What Did You Eat!

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Chief Longwind Of The North

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What are some of the, at one time common, things you used to eat and enjoy, but are now, either no longer available, or are considered weird? For me, I remember enjoying these:

Head cheese, picked pigs feet, potted meat sandwiches, sandwichs made from ground bologna to which Miracle Whip and sweet pickle relish were mixed in, A & W Root Beer from the gallon, glass jug, A&W Root Beer Floats from the A&W Root Beer stand, Burgers carried to the car and placed on the side window by young ladies on roller skates, Steak sandwich made from a grilled New York Strip, place between two slices of white bread, with A1 Steak Sauce (at a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant on Broadway Ave., in San Diego), the Paul Bunyon Half pound burger served at Antler's REstaurant in my home town, or the 3/4 lb. Big C at Clyde's Drive in, again in my home town, Deep Fried burritos at Jack in the Box, Pigs in the blanket made with whole hot-dogs wrapped in fresh, yeasty bread dough (in grade school hot lunch program), squeeky cheese curds from a local cheeese factory (no longer exists), great strawberry malts from department store soda jerks, PDQ rgg Nog, or Chocolate Beads, pop rocks, baseball bubble gum.

Finally, I remember getting freshly made popcorn balls, and caramel apples at on Halloween without having to worry about whether the food was safe.

Our world has changed, and I don't think for the better. I'd trade in my cell phone, and computer to have the freedom and community trust that was enjoyed when i was a boy.
That's about all I can remember right now.
 
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A&W root beer in a Frosty Glass Mug. the only A&w I know is located in a shopping mall and serves RB in Styrofoam, since replaced with cardboard cups. It doesn't taste the same.

Pickled eggs, served out of a large jar at a bar. Don't go to bars for the drinking anymore, just the big screen sports TV's <-- which is an improvement. Also, they have chicken wings now:yum:

Have to buy Mexican or Kosher coca cola to get Real CokaCola.

All the local KFC franchises locally have changed to PopeYes. Have to go to a not very close suburb if you want KFC.

I eat vegetables and like them. O wait, I liked veggies as a kid too.
My mom canned garden veggies like you buy canned at the store, mushy over-cooked. I still like green beans this way, although I cook them, and most veggies crisp/ al dente.

I like Jello, esp red flavor. I no longer like or drink Kool Aid, which us kids made with Jello if we were out of kool aid.

I used to make tuna or deli turkey sandwiches -for work most days. Developed an aversion to deli turkey, if it's not real turkey on the bone, I won't eat it. Luckily for the little girls, I still love tuna. I just don't make very many sandwiches at home now. In fact, most times a loaf of bread grows beyond stale before I can use a whole loaf. Yes, I sometimes divide and freeze partial loaves.

I think my tastes have changed in that I prefer tart, savory, even hot flavors rather than Sweet. This may be a good thing.
 
More...

I grew up on a farm, and we raised our own beef and pigs. So, yes made head cheese and beef tongue and used most parts you don't find at the local market. Mom cooked down lard by the gallons, and we cooked with that or bacon fat. Luckily, I rediscovered Lard and can get it from a butcher shop. Makes the Best pie crusts.

We were a Miracle Whip Family, and I married a Miracle Whip Girl, or maybe I should just say Miracle Girl. Somewhere I took a right turn and decided I like Mayonnaise better. Maybe that's reason 642 we divorced. I forget. Ah well, we still love each other. She's still a MW girl. She makes the best homemade mayonnaise using a stick blender when only mayo will do. I think it even has raw eggs in it, but I do Not want to know for sure.
 
When I was a kid, I used to like an open-faced, hard boiled egg sandwich with an anchovy on top. I find the anchovy a bit much nowadays.
 
There are a number of things that I used to eat when I was a young'un...pork brains scrambled with eggs, fresh herring roe..fried or scrambled with eggs, chitl'ins from hogs we raised. Cracklin' bread, and last but certainly not least, biscuits made with lard (again from hogs we raised.) There was Cheerwine soda, Castleberry's Georgia Hash, and the hot sausages that they served at the Cozy Tavern (a local establishment on the "other" side of town)...I sure do miss all that stuff.
 
