Mid-century American food gets a bad reputation that I feel is really undeserved. While we associate it with slop made by our least favorite relatives, its origins lie in classical French food, but made simpler for the American home kitchen.
With a few modern updates, you can make something both easy and elegant.
Classic Paprika Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs were always my favorite potluck food growing up. It's a classic for a reason: great for big groups, kid-friendly, and a snort of paprika really does take them to the next level.
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Classic Paprika Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
Method
- Cover the eggs with 1 inch of cold water in a saucepan and bring to a full boil over medium-high heat.
- Cover the pan, remove it from the heat and let the eggs stand for 12 minutes.
- Transfer the eggs to ice water for 5 minutes, peel them and cut them lengthwise.
- Mash the yolks with the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper until smooth.
- Spoon the filling into the whites, dust evenly with paprika and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Pecan-Crusted Cheddar Cheese Ball
The pecan-crusted cheddar cheese ball is largely forgotten now, but it really has all the elements of a great party food. This recipe pairs the richness of cream cheese with the tang of Worcestershire and that nice golden-brown crust, made complex and nutty by the pecans, giving fancy restaurant croquettes a run for their money.
Pecan-Crusted Cheddar Cheese Ball
Ingredients
Method
- Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth and free of cold lumps.
- Mix in the cheddar, scallion, Worcestershire, mustard, garlic powder and pepper until evenly combined.
- Scrape the mixture onto plastic wrap and shape it into one compact ball.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour until firm enough to handle.
- Roll the ball in the chopped pecans, pressing lightly so the coating adheres, then chill until 20 minutes before serving.
Caramelized French Onion Dip
I love French onion dip for football season, and you don't need to use the instant soup packet. Instead, this version, using fresh ingredients, gives you that same Sunday afternoon nostalgia, but with cleaner and brighter flavors.
Caramelized French Onion Dip
Ingredients
Method
- Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium-low heat and add the onions, salt and sugar.
- Cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are deep golden and jammy rather than pale and wet.
- Spread the onions on a plate and cool them completely.
- Stir the sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, garlic powder and pepper together in a bowl.
- Fold in the cooled onions and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Old-School Shrimp Cocktail
Nothing says mid-century lounge quite like shrimp cocktail. Poaching the shrimp rather than boiling ensures a tender texture, and the tomato and horseradish sauce is a portal to a world of smoking jackets, pillbox hats, and sultry glances.
Old-School Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
Method
- Bring the water, lemon halves, salt and bay leaf to a gentle boil in a large saucepan.
- Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until opaque, curled into loose C shapes and 145°F in the center.
- Transfer the shrimp immediately to ice water for 3 minutes, then drain and pat them dry.
- Stir the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire and hot sauce together until smooth.
- Chill the shrimp and sauce separately for at least 1 hour, then serve one plate of shrimp with the sauce in a small bowl.
Crisp Bacon-Wrapped Rumaki
I used to always ask my mom to make rumaki at parties because it seemed so grown-up and sophisticated to my 10-year-old self. A one-time tiki bar staple, these skewers marry crunchy water chestnuts, crispy bacon, soft chicken livers, and a Japanese-inspired marinade. Mai tai pairing optional.
Crisp Bacon-Wrapped Rumaki
Ingredients
Method
- Arrange the bacon on a rack over a sheet pan and bake at 400°F for 8 minutes until some fat renders but the strips remain flexible.
- Stir the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and garlic powder together and marinate the chicken livers for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Place one liver piece and one water chestnut half on each bacon strip, roll tightly and secure with a soaked toothpick.
- Return the rumaki to the rack and bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the bacon is browned and the liver reaches 165°F.
- Rest for 5 minutes and remove the toothpicks only if the rolls hold securely.
Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast
Ignore the ominous name and military mess hall association. This is actually, at its core, a cousin of biscuits and gravy; you get the same mix of crispy toast, creamy sauce, and flavorful cured meat, perfect for a hearty breakfast.
Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse the dried beef under cool water for 15 seconds, drain it and pat it dry to remove excess surface salt.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the beef and cook for 2 minutes until the edges curl slightly.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute until no dry patches remain.
- Whisk in the milk gradually and simmer for 4 to 6 minutes until the gravy coats the back of a spoon; stir in the pepper and nutmeg.
