What to serve at a 1950s dinner party

FILL THOSE PLATTERS AND SHOWCASE DECADENT SWEET TREATS FOR A TASTE OF MID-CENTURY DECADENCE AT HOME

If you’re old enough to remember the ’50s, then you’re familiar with the evocatively-named desserts, meat loaf slices and vintage crockery that were the hallmarks of evening soirees.

Dishes like chicken a la king and duck a l’orange were the star of many a dinner party. Spam (canned cooked pork) became a permanent fixture in post-war kitchens, and cheese fondue and ambrosia salad were the mainstays of retro menus. Classic meals we remember today often evolved from a mix of handme-down recipes and convenience foods.

After all, the 1950s were the beginning of the fast-food revolution, where home cooks straddled the line between oldfashioned cheese souffles and gravity-defying jelly desserts.

The ’50s was an era when the platters weren’t just a vocal group, but rather a fixed placement among mid-century fare, often featuring impressive canapes or hors d’oeuvres to tingle the palate. It was an age of signature cocktails, kitten heels and bold patterns. Almost everything had a dash of vermouth in it or a maraschino cherry on top.

So, why not re-live the good old days and throw a (small) midcentury dinner party? It seems like the perfect thing to do to cheer us up in an age of uncertainty. Whip out the retro garb and dress your table, but don’t forget rule No. 1: Display your dishes as if it’s dinnertime on the P&O.

You want to set an elaborately decorated table and fill it with tiered serving stands (of all heights), frilled tablecloths, bold-patterned serviettes and cocktail forks. You want your hard work on display.

DEVILLED EGGS

Speak of the devilled eggs. A soiree’s not a soiree without a few of these relish or sour cream-laden numbers. Don’t forget the yellow mustard and chives for real retro flare.

CHOP SUEY

Mums the retro world over were serving this on the table come dinnertime. It was tasty, economical and could feed an entire family. Make mini versions of this recipe and serve your guests a trip down memory lane. Word on the street is it tastes even better the next day.

CROQUETTES

If in the ’50s you had a copy of The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, you were making croquettes on rotation. These little mounds of goodness blended crisp and mush in an unusually (exciting) manner. Make them with potato or salmon, or use up leftover chicken or turkey (but don’t tell your guests).

SWEDISH MEATBALLS

If you’re passionate about the ’50s, you know all about Swedish meatballs. Ground beef and pork in a creamy gravy sauce was the appetiser du jour. Don’t forget to zhoosh them up with toothpicks and cellophane.

MOSCOW MULE

Your guests will need something to drink, so serve them a cocktail that had its heyday in the ’50s. Legend has it that the chance meeting of a man who couldn’t sell his vodka, another who couldn’t sell his ginger beer, and a woman who couldn’t sell her copper mugs resulted in the genesis of the Moscow mule. Today we’d call that a start-up.

NOW FOR THE DESSERT. CLEAR AND RESET YOUR BUFFET TABLE ARCTIC ROLL

Some may think it’s the world’s naffest pudding, but arctic roll is firmly entrenched in our memories as a tube of ice cream snuggled in a soft, jammy sponge. What’s not to love?

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Can you even imagine a midcentury dinner party without pineapple upside-down cake? Neither can we. It’s either a retro iteration of the early 20th-century tarte tatins, or the evolution of skillet pan puddings. Either way, for extra pizzazz, invert the dish in front of your guests.

SYLLABUB

Imagine a set of antique stemware filled with a creamy concoction made to curdle by the addition of alcohol, garnished with lady-fingers (which was the ingredient in vogue) and drizzled with lemon zest. That, my friends, is syllabub.

FLUMMERY

One can’t call this shindig a 1950s soiree if there isn’t mention of this jelly number. In fact, it’s also downright blasphemy if you don’t serve it in the prettiest dessert bowls you can find. Flummery is one of those mid-century desserts born from old-fashion recipes and made modern by the packet jelly era.

AMBROSIA SALAD

You may not have seen ambrosia salad at the dinner table, but it was certainly a staple at dinner parties. This cheerful, super-sweet creation was a take on a recipe popular throughout the US. Ambrosia appeared as a salad but moonlighted as a dessert. The US version was a melange of marshmallows, mandarins, walnuts, shredded coconut, pineapple, fruit yoghurt, chocolate and cream. Aussies, on the other hand, preferred to omit the nuts and coconut and add a couple of Flake bars.