Time-traveling TIDBITS

Four classic nibbles enter the 21st century, but you can ... party like it’s 1967!

By RENEE ENNA

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Nothing ushers in the entertaining season more than visions of a home trimmed with colorful lights, sparkling ornaments and ... a garish orange cheese ball studded with pecans?

Brown meatballs swimming in gravy?

Onion dip made from a dry soup mix?

Cocktail wienies?

Some of the foods and fads of the swinging ’60s can make a holiday buffet table look more like the holiday being celebrated is Halloween. Although many dishes of the era are capturing a new generation of admirers, truth be told, they never went away for a lot of us.

Some were great to begin with. And some of the not-so-great just became habit-forming. Sort of like watching George Bailey get out of debt. What these familiar nibbles are celebrating is Party Past — a time so long ago and so far away that you have forgotten all the bad gifts, all the bad outfits, and the way that Cheddar cheese congeals when it has been in the fondue pot too long. Oh, and tasting this stuff might make you feel like you’re 15 again. So there’s that.

Decade of the appetizer

The ’60s can be called the decade of the appetizer. Many classics we associate with that era didn’t necessarily originate then, but they were a perfect fit for the nibblefests that reached a zenith. Portability was key.

“Cocktail parties by their nature were usually stand-up affairs,” Sylvia Lovegren writes in “Fashionable Food: Seven Decades of Food Fads.” “Beware to the hostess who served her guests anything requiring a plate and utensils, for, the laws of physics being what they are, something was certain to end up on the couch.”

Peg Bracken’s “I Hate to Cook Book” series, launched in 1960 by the late writer, was an amusing, all-the-rage primer for reluctant cooks. Here’s her take on appetizers: “There are, as you know, some fifty or sixty thousand possibilities to pick from: open sandwiches, closed sandwiches, wee sausages in dozens of disguises, oysters ditto, cheese, puffs, cookies, crackers, and enough dunks and dips to float the Queen Elizabeth.”

Kraft and Campbell’s

Cookbook author Jean Anderson credits the emergence in the late 1950s of food-company powerhouses such as Kraft and Campbell’s with the preponderance of groovy nibbles.

Company representatives showered food editors with product samples and “sheaths and sheaths of recipes,” recalled Anderson, who worked in the test kitchen of Ladies’ Home Journal at that time.

“The food companies went all out creating infinite ways to use product,” said Anderson, author of “The American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes of the 20th Century.” “The homemakers loved the idea of opening a can of Vienna sausages and adding a little something, or turning hamburger into sweet and sour meatballs. This was before Julia [Child], remember, who revolutionized everything and showed us what we could cook.”

Collectors Press publisher Richard J. Perry, who released the “Retro” series of 16 cookbooks and edited “The Good Home Cookbook: More than 1,000 Classic American Recipes,” agreed that there were some low points. (He singled out Spam shakes.) But, he added, it was to be expected from a generation of cooks willing and able to push the limits.

“The period was a period of invention, both in terms of accessibility and equipment as much as food and recipes,” Perry said. “It was a very creative time, and people were breaking out of the mold.

“Kitchen equipment had evolved,” he added, citing blenders, food processors, “utensils, gadgets and food-carving tools that the average person could use. Parties were huge, so people wanted to make the food look really cool. The contrast of colors and that 1950s/’60s ‘space age’ look was very popular in presentation.”

What about taste?

And, Perry added with a chuckle, “We figured out, when our taste buds got a little smarter, some of that food just didn’t taste that good.”

Bugles filled with Cheez Whiz being a case in point. (Hey, I was 10.) But however lowbrow the dishes may be considered, they’ve often got an edge on the haughtier competition: “There’s definitely an element of the simplicity and ease [to them],” said Doug Sohn of Hot Doug’s.

Ease of execution often trumped flavor — hey, speed cooking is not a 21st-century phenomenon. As Bracken wrote a few decades back, “When the sun has set and the party starts to bounce, you want to be in there bouncing, too, not stuck all by yourself out in the kitchen, deep-fat frying small objects or wrapping oysters in bacon strips.”

In that spirit, we’re revisiting four easy-does-it party stalwarts, tidbits that have tickled the fancy of revelers wearing go-go-boots, peace pendants, hip-huggers and, later, leisure suits, disco outfits, stirrup pants or other fashion calamities people are forced to relive when the old photo albums come out.

We’ve asked Chicago-area chefs to update four classics without straying too far from “home.”

