Occasionally someone will ask about weird foods I’ve tried in the name of history. Beef stuffed with oysters or anchovy may seem weird to some people. Perhaps peanut-pickle sandwich filling is a curiosity from another time.
Honestly, I tend to believe that the food we have access to now is weirder than anything found in history. For centuries, we more or less had a finite number of ingredients to combine in different ways, and then, suddenly: the wonders of chemistry.
My aunt gave me a late 1970′s community cookbook from Calvert County. The book features a stock cover I’ve seen on other cookbooks, with a cutesey illustration of a child and the title “Butter ‘n Love Recipes.” The cover and name are a little odd to me so it’s all the more confusing that this was not just a one off but a popular offering by the publishing company.
The Calvert County Mental Health Association gave their version of this book the subtitle “Mind Over Batter.” The cookbook committee’s stated purpose was to raise money for improved treatment and prevention of mental illness, awareness about the social stigma, and the general promotion of mental health.
I was surprised to find a page dedicated to Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham in a 1970′s cookbook, much less one from Calvert County. Also included are some other heritage recipes like a Michigan pasty, and Finnish Pannukakku.
Instead of opting for one of these recipes I gravitated directly to “Calvert Fruit Salad” – featuring fresh apples and bananas plus a can of fruit cocktail, pudding mix, and Tang. The astronaut drink. You want a kinda weird recipe? Take some fresh fruit and flavor it with pudding powder and Tang. I wonder if the name is a reference to the color.
Before assaulting my tooth enamel with this delightful concoction I figured I should eat a proper dinner so I made “Broccoli Puff,” a casserole of canned soup, American cheese, mayonnaise, etc. I didn’t stay faithful to this one. I used cheddar cheese, added some other assorted greens and -last but not least- I added a packet of no-salt sazón to give it some flavor and make it neon orange to match the fruit salad.
Having had a pretty busy fall, I can honestly say that easy recipes like this DO help my mental health. What a time to be alive!
Recipes:
Calvert Fruit Salad
- 4 bananas, sliced
- 2 red apples
- 1 can fruit cocktail
- 4 heaping Tbsp. Tang
- 1 box instant vanilla pudding (small)
Chop apples quite small, and add to bananas, then add fruit cocktail. Stir Tang into mixture and add instant vanilla pudding. Eat and enjoy.
Broccoli Puff:
- 1 (10 oz.) pkg. broccoli spears
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 2 oz. sharp American cheese, shredded (½ c.)
- ¼ c. milk
- ¼ c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
- 1 beaten egg
- ¼ c. fine dry bread crumbs
- 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
Cook broccoli, according to directions omitting salt; drain thoroughly. Cut each spear into thirds. Place broccoli in 10 x 6 x 1 ½-inch baking dish. Mix condensed soup and shredded cheese, gradually add milk, mayonnaise and egg to soup mixture, stirring until well blended. Pour over broccoli. Combine bread crumbs and melted margarine; sprinkle over dish. Bake at 350°
for 45 minutes, until crumbs are lightly browned.
Recipes from “Mind Over Batter,” Calvert County Mental Health Association. Contributed by Clara Belle Cox and Barbara Price, respectively.