Our world has changed, and I don't think for the better. I'd trade in my cell phone, and computer to have the freedom and community trust that was enjoyed when i was a boy.
That's about all I can remember right now.

Most of those things are still available. The rest are thankfully gone. I wouldn't trade my smart phone or other technology for a bunch of reminiscences.

Technology has introduced me to whole new ways to cook. Modern transportation has brought me a new world of ingredients I had never heard of before. The internet has shown me tastes I never before imagined. I can finally move beyond that bland and boring British/New England food that I knew as a child. I can explore flavors and spices I never knew in the 1950's.

This is just one more of those conversations that someone else complained about. We are turning into a forum of a bunch of old fogies complaining about our food, our health, each other, and the world around. Have you noticed that the average age here is about 150? I am close to getting my first ss check myself, but this place is getting too old and crotchety for me.

And when I was a kid I walked 2 miles to school, with no shoes, an uphill both ways.

Sorry, Chief. I know you're beloved here, but ........... this contributes to the exodus.
 
Most of those things are still available. The rest are thankfully gone. I wouldn't trade my smart phone or other technology for a bunch of reminiscences.

Technology has introduced me to whole new ways to cook. Modern transportation has brought me a new world of ingredients I had never heard of before. The internet has shown me tastes I never before imagined. I can finally move beyond that bland and boring British/New England food that I knew as a child. I can explore flavors and spices I never knew in the 1950's.

This is just one more of those conversations that someone else complained about. We are turning into a forum of a bunch of old fogies complaining about our food, our health, each other, and the world around. Have you noticed that the average age here is about 150? I am close to getting my first ss check myself, but this place is getting too old and crotchety for me.

And when I was a kid I walked 2 miles to school, with no shoes, an uphill both ways.

Sorry, Chief. I know you're beloved here, but ........... this contributes to the exodus.

You misunderstand me. What I miss about yesteryear was the fact that we knew all of our neighbors, and my parents knew I was safe, no matter where I went in the town. Predators were pretty much unheard of, and it wasn't unusual to see a 16 year old toting a shotgun to the woods, to do a little rabbit, or grouse hunting. And co-pilots didn't purposely fly their jetliners into the ground.

The world is meaner now, and much of childhood innocence is lost. That's the part of our modern society that I don't care for.

As for all of the different flavors that are talked about on the internet, I had the opportunity to try many of them as a young man, when I joined the U.S. Navy. Living in Tennessee, Southern California, and sailing around the Pacific, I was introduced to wonderful flavors.

By remembering the things I was able to do in my own youth, I was able to guide my own children as they were growing to activities that many of their friends never dreamed of experiencing, and introducing them to foods that most people in my home town still haven't even heard of.

Truly, it's the mistrust we have developed in our society that bothers me, and the fact that most young adults I know have experienced more life through video games than through actually doing things in the great outdoors.

I use my computer all the time, and it has allowed me to purchase good things that are otherwise unavailable. It's a great tool for so many things. But just every once in a while, I want to be in a place where I'm challenged to use my own ingenuity, creativity, and problem solving skills to survive. I love the challenge of the outdoors. At least where I live, there are "No Hunting", and "No Trespassing" signs all over the place. There are fewer empty spaces available, less access to good fishing streams, more rules that limit our freedoms. Some of the new rules and laws I applaud. But some of them are just restrictive, and go beyond common sense.

And yes, I am still a big kid. I still throw snowballs, and water balloons. I still get on the floor and play with my grandkids. I still engage in an occasional game of hot-hands, and mercy with people a third of my age.

I guess, I just want it all, the good things of the past that are no longer available, and the good things of the present.

Keeping memories alive isn't a bad thing, if you concentrate on good memories. It helps shape the present. Most importantly, we can use remembered experience to help create new memories.

And yes, I agree, we need new, young blood here on DC. Ii'm always talking to people and inviting them to join, most of them under the age of 30. Sadly, most of them tell me that they don't like to cook.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Really interesting posts Chief, thank you . I am going to have a nosy at your blog .