- Butter and toast the bread until crisp, then spoon the hot creamed beef over two slices per serving.
Chicken a la King in Puff Pastry Shells
Change the shape of the case and call it "vol-au-vent," and this could appear at any old-school French bistro. The trio of chicken, mushrooms, and cream sauce is evergreen, and in a pastry case, you get an hors d'oeuvre that will fly off the party tray.
Chicken a la King in Puff Pastry Shells
Ingredients
Method
- Bake the puff pastry shells according to the package directions until deeply golden and hollow out the soft centers.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the mushrooms and onion for 7 minutes until browned and dry.
- Stir in the flour for 1 minute, then whisk in the broth and cream and simmer for 5 minutes until smooth and thickened.
- Add the chicken, peas, pimentos, salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes until the filling reaches 165°F.
- Spoon the hot chicken mixture into the pastry shells immediately before serving so the bottoms stay crisp.
Tuna Noodle Casserole with Potato Chip Crust
Tuna noodle casserole might have been the bane of every '60s kid's existence, but there's no reason it has to be. With quality canned tuna and a flavorful sauce made on the stovetop, it's really at its heart a delicious pasta bake, and a potato chip crust is a playful wink to the past.
Tuna Noodle Casserole with Potato Chip Crust
Ingredients
Method
- Boil the egg noodles in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directs, then drain them well.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the mushrooms for 6 minutes until browned and dry.
- Stir in the flour for 1 minute, whisk in the milk, salt and pepper and simmer for 4 minutes until thickened.
- Fold in the tuna, peas, cheddar and noodles and spread the mixture in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Cover evenly with crushed potato chips and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until bubbling at the edges.
Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
I always associated Salisbury steak with TV dinners growing up, but when I got older and traveled, I found that it's still revered as steak haché in France and as hanbagu in Japan. And it deserves more love from us Americans.
The onion gravy comes together in a jiffy too, making this a great weeknight meal.
Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the beef, breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire, salt and pepper just until combined and shape into 6 oval patties.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the patties for 3 minutes per side; transfer them to a plate.
- Cook the onions in the same skillet for 10 minutes until deep golden and soft.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions, stir for 1 minute, then whisk in the broth and mustard and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Return the patties, cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until their centers reach 160°F and the gravy coats a spoon.
Swedish Meatballs with Cream Gravy
You've had them at Ikea, but they are very much worth making at home. The key to Swedish meatballs is the spice blend, which pairs so well with the cream sauce, and of course feel free to serve lingonberry jam (or cranberry sauce) on the side for the full experience.
Swedish Meatballs with Cream Gravy
Ingredients
Method
- Stir the breadcrumbs and milk together and let them stand for 5 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
- Mix in the beef, pork, egg, onion, salt, allspice and nutmeg and shape into 24 small meatballs.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in 2 batches for 6 minutes per batch; transfer them to a plate.
- Melt the remaining butter, stir in the flour for 1 minute and whisk in the broth and cream until smooth.
- Return the meatballs and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until they reach 160°F and the gravy lightly thickens.
Broccoli Chicken Divan
Chicken Divan dates back to the grand hotels of old New York, but got a bad reputation with mayonnaise-based sauces later on. But the OG, chicken, broccoli, and cheese sauce (call it "Mornay" if you're feeling fancy), is worthy of Park Avenue.
Broccoli Chicken Divan
Ingredients
Method
- Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side until it reaches 165°F; rest and slice it.
- Steam the broccoli for 4 minutes until bright green and barely tender, then spread it in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish with the chicken.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour for 1 minute and whisk in the milk, mustard and remaining salt until thickened.
- Remove the pan from the heat, stir in 1 cup cheddar and the lemon juice and pour the sauce over the chicken and broccoli.
- Mix the remaining cheddar with the panko, scatter it on top and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes until browned and bubbling.
Beef Stroganoff with Egg Noodles
Beef stroganoff has its origins in the aristocratic homes of the Russian Empire, but it's easy enough to make so that we commoners can enjoy it too. The key is to whisk the sour cream in right at the end.
Beef Stroganoff with Egg Noodles
Ingredients
Method
- Boil the egg noodles in salted water until tender, drain them and keep them warm.
