In the 1970s, eating the right stuff could easily make you look rich. Imported cheeses, specialty cheeses, dazzling fruits, European dishes – even the ingredients for such proudly displayed themselves on the shelves of the grocery store, waiting for the eager chef to pick them up. Today, these products now sit on the same shelves in your local grocery and at prices that can make your head spin.
Shrimp Cocktail
In the 1970s, a readily available shrimp cocktail offered an easy way to upscale any dinner party. Chefs tossed it on a plate and dressed it with a glass of cocktail sauce; it was elegant, despite its modest demands. Thanks to frozen shrimp and prepared cocktail sauce, you, too, can treat yourself to this all-time fancy food for a fraction of the price a restaurant would charge.
Cheese Fondue
What was nothing more than an unruly pile of cheese meltings in a pot, this moldy mess represented the high art of sophisticated entertaining. Each guest armed themselves with a lengthy fork ready to spear the cheese, and a whole separate industry of pots and forks and other accessories sprang up to make the cheese-party experience more elegant. But you can do it at home with common cheese and bread, no special gear.
Quiche Lorraine
quiche in the 1970s. TV chef Julia Child made the dish household fare in the decade before, with an eye toward giving it a fancy and genteel reputation. Now, it's a morning-after staple from grocers and home cooks alike.
Brie Cheese
In the 70s, a flat of Brie on the table could elevate what would otherwise be a plain cheese tray. Now that more specialty cheese stores and supermarkets offer a larger variety of French cheeses, Brie commonly appears at a chain grocery, making what was once a show-stopping entertaining idea pretty common.
Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate mousse, that touch of French restaurant chic, was once a mainstay in the American restaurant scene. But, by the late 1970s, its popularity had grown so much that food writers talked about more and more complex riffs, such as chocolate mousse cakes. Now, mousse can be found in supermarket desserts, restaurant menus, and home kitchens, showing that a fabulous dessert doesn't have to come from a date night out.
Crêpes
Just about everyone made French pancakes by the decade of the 1970s and even the manufacturers began to offer crêpe makers for the housewife. Filled with either sweet, fruit or cream or savory, filled with meats and vegetables the crêpe made a wonderful change of pace from the regular American dishes. Now you can make them with a cheap pan and the "regular stuff."
French Onion Soup
A bowl of French onion soup with toasted bread and melted cheese could have added a Parisian flair to an American table. Various recipes for French onion soup, even those that cooks could prepare with canned beef broth instead of homemade stock, could be found throughout the 1970s. Nowadays ready-to-serve French onion soup is available at supermarkets, and cooks can prepare their own with relatively inexpensive ingredients.
Goat Cheese
Goat cheese was once a novelty for the American consumer, who was accustomed to everyday purchases of cheddar, processed and cream cheeses. Sometime in the late 1970s, cheese writers began mentioning its appearance on the shelves of specialty food stores as Americans ventured to try European varieties. Today, creamy goat cheese is often in the dairy section of the supermarket.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
In Italian and Mediterranean-American kitchens, olive oil was not new; however, high-quality olive oil enjoyed a gourmet cachet in the 1970s. As more shoppers turned to European ingredients, food writers wrote ever more about different grades of olive oil. Now extra-virgin olive oil is a fixture on everyday grocery shelves, and the bottom of the price barrel rubs up against the top.
Wine Vinegar
In the early 1970s, it seemed most U.S. markets stocked only a small variety of vinegars – generally household standards – but by the late 1970s, as consumers embraced and experimented with European sauces and dressings, they discovered many sources of wine vinegar available to them. Currently, red and white wine vinegars can be found in almost every supermarket – many times accompanied by a whole line of their flavored counterparts.
Gourmet Mustard
A regular sandwich might have suddenly become fancy with a little French on the label. In the 1970s, gourmet shops and an increased variety of products at the grocery store brought more Americans in touch with Dijon and other mustards. Now, you can find Dijon, whole grain, honey, and spicy mustards all on the basic condiment aisle so that you can fancy up your sandwich without a trip to the fancy store.
FAQ's
1. Why was fondue so popular in the 1970s?
Swiss cheese fondue became a chic dinner party centerpiece because it symbolized exotic, sophisticated European dining and encouraged interactive, communal socializing.
2. What made quiche a status symbol during this decade?
Popularized by cookbooks and French culinary trends, the savory egg tart was viewed as elegant, versatile, and the ultimate expression of sophisticated brunch culture.
3. Why were stuffed mushrooms served at upscale gatherings?
Combining earthy mushroom caps with gourmet fillings like crabmeat or seasoned cream cheese made them an effortless yet impressive bite-sized hors d'oeuvre.
4. How did beef bourguignon become a fancy dinner party staple?
Julia Child brought authentic French cooking into American homes, making this slow-cooked beef and wine stew the gold standard for high-end hosting.
5. Why was shrimp cocktail considered a luxury appetizer?
Chilled shrimp served upright in fancy stemmed glasses with tangy cocktail sauce felt extravagant, elegant, and standard for upscale restaurants and cocktail parties.
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