It’s that magical time of year again when kitchens glow warm with laughter, tins of cookies appear from nowhere, and the scent of spices and citrus fills the air. This season at The Chopping Block, we’ve got plenty going on to feed that festive mood.
Our December class calendar still has plenty of space available for you to sign up. If you’re looking for a merry way to sharpen your kitchen chops or gift someone a culinary experience that feels like a party, there are so many great classes to choose from. For example, our Homemade Holiday Gifts class is perfect for crafting edible tokens to share with family or friends (or even just keep all the goodies for yourself!). There is also our Feliz Navidad class or our Classic Holiday Cookies class. For those ready to start the new year with a slew of new cooking techniques there’s always Culinary Boot Camp, where you learn foundational skills from knife work to sauces and beyond. Our kitchens are perfectly decorated to host your holiday party as well!
I was recently invited to be on Toon In with Me again for a retro 60’s themed holiday food segment. The last one was so much fun, I couldn’t resist. So, I do what I always do: go down a rabbit hole of research about this fun topic to find out what the most popular dishes were back then and put my own twist on them. I was feeling really nostalgic after reading about all the epic recipes I stumbled upon and couldn’t wait to execute my menu for them!
I decided to make Lil' Smokey Christmas Tree Centerpiece, Pull-apart Bread Christmas Tree, 3 different canapes, Baked Crab Dip, Sherbert Punch, and Ambrosia Salad.
You know I love a good theme and dove right in trying to find the right serving platters and recipes to share. They really wanted the show to reflect real food trends that were popular back in the 1960s, and I was happy to oblige. This era was all about convenience, theatrics, and over the top presentations which is right up my alley.
One of my favorite things I read about were all of the festive food centerpieces like this Lil' Smokey Christmas tree! I used parsley, rosemary, tomatoes, and olives to decorate this mini weenie standout and you can’t miss the cheddar cheese star on top. Another popular food centerpiece was the “hedgehog” where an orange or a grapefruit had toothpicks of cheese, pickles, or olives stuck in them.
Canapes are essentially tiny open faced sandwiches or any kind of base such as crackers, bread, or vegetables topped with a flavorful spread or garnishes. They were a huge part of the vintage holiday table. I made a whipped smoked salmon cream cheese dip on a cucumber, crackers with salami, olives, radishes, and creamed beef on toast for my canape platter and the Christmas tree centerpiece fit right in the middle to tie it all together.
On the original menu, I served pull apart bread in the shape of a Christmas tree and decorated the finished product with olives and tomatoes and herbs. You can find this recipe and other more modern festive appetizers here!
With the leftover dough from making the pull apart bread and the left-over wienies from the center piece, I was also able to make some pigs in a blanket for a little snack while I cooked. Not a part of the plan but very much on theme!
I was so excited that my dad had kept a lot of their serving platters and old school Pyrex baking dishes. This came in handy for serving the baked crab dip! Vintage never goes out of style, and I am sure there are many more of you that have a few of these hand-me-down pieces. They just don’t make 'em like they used to. This dip could also be serves as a canape.
But the piece de resistance was my mom’s old punch bowl! There is nothing better than having a batched drink of some sort when hosting. So, I made this oldie but goodie that my mom served us from her childhood and that I grew up on: orange sherbert punch. This frothy, sunshine-colored punch is like a mid-century Christmas card come to life. It’s light, sweet, slightly tangy, and perfect for kids and adults alike.
Orange Sherbet Punch
Yield: 12 cups
2 pints orange sherbet, softened
2 liters ginger ale (or lemon-lime soda) chilled
2 cups orange juice, chilled
2 cups cranberry juice, chilled
Slices of fresh orange (optional, for garnish)
Maraschino cherries (optional, for garnish)
- Pour the chilled orange juice and cranberry juice into a punch bowl or other serving vessel.
- Scoop the softened orange sherbet into the juices.
- Slowly pour in the chilled ginger ale (or lemon-lime soda) and stir gently until bubbly.
- Add orange slices and maraschino cherries for a cheerful, vintage look.
- Serve immediately in punch cups or glasses
This fizzy, sherbet-y punch adds a cheerful pop of color to your holiday spread and pairs beautifully with savory dishes or a sweet retro table. You can easily add a bit of alcohol as well if you prefer a spiked punch!