- Season the beef with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper, then sear it in 2 batches with 1 tablespoon oil over high heat for 90 seconds per side until at least 145°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Add the remaining oil and cook the mushrooms and onion for 7 minutes until browned, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle in the flour, stir for 1 minute and whisk in the broth, mustard and remaining salt; simmer for 4 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from direct heat, stir in the sour cream and beef and serve immediately over the noodles.
Porcupine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Silly name, tasty dish. These are, at their core, a classic plate of meatballs and tomato sauce, but the rice provides textural variation and also makes this an easy one-pot meal.
Porcupine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the beef, rice, onion, egg, salt, garlic powder and pepper just until combined and shape into 18 meatballs.
- Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in 2 batches for 5 minutes per batch.
- Stir the crushed tomatoes, broth and Worcestershire together in the skillet and return all the meatballs.
- Cover and simmer over low heat for 35 minutes, turning the meatballs once, until the rice is tender and the centers reach 160°F.
- Uncover and simmer for 5 minutes if the sauce is thinner than a spoonable gravy.
Beef and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers
There's a reason cultures from Mexico to the Middle East and everywhere in between stuff peppers with beef and rice. Roasting the peppers beforehand ensures optimum texture.
Beef and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
Method
- Brush the pepper halves with half the oil, arrange them cut-side up in a baking dish and roast at 400°F for 15 minutes.
- Heat the remaining oil in a skillet and cook the beef and onion over medium-high heat for 7 minutes until the beef reaches 160°F; drain excess fat.
- Stir in the garlic, salt and oregano for 30 seconds, then add 1 cup tomato sauce and the cooked rice.
- Fill the softened peppers evenly and spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the tops.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes, uncover, add the cheddar and bake for 8 minutes until melted.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
It might look intimidating, but chicken Cordon Bleu couldn't be simpler. They're a snap to make in the oven, too, so there's no need to deal with the mess (and caloric load) of deep frying.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Ingredients
Method
- Pound each chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap to an even 1/4-inch thickness and season with the salt and pepper.
- Place one ham slice and one cheese baton on each breast, roll tightly and secure the seam with toothpicks.
- Chill the rolls for 20 minutes, then coat each in flour, beaten eggs mixed with water and panko.
- Heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet and brown the rolls over medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side.
- Bake at 375°F for 18 to 22 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F, rest for 5 minutes and remove every toothpick before slicing.
Pineapple-Glazed Ham Steak
Ham and pineapple is the sort of thing that you might only know from oversaturated photos in old cookbooks, but for enthusiasts of retro, it's worth trying at least once. Put on your beehive wig, get out the lounge LPs, and give it a go.
Pineapple-Glazed Ham Steak
Ingredients
Method
- Pat the ham steak and pineapple rings dry so they brown instead of steaming.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the ham for 3 minutes per side; transfer it to a plate.
- Brown the pineapple rings in the same skillet for 2 minutes per side and move them beside the ham.
- Add the pineapple juice, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar and cloves and simmer for 4 minutes until syrupy.
- Return the ham and pineapple, spoon the glaze over both and cook for 3 minutes until the ham reaches 140°F.
Steakhouse Iceberg Wedge Salad
The word "salad" is doing some serious heavy lifting here. However, the wedge of iceberg lettuce makes a great vehicle for a creamy blue cheese dressing studded with bacon; resist the urge to substitute fancier lettuces.
Steakhouse Iceberg Wedge Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp, then drain and crumble it.
- Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, salt and pepper until pourable.
- Remove the loose outer leaves and core from the lettuce and cut the head into 4 equal wedges.
- Rinse the wedges briefly, dry them thoroughly and chill them for 20 minutes.
- Set each wedge on a plain plate and top evenly with dressing, bacon, tomatoes and blue cheese.
Seven-Layer Salad
In an era when the camera eats first, it's something of a shock that seven-layer salad, with its brightly colored layers of veggies and proteins, hasn't made a full-on comeback. If it were called a "deconstructed Olivier salad" and served at a Michelin-starred restaurant, it'd be all over your social media feed.
Seven-Layer Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Spread the chopped lettuce in an even layer across the bottom of a 3-quart glass bowl.
- Layer the celery, peas, red onion and chopped eggs in that order without stirring.