Actually a lot of your things sounded quite exotic , I didn't know what coke was or a milkshake . We did have lemonade in flavours such as Cream Soda and Sarsparella (can't spell it and still don't know what it is ) . As a child we might go to a cafe for a pot of tea and a crumpet but not a restaurant . It was fairly plain food really until the explosion of ready meals which meant Indian and Chinese meals in boxes , ooh !
 
You misunderstand me. What I miss about yesteryear was the fact that we knew all of our neighbors, and my parents knew I was safe, no matter where I went in the town. Predators were pretty much unheard of, and it wasn't unusual to see a 16 year old toting a shotgun to the woods, to do a little rabbit, or grouse hunting. And co-pilots didn't purposely fly their jetliners into the ground.

The world is meaner now, and much of childhood innocence is lost. That's the part of our modern society that I don't care for.

As for all of the different flavors that are talked about on the internet, I had the opportunity to try many of them as a young man, when I joined the U.S. Navy. Living in Tennessee, Southern California, and sailing around the Pacific, I was introduced to wonderful flavors.

By remembering the things I was able to do in my own youth, I was able to guide my own children as they were growing to activities that many of their friends never dreamed of experiencing, and introducing them to foods that most people in my home town still haven't even heard of.

Truly, it's the mistrust we have developed in our society that bothers me, and the fact that most young adults I know have experienced more life through video games than through actually doing things in the great outdoors.

I use my computer all the time, and it has allowed me to purchase good things that are otherwise unavailable. It's a great tool for so many things. But just every once in a while, I want to be in a place where I'm challenged to use my own ingenuity, creativity, and problem solving skills to survive. I love the challenge of the outdoors. At least where I live, there are "No Hunting", and "No Trespassing" signs all over the place. There are fewer empty spaces available, less access to good fishing streams, more rules that limit our freedoms. Some of the new rules and laws I applaud. But some of them are just restrictive, and go beyond common sense.

And yes, I am still a big kid. I still throw snowballs, and water balloons. I still get on the floor and play with my grandkids. I still engage in an occasional game of hot-hands, and mercy with people a third of my age.

I guess, I just want it all, the good things of the past that are no longer available, and the good things of the present.

Keeping memories alive isn't a bad thing, if you concentrate on good memories. It helps shape the present. Most importantly, we can use remembered experience to help create new memories.

And yes, I agree, we need new, young blood here on DC. Ii'm always talking to people and inviting them to join, most of them under the age of 30. Sadly, most of them tell me that they don't like to cook.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
Never mind, Chief, I enjoy all the reminiscences on here, including yours and when I was young I always enjoyed listening to older people (of which I now am one!) talking about their youth. Probably the reason why I became a History teacher.

Discussing childhood and other memories are what social history is all about and we would be poorer without it.
 
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Most of those things are still available. The rest are thankfully gone. I wouldn't trade my smart phone or other technology for a bunch of reminiscences.

Technology has introduced me to whole new ways to cook. Modern transportation has brought me a new world of ingredients I had never heard of before. The internet has shown me tastes I never before imagined. I can finally move beyond that bland and boring British/New England food that I knew as a child. I can explore flavors and spices I never knew in the 1950's.

This is just one more of those conversations that someone else complained about. We are turning into a forum of a bunch of old fogies complaining about our food, our health, each other, and the world around. Have you noticed that the average age here is about 150? I am close to getting my first ss check myself, but this place is getting too old and crotchety for me.

And when I was a kid I walked 2 miles to school, with no shoes, an uphill both ways.

Sorry, Chief. I know you're beloved here, but ........... this contributes to the exodus.
Your choice but I actually find myself feeling sorry for you, Silver Sage
 
I guess this post was a bad idea. It has members angry with each other. That wasn't the intent. Maybe my statement about wanting the world to be a nicer place was the problem.