I always love an assortment of dishes for the holidays and really prefer grazing to a sit down meal. All of these items on my menu can work as side dishes, appetizers or even on a buffet table. Besides the punch, I wanted to pick a sweet option to showcase and landed on the classic ambrosia salad.
Salads back then had many varying definitions. If you are not familiar this “salad” consists of mixing canned mandarin oranges, canned pineapple, maraschino cherries, coconut and marshmallows with cool whip and sour cream. I admit I had never had this type of salad before. A lot of what I found out was back then anything out of a can was fair game and mixing and matching sweet on sweet and savory on savory was a big trend.
The main fad of the era that was on every dining table (but especially the holiday table) was Jell-O molds. So many variations of Jell-O were used in very creative ways! Most surprising to me were the savory varieties. I was shocked when I found this recipe for a savory ham Jell-O mold that I absolutely needed to try it out!
Savory Ham Jell-O Mold
Yield: 8-10 servings
Prep time: 40 minutes
Chill time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Total time: 5 hours, 10 minutes
1 (3 ounce) package lemon-flavored gelatin mix (such as Jell-O®)
1 cup boiling water
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained and juice reserved
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup cold water, or as needed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard, or to taste
1 cup finely chopped cabbage
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped cooked ham
1. Dissolve lemon gelatin in boiling water in a large bowl. Pour reserved pineapple juice and white wine vinegar into a measuring cup; add enough cold water to measure 1 cup.
2. Stir water-juice mixture into gelatin mixture; refrigerate until cold and beginning to set, about 30 minutes.
3. Stir mayonnaise and spicy brown mustard together in a bowl; whisk mayonnaise mixture into cooled lemon gelatin mixture until smooth. Gently fold cabbage, ham, celery, and reserved pineapple into gelatin. Transfer mixture into a ring-shaped gelatin mold.
4. Chill in the refrigerator until firmly set, about 4 hours.
5. To serve, dip the gelatin mold into hot water to loosen the sides; place a plate on top of the mold, invert, and gently lift the mold from salad.
This retro ham Jell-O mold is playful, unexpected, and a nod to holiday tables of decades past. Once a staple on many American holiday tables, Jell-O molds bring a bit of whimsy and nostalgia to your dinner spread. This savory ham Jell-O mold is perfect if you want to serve something unexpected, fun, and totally retro. I ended up putting a handful of parsley in the center to make it more complete.
I will tell you a secret - this recipe sounded horrible to me, something I would never eat in my lifetime. But honestly when you break down the taste profiles, everything works! It was like having a slaw with ham dressed with lemon mustard and mayo. The only thing that was throwing me off was the texture of the Jell-O. Would I make it again? Probably not, but I would experiment with other Jell-O molds.
Being a French classically trained chef, this is very reminiscent of my time spent in culinary school learning about aspic and fancy French buffets where gelatin was used often. What was funny was, not even a few weeks later, I happen to be interviewed by Joan Esposito on WPCT and without being aware of the fact that I had just made this Jell-O mold she had asked me if I have ever served one before! There were numerous texters that were inquiring about this very trend that is making a comeback.
There is something undeniably joyful about holiday dishes that bring color, whimsy, and surprise to the table. A sherbet punch that fizzes and sparkles. A jiggly ham mold that makes people pause. In an age of sleek plating and Instagram-friendly minimalism, these retro dishes remind us that food, especially at the holidays, can be fun, communal, and a little bit silly. They encourage conversation, laughter, and a bit of nostalgia.
All food fads are rooted in what is necessary for the times and back in the 60s, Jell-O, canned goods, and prepared foods were all staples. It was about lots of garnishes, eccentric presentations, with a hint of elegance. It makes me wonder what other throwback dishes will make their reoccurrence next? Make sure to catch the full Toon in with Me segment on December 18 on WCIU!
At The Chopping Block, we cherish both tradition and learning. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a curious beginner, our classes give you the skills to make any dinner shine. So why not bring back a bit of retro holiday spirit this year and make your table a throwback celebration with these recipes?
If you’re in Chicagoland and want to get hands-on this season consider checking out our upcoming holiday-themed classes. Taking a cooking class is a fabulous way to learn the ropes, share a night out, or gift someone a cooking experience (yes, we have gift cards!) that’s fun, social, and useful.
