" for disclaimer.
Daniel Atkins 4 years ago
I'm sure there are just as bad posts on Pintrest. They just get lost unless you look for them. this jus happens to be in print and easier to find.
Seabeast 4 years ago
I grew up eating stuff similar to this in the 60s. One reason people came up with these bizarre recipes is, there was very limited choice in grocery stores back then and only so many ways to serve what was available. An avocado or an eggplant was expensive and "exotic" back then. Restaurants tended to serve steak and potatoes as the height of sophistication. Chinese food and pizza were exotic and "foreign".
P.A.B. 4 years ago
I was raised in the 60’s and my mother NEVER served my family anything even resembling this stuff.
Load More Replies... Easily Excitable Panda 4 years ago
Anyone doubting these recipes are real should check out the website "The Gallery of Regrettable Food." *shudders*
Seabeast 4 years ago
You beat me to it. https://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/
Load More Replies... A Head 4 years ago
All right, that's it. I am determined to make at least a dozen of these dishes for family and friends over the summer. We're spending a couple weeks in Maine with friends where we rotate cooking responsibilities, and they WILL be subjected to some these. HAHAHAH.
Joseph Holtom 4 years ago
Please - for the Love of God - have a camera handy....I have 2 see your families reaction 2 the "Crown Roast of Weiners"....
Load More Replies... Lisa-Marie Dhondt 4 years ago
And you have to keep in mind: these were ‘styled’ for photography. The results on your average plate will have looked…….. not like that.
THOMAS TIGABOJ 4 years ago (edited)
I'm using this column as my new weight-loss program. I don't think any of this is "legally edible." See the institutional "Rol-o-Pig" for disclaimer.
Daniel Atkins 4 years ago
I'm sure there are just as bad posts on Pintrest. They just get lost unless you look for them. this jus happens to be in print and easier to find.
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