For those unfamiliar with the dishes, here’s a chance to taste a past that embraces the present. And for those who are, think of this as a different ending to the same old party story.

COCKTAIL FRANKS IN SAUCE

Remember cocktail wienies back when you were a kid? Doug Sohn, owner of Hot Doug’s in Chicago does too. And, he said, “I’m still a big fan!”

But he qualified his comment, because the dish he recalls from the ’60s was too sweet.

“I’m a big fan of the sweet-salt combination,” Sohn said, but if there’s too much sugar “you’re losing a lot of the flavor of the cocktail frank.”

Sohn’s version employs a trio of dipping sauces for assorted game sausages (wild boar, buffalo, venison) or flavored chicken or pork sausages. We’re using the latter, cut into bite-size pieces, because they’re widely available in supermarkets.

And, he added: “Don’t forget the frilly toothpicks.”

FRANKS ’N’ SAUCES

Adapted from a recipe from Doug Sohn of Hot Doug’s. You can make the dipping sauces a day ahead and refrigerate until ready to use.

Chipotle-Dijon mayonnaise:

2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, drained, finely chopped

1⁄2 cup mayonnaise

1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard

3 cloves garlic, minced

Freshly ground pepper

Horseradish cream sauce:

1⁄2 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons prepared horseradish

3 cloves garlic, minced

1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Freshly ground pepper

Citrus mustard:

1⁄2 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon each: lime juice, grated orange zest

Sausages:

2 packages (8 links) fully cooked, flavored chicken or pork sausage

Combine all ingredients for each sauce in separate medium bowls; cover. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat large skillet or grill pan over medium heat; cook sausage, turning occasionally, until fully cooked, 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat; slice on the bias into bite-size pieces. Serve with dipping sauces.

Yield: 48 pieces

Nutrition information per serving: 65 calories, 76 percent of calories from fat, 5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 211 mg sodium, 0 g fiber

ONION DIP

What everybody refers to as onion dip, that famous spread that uses dry soup mix, was originally called California Dip, writes Jean Anderson in “The American Century Cookbook.” Although it used Lipton’s dry onion soup mix, it came from an anonymous California cook in 1954 who used that product to create her recipe. The Lipton company perfected the dip and put it on its box — and it’s still there.

Erin Bailey, 34, owner of La Pomme de Pin Fine Foods Market & Catering in Barrington, Ill., bypassed the soup mix in her version. It goes upscale with goat cheese and creme fraiche but the real stars are the caramelized onions.

“We wanted to use fresh ingredients but add richness,” Bailey said. “We caramelized the onions to give them a richer flavor, then deglazed with balsamic vinegar to give it a little sweetness but also the bite that it needs.”

The dip, Bailey said, benefits from a night in the fridge, so it is best made the day before — and who doesn’t like a do-ahead dish when company’s coming? And if you still want to buy your dip ready-made, Bailey sells it at her shop for $4 per 8-ounce container.

CARAMELIZED-ONION DIP

Adapted from a recipe from Erin Bailey of La Pomme de Pin in Barrington, Ill. Goat cheese and creme fraiche are sold in larger supermarkets and specialty shops, including Trader Joe’s. Serve with potato chips, crudités or toasted pita bread.

1 tablespoon each: olive oil, butter

2 each, peeled, sliced: yellow onions, red onions

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 cup each: goat cheese, creme fraiche

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet. Add the onions, 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized, 20-30 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, stirring up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Combine the onions with the goat cheese, creme fraiche, thyme, the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Stir, allowing the warm onions to help melt the goat cheese. Cover; refrigerate 2-12 hours. Let stand before serving to slightly soften.

Yield: 32 servings

Nutrition information per tablespoon: 44 calories, 70 percent of calories from fat, 3 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 7 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 99 mg sodium, 0 g fiber

THE CHEESE BALL

“It is unknown who first had the idea of making a gigantic ball of soft cheese covered with nuts to serve as a sort of cheese pate,” Sylvia Lovegren writes in “Fashionable Food.” The earliest mention she found appeared in a 1944 cookbook, “Food of My Friends,” “where it was listed as the specialty of the house of a Mrs. Selmer F. Ellertson of Minneapolis.”

Eric Larson, owner of Marion Street Cheese Market in Oak Park, Ill., has fond memories of the cheese ball when his folks entertained. But he also knows that it has been shunned for many reasons — not least of which is that many cheese balls of yore tasted