This kind of angers me that something that was supposed to bring back warm feelings instead became the beginning of ill will.:angry:

It is anger, misplaced words, and arrogance that drives people away from this site. Make no mistake.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
I get your intent with this thread Chief, and agree that we live in a different world now where we need to be more cautious. My brother and I are native SoCals and yes, we rode our bikes all over the place and that was fine, as long as we were home around the time the streetlights came on. :)

"150" years old is a bit of a stretch :rolleyes: but yes, several of us here are of mature age. :ermm::LOL: Technology is great and I get a lot of info online, but I still refer to my late grandmother's old cookbooks, with her notes and checkmarks of her tried and true recipes.

As far as 'what did we eat' back then, I have to do some more thinking about it, but the first thing that came to mind is fondue. LOL During the 60's and early 70's, my mom and dad thought it was great fun to have a fondue night every couple of weeks. Us kids loved it too, I still can hear the cubed meat sizzling in the hot oil. Every now and then it would be cheese and bread cubes. It's making a comeback now, I thought about buying my daughter a fondue pot for Christmas a couple of years ago, but decided against it because my grands are still so very young. Maybe in a few years.
 
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Chief, don't give up so easily. Like Cheryl, I rode my bike everywhere and felt perfectly safe.

I do remember my mother made all our meals from scratch. Because it was too difficult for her to walk the aisles of the grocery store, she never really got to see all the new prepared foods that were becoming available. So she would give me a list with the money and I would do the shopping for her.

My mother carried what she learned during the depression right up to when she was able to cook her last meal. She make meals that were quick and easy. I loved her mac and cheese, her meatloaf (I cannot make one to save my soul!), and so many other dishes. Nobody could make a New England Boiled dinner like she could. Like someone once said, "she was the only person she knew that could make a potato taste like a potato." To this day I still prefer cocoa made from the Hershey's can with a heaping spoonful of Marshmallow Fluff sitting on top. She made that for me every morning with toast before I headed out the door to school. You can keep Swiss Miss. I do not like store bought cakes or pastries of any kind except éclair's. But I prefer to buy them at a bakery. I used to buy the half white/chocolate cookies after school for a nickel. It was the first stop I made on my bike. I could leave my bike outside the bakery without locking it or worrying about it being stolen. We could put the baby outside in the carriage and go in the house leaving the window open. If you didn't hear the baby crying, someone would come along and put the bottle in the baby's mouth and then let you know the baby was awake and crying. It never occurred to any mother that someone would come along and steal your baby.

You are right Chief. It was a more trusting time. And a lot of the fond memories we now have are good memories. The world started to change when my children started to give me grandchildren. I could see it at that time, so I used to tell all my kids your main job as a parent is to keep your child safe, love that child like you never loved anything before, and give your children happy memories that they will tell their kids about. I think I did that with my kids. Now every time we have a holiday meal and the whole family is together, my kids and grandchildren sit around the table telling tales from their childhood. :angel:
 
I guess this post was a bad idea. Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Chief, Your post was a good idea. Seems it's been misunderstood.
Don't let it get ya down.

Your premise about the old vs. new is highly debatable on many levels but it seems at this point in time the state of many is (How shall I put it? ) Off. :boxing:
And that may well prove your point. ;)

Blame it on the sun. It's been a long winter and spring has just begun. Lack of sunshine and cold does have it's effect. :rolleyes:

The days are getting longer now so we'll get more sunshine and hopefully we'll see more :LOL: then :angry:
 
Maybe we should all come visit Zagut in Friendship Md. Better put the coffee pot/ tea pot on :), we'll each bring a treat.

Well if you all bring a treat :bounce: then I'll be sure to have plenty of fresh ground java for each and every one who attends this historic event. :LOL:

I 'll be happy to exchange a cup of joe for the "treats" that the good folk here have to offer. :pig:

I'm a mile away from the Friendship beltway so come on down. Spring is my favorite time of year and if you show up what's mine is yours. ;)

Just don't wait until the dog days of August. Then all bets are off. :whistling
 
That's arrogant! :ermm:

You are clearly stating that your choices are better than mine, and that mine are to be pitied.
That's arrogant! Well, it takes one to recognize one.


You are clearly stating that your choices are better than mine, and that mine are to be pitied - Oh really, however do you work that one out?

Judging by the replies, I think you are the one who is out of step.
 
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