- Mix the mayonnaise and sugar and spread it edge to edge over the eggs to seal the vegetables underneath.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
- Scatter the cheddar and bacon over the top immediately before serving and scoop straight down to capture every layer.
Citrus Ambrosia Salad
Personally, the word "ambrosia" triggers traumatic memories of canned fruit cocktail and Cool Whip, but that doesn't need to be the case. With fresh fruit and homemade whipped cream, it's actually a pretty classy dessert.
Citrus Ambrosia Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Slice the peel and white pith from the oranges and cut the flesh into bite-size pieces over a bowl.
- Drain the orange pieces and pineapple in a colander for 10 minutes so they do not water down the dressing.
- Whip the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.
- Fold the oranges, pineapple, coconut, marshmallows and pecans into the cream just until coated.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve within 6 hours while the fruit still has texture.
Watergate Salad
In the eyes of many, this dish might have been the bigger scandal, but it is a fun experiment to make this infamous '70s dessert salad based on pistachio pudding. Give it a try, but don't blame me if you need a presidential pardon afterward.
Watergate Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Stir the undrained crushed pineapple and dry pudding mix together until the powder dissolves and the mixture begins to thicken.
- Fold in the thawed whipped topping without deflating it completely.
- Fold in the marshmallows and pecans until evenly distributed.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the pudding hydrates and the marshmallows soften slightly.
- Stir once before serving and keep the bowl chilled rather than letting it sit at room temperature.
Savory Tomato Aspic
Aspics had something of a micro-revival among food bloggers around 2020, but there's no getting around the fact that this is, at its core, tomato Jell-O. Still, aspics remain popular in Eastern Europe, and they absolutely have their fans, and there's only one way to find out if you might be among them.
Savory Tomato Aspic
Ingredients
Method
- Pour the cold tomato juice into a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over it and let it bloom for 5 minutes.
- Heat the remaining tomato juice in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling.
- Whisk in the bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved, then add the celery, lemon juice, Worcestershire, horseradish, salt and hot sauce.
- Pour the mixture into a lightly oiled 4-cup ring mold and skim away any foam.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, dip the mold briefly in warm water and invert it onto a plain plate.
Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes
Nothing says "comfort food" to me quite like scalloped potatoes: slice up some potatoes, pour a béchamel over, and bake. Serve as a side dish, and then the next day, holy cow, do they make good leftovers.
Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
Method
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stir in the flour for 1 minute and whisk in the milk gradually.
- Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and simmer for 4 minutes until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
- Layer half the potatoes and onion in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish, pour over half the sauce and repeat.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for 50 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes yield easily to a knife and the top is browned; rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Green Bean Casserole from Scratch
Green bean casserole is the type example of back-of-the-box cooking, but if you use a from-scratch mushroom sauce instead of a can of cream of mushroom, you get something that's genuinely delicious, and makes a great veggie side. And there's nothing quite like a crispy fried onion topping.
Green Bean Casserole from Scratch
Ingredients
Method
- Boil the green beans in salted water for 4 minutes until bright green, then transfer them to ice water and drain thoroughly.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the mushrooms and onion for 8 minutes until browned and dry.
- Stir in the flour for 1 minute, whisk in the milk, broth, salt and pepper and simmer for 4 minutes until thickened.
- Fold in the beans and 1 cup fried onions and spread the mixture in a 3-quart baking dish.
- Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, top with the remaining fried onions and bake for 5 minutes until crisp.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
Glazing vegetables can be tricky, but fortunately carrots are a bit easier due to their sturdy structure. The key is to reduce down to a glossy glaze without burning, and your reward is a vegetable dish for dessert lovers.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the carrots, water and salt in a wide skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Cover and cook for 8 minutes until the carrots are barely tender when pierced with a fork.
- Uncover and cook until the remaining water has nearly evaporated.
- Add the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing often, until the glaze looks shiny and clings to the carrots.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the lemon juice before serving.
Skillet Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
The cast iron makes for a fun twist on this mid-century classic. The Maraschino cherries are very much optional, but they somehow seem perfectly suited to the occasion.
Skillet Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over it and arrange the pineapple rings with one cherry in each center.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
- Beat the remaining butter with the granulated sugar until fluffy, beat in the eggs and vanilla and alternate adding the flour mixture and milk.
