In the 50 years since the summer of ’69, many entertainment trends have come and gone but that iconic time has led to many retro, themed gatherings. But if you’d like to step up your party game, try one of these throwback ideas.
The old-school co*cktail dinner
As newspaper articles of the time noted, social patterns were changing in the late 1960s. Dinner parties were becoming less formal but co*cktail dinners, the Washington Post noted in 1970, were the new trend.
Menu: Retro classics are a must here. Pigs in a blanket, Swedish meatballs, shrimp co*cktail, vegetables with green goddess dip— and pineapple upside down cake or the popular bundt “Tunnel of Fudge Cake,” which won the Pillsbury Bake-Off in 1966.
Drinks: According to mixologists, this was a strange time for co*cktails. Some drinks were overly sweet and others like Tom Collins and Screwdrivers could be found in canned versions. But it’s hard to go wrong with classics like Manhattans, gin-and-tonics, whiskey sours and/or gimlets.
Decor: It’s all about the bar, here. It can be the focus of your gathering, whether it’s a well-fashioned bar cart, or a well-stocked centerpiece. Use co*cktail accessories creatively, like shakers to hold flowers.
Inspiration: Later seasons of "Mad Men," or Earnest Money & Sons in downtown Wilmington for classic co*cktails.
Tiki revival
Technically, tiki culture in the U.S. dates back decades and flourished after World War II. By the 1970s, the trend had peaked and started to decline. But tiki bars, and tiki drinks, are on the upswing again, especially in coastal communities.
Menu: Anything with some tropical inspiration will work. Slow-cooker kalua pork, shrimp salad, papaya salad, poke bowls, pu pu platters, fried rice variations, fruit salads, coconut cake, key lime tarts.
Drinks:Mai Tais, Blue Hawaiians, and Zombies relate directly to the tiki craze. But daiquiris, drinks in pineapples, and mojitos would be good choices, too.
Decor: Tiki-influenced design includes a wide variety of elements, from kitschy to more authentically ethnic. Tikis are the terms for wooden totems, and you can see many party decorations with this theme. Or try bamboo elements, palm fronds, leis and block-printed Tapa cloth. Have a lot of fun additions, like sliced fruit and edible flowers, for your tiki drinks.
Inspiration: Look to Ocean Grill and Tiki Bar and Salt Fish in Carolina Beach, or the popular outdoor dining area at Indochine and its Polynesian atmosphere.
Celebrate space
You can emulate NASA and plan a celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, which took place in July. Or, if you need more flexibility, celebrate one of the other three Apollo missions that year.
Menu: With a little research, you can find a lot of information about the history of food in space. Not all of it is typically party fare. John Glenn was the first American to eat (applesauce) in space in 1962. Later, an astronaut ‘smuggled’ a corned beef sandwich on this flight. You can get creative, or use one of the recipes developed for astronauts (like fruitcake!).
Drinks: Tang was not invented for NASA, but gained popularity when it was used on space missions in the ’60s. Or try moon-themed adult beverages, like Blue Moon beer. Or a Cherry Moon co*cktail, made with cherry-flavored vodka and lemon lime soda.
Decor: Moons, rockets, glow-in-the-dark stars.
Inspiration: Check out the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (airandspace.si.edu) for its page on Food in Space.
French, a la Julia
Without Julia Child, who knows if Americans would have the same love and appreciation for French food. Although her influence isn’t restricted to one year, 1969 was right in the middle of her television show, “The French Chef,” which ran from 1963 to 1973.
Menu: Boeuf Bourguignon was prepared on one of the first episodes, but there are many other choices. Bouillabaisse, quiche Lorraine, salad Nicoise or vichyssoise, a cold potato soup with leeks, would be ideal for a summer dinner.
Drinks: French wine, mais oui.
Decor: Go for a classic French cafe look with candles and red-and-white checked tablecloths, or use some favorite classic cookware as decoration or a centerpiece.
Inspiration: Consult one of Child’s cookbooks, or venture to local French restaurants, such as Caprice Bistro in downtown Wilmington, for ideas.
HERE ARE A FEW RECIPES TO GET YOU STARTED
Recipe: Julia Child’s Mousse au chocolat
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 ounces unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup dark-brewed coffee
4 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon water
Pinch of salt
½teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat a saucepan one-third full with hot water, and in a bowl set on top to barely simmer. Melt together the chocolate, butter and coffee, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. In another bowl large enough to fit securely on the saucepan of simmering water, whisk the yolks of the eggs with the 2/3 cup of sugar, rum, and water for about 3 minutes until the mixture is thick. Remove from heat and place the bowl of whipped egg yolks within the bowl of ice water and beat until cool and thick. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until frothy. Continue to beat until they start to hold their shape. Whip in the tablespoon of sugar and continue to beat until thick and shiny, but not completely stiff, then the vanilla. Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder of the whites just until incorporated, but don't overwork.
Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl or divide into serving dishes, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm. The mousse can also be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Recipe: Astronaut Fruitcake
Originally developed as space food, try this simplified version for at-home preparation, originally published in 1968.
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
½cups granulated sugar
½teaspoon salt
8 large eggs
½teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups chopped pecans
3 cups imported diced dates or whole pitted dates, cut up
1 cup glace cherries, quartered
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Generously grease bottoms of two loaf pans. Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Place nuts, cherries, quartered dates, in a bowl and mix until pieces of fruit no longer stick together and nuts are well dispersed in the fruit mixture. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the fruit mixture, while mixing by hand. Beat eggs and vanilla until frothy. Add to the fruit mixture and mix until all ingredients are completely moistened. Pour into prepared pans and bake fruitcake for two hours, or until firm. Store in airtight container.
Recipe from Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Recipe: Old Fashioned
2 dashes aromatic bitters
½ teaspoon sugar dissolved with water and bitters
1½ ounces of bourbon
1 cherry
1 orange slice
1 lemon wedge
Fill glass with ice. Add cherry, orange slice, and lemon wedge. Pour in bourbon. Serve in a rocks glass over ice.
Recipe from AMC
