Food History - Popular Meals in the 60s

The swinging sixties was a time period synonymous with change, growth and some seriously great music. The 60’s is also a time where technology, fashion and culture saw dramatic switches in trends, with real diversity in what was popular. Indeed, there has never been a decade for change quite like the 60’s. From the largest rock concert ever performed, Woodstock, the first man landing on the moon in 1969 to the infamous assassination of John F Kennedy, it was certainly an eventful decade. Not only that, but thanks to the likes of Fanny Craddock, during the 60’s we saw the emergence of some culinary delights which still feature on menus up and down the country today! Here’s a run-through of some of the most popular meals in the 60’s.

Starters

Prawn Cocktail If you ask anyone who was around in the 60’s what their go to dinner party starter was, there’s only one answer they’re going to give you - and that’s a prawn cocktail, of course. This super simple yet effective starter is a staple to this day, but it really came into its own in the swinging 60’s. Delicious Marie Rose sauce is scooped on top of iceberg lettuce leaves and delicious king prawns, finished with a sprinkling of paprika. The prawn cocktail is traditionally served in a wine glass, with prawns placed around the rim to garnish. Why not add chopped avocado if you’re feeling a little fancy? The Prawn cocktail mixture of prawn and mayo has inspired us to create our own prawn starter crispy coconut prawns in tangy mango sauce, we have coated the prawns in desiccated coconut and deep fried them, and replaced the marie rose sauce with a delicious spicy mango mayo. 

Stuffed Celery Stuffed celery is a simple yet incredibly delicious party snack favoured in the 60’s which was favoured for its ease of preparation. The creamy cheese cuts through the sharpness of the celery to create a crunchy yet totally satisfying snack. Mix your cream cheese with garlic, pimento stuffed green olives, a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper, before spooning it into the hollowed out section of celery.

Main Meals

Beef Bourguignon Undeniably one of the most delicious main dishes to come out of the 60’s, beef bourguignon is a tender and sumptuous beef stew enriched with the aromatic flavours of red wine, garlic, onions and mushrooms. Having originated from the Burgundy region of France, the dish was largely adopted in the 60’s for its hearty and warming nature, and has become a true culinary delight since.

Duck a L'orange Interestingly, the second 60’s dish to make the shortlist is another offering from France. It appears that French cuisine was incredibly popular in the 1960’s, and we’re incredibly thankful to the French for bringing us these delicious dishes! Duck a l’orange is when a duck is roasted and served in a tangy and refreshing bitter orange sauce. Orange and duck are the perfect mix, so we have taken this combination and given it a Chinese twist with our duck, orange and honey stir-fry.

Desserts

Tunnel of Fudge Cake If there’s one dessert which immediately springs to mind when thinking of 60’s cuisine, then it simply has to be the tunnel of fudge cake. It won the Pillsbury Bake-Off in 1966 and grew more and more popular from there! This delicious and decadent chocolate cake typically develops a smooth ‘tunnel of fudge’ centre as it bakes, giving a satisfying and oozy finish as you cut to serve. Pineapple Upside Down Cake Pineapple upside down cake became a true classic dessert in the 1960’s, finished with delicious caramelised canned pineapple to decorate the top and give a sugary sweet taste. The base is a basic yellow butter cake which is then inverted, revealing the gorgeous fruit layering the bottom when flipped over to finish! We believe the pineapple upside down cake grew exponentially in popularity not only because it looks great - but it seriously tastes great too. We were so inspired by this 1960's classic that we have given it a serious makeover check out our Indian Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Thanks to the epic food and drink scene of the 60’s we have some truly remarkable dishes added to the global repertoire that are often seen as true culinary delights, even to this day. From starters, main courses to desserts, the swinging 60’s had it all, and when it comes to food history, theirs is rich, exciting and seriously solid. Which is your favourite dish from the 60’s? Leave us a comment and let us know!