- Spread the batter carefully over the fruit without disturbing the pattern.
- Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes until a tester in the cake portion comes out clean, cool for 10 minutes and invert onto a plate.
Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding
If you're anything like me, your freezer is full of nearly-black bananas that you swear you'll someday make into banana bread. However, banana pudding made from scratch provides another great way to use up bananas that are a little too ripe for snacking.
Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, flour, salt, milk and egg yolks in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, whisking, until thick and 170°F; stir in the vanilla.
- Arrange one-third of the wafers and bananas in a 2-quart baking dish and cover with one-third of the warm custard; repeat the layers twice.
- Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks, then add the remaining sugar gradually and beat to glossy stiff peaks.
- Spread the meringue over the hot pudding all the way to the dish edges.
- Bake at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes until browned, cool for 1 hour and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Chocolate-Cherry Baked Alaska
It's a bit silly, but baked Alaska is still a very fun home science experiment slash dessert, and the reveal is as fun as the eating. Cherry ice cream makes for a twist, but feel free to sub with another flavor if, like me, you're not a fan of the cherry-chocolate flavor combo.
Chocolate-Cherry Baked Alaska
Ingredients
Method
- Line a 9-inch bowl with plastic wrap, press the softened ice cream into it and freeze for at least 4 hours until solid.
- Trim the cake into a 9-inch circle, invert the frozen ice cream dome onto it and remove the plastic wrap.
- Freeze the assembled cake and ice cream for 1 hour while heating the oven to 500°F.
- Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt to soft peaks, add the sugar gradually and beat to stiff glossy peaks; beat in the vanilla.
- Cover the ice cream and cake completely with a thick continuous layer of meringue and bake for 3 to 5 minutes until browned, then slice immediately.
Grasshopper Pie
One of my favorite parts of going for Chinese food growing up was the Andes mint at the end of dinner, and there's nothing on a hot summer day quite like mint chip ice cream. It's a classic flavor combination for a reason, and this pie deserves a second look.
Grasshopper Pie
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter, press them into a 9-inch pie plate and bake at 350°F for 8 minutes; cool completely.
- Heat the marshmallows and milk in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until completely smooth, then cool to room temperature.
- Stir the creme de menthe, creme de cacao and food coloring into the marshmallow mixture.
- Whip the heavy cream to medium peaks and fold it into the mint mixture in 3 additions.
- Spread the filling in the cooled crust and freeze for at least 6 hours, then rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing.
Cherries Jubilee over Vanilla Ice Cream
Raise your hand if you have the memory of a male relative taking a few too many swigs of the brandy for the cherry jubilee and lighting his sleeve on fire as well as the cherries. This recipe removes the risk, keeping the cherry-brandy flavor combo without the flames, and tastes just as good on vanilla ice cream.
Cherries Jubilee over Vanilla Ice Cream
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, water and lemon juice in a wide skillet while the pan is still cold.
- Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the cherries are hot and the sauce turns clear and glossy.
- Remove the skillet from the burner, stir in the brandy and return it to low heat.
- Simmer for 2 minutes to soften the alcohol edge, then remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Spoon the warm cherries and sauce over six bowls of firm vanilla ice cream and serve immediately.
Tunnel of Fudge Bundt Cake
Consider this the ancestor of the chocolate lava cake. The walnuts perform an important structural function, and are not at all optional.
Tunnel of Fudge Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly, making sure every ridge is coated.
- Beat the butter and granulated sugar for 4 minutes until fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time and beat in the vanilla.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, flour, cocoa and salt together and mix them into the butter mixture just until combined; fold in the walnuts.
- Spread the thick batter evenly in the pan and bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes until the top is crusted and the edges pull slightly from the pan; do not test the soft center.
- Cool in the pan for 90 minutes, invert onto a rack, pour hot cream over the chopped chocolate, stir smooth and drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
What mid-century cooking got right
At its best, mid-century cooking represents a democratization of the classical French table. All those dishes that were once served to princes and potentates were simplified just enough for the intrepid housewife, and for me, that's something worth preserving.
The ones that should stay in the past
Let's face it, not all of these dishes are great. But I do think that all of them are worth a second look, because who knows… You might realize that aspic is just what you've been missing.
