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World War I and II
The World Wars required civilians to temporarily modify eating practices, changes that transformed the American diet and food system. During WW I, the US government encouraged civilians—often through posters—to consume more fresh foods, such as produce, eggs, and dairy products, whose perishable nature made them unsuitable for shipment to the warfront (Freidberg 2009: L. 513). -
The Counterculture (1960s and 1970s)
Motivated by a perfect storm of political, social, and environmental strife in the late 1960s, the counterculture took on the food industry, bringing the movement’s broader political and ecological agenda to the dinner table. -
Healthism (1980s)
While Americans have long eaten with good health in mind, 1980 marks a turning point as food, nutrients, and health became fused in the American consciousness when the US Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services published the first Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These seven guideline statements contributed to growing public awareness of the connections between consuming foods high in fat, sodium, and cholesterol and disease, from strokes to diabetes (Vileisis 2008: 224). -
1980s Panzella
The concept is ancient, the practice is contemporary. Food historians confirm salads and breads of all sorts were enjoyed by Ancient mediterranean peoples. Bread dried quickly in the hot southern European climate. Thrifty people were not inclined to discard old bread; they cooked with it. Both salads and breads were often combined with tangy oil-based dressings. The marriage of all three was inevitable. Panzanella! -
[1981] Mud Pie
A chocolate-cookie crust filled which chocolate or coffee-brandy ice cream. To our surprise, the printed question and answer elicited scores of recipes from all over the nation, not only from Mississippi mud pies but for mud cakes as well. Both of them, as our readers warned us, are sinfully rich. The Mississippi pie, with its emphatic chocolate flavor, may be served lukewarm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. -
1983 Vodka sauce
Several traditional Italian sauces incorporate native wines. Vodka??? Intriguing, but decidedly un-Italian. A survey of newspaper/magazine articles places the genesis of vodka sauce in the 1980s. Nuevo Cucina a la Russe. The Smirnoff Bruch Book (c. 1971) offers several sauce recipes but none combining vodka and tomatoes. -
1987 Tortilla Pinwheels
Fancy 19th century finger sandwiches served with tea or cocktails. Our survey of historic American newspapers suggest Tortilla Pinwheel sandwiches surfaced in 1987. The fact that tortilla pinwheels were introduced about the same time as New Southwestern Cuisine appears to be a parallel gastronomic coincidence. The earliest recipes in Amerian print call for cream cheese, ham, Dijon mustard, and dill. -
1990s Tall foods
The "tall food" movement began in the early 1990s as an counterbalance to 1980s nouvelle cuisine. Our research indicates chef Alfred Portale, Gotham Bar & Grill (NYC) introduced this cuisine -
2000s Popular foods and trends
Artisan breads & purple ketchup, sustainable fish & turkey SPAM, sushi bars & sliders, raw foods & deep fried twinkies, foot-long breakfast sandwiches & traveling cupcake vendors, pink water & green tea, farmers markets & Walmart bulk foods. And sriracha sauce. -
2007 cake pops
Cake pops, chocolate-coated cake balls on a stick, are the cupcakes of 2010. Several local companies...sell the trendy desert that is surprisingly easy to make at home. With a box of cake mix, a can of frosting, lollipop sticks, melting chocolate...and a helping hand form a creative young chef in the house, you can make cake balls on a stick. -
2009 Recessipes
The economic recession of 2008-2009 caused many people to choose simpler, less expensive meals. The word “recessipe” (recession recipe) was popularized in February and March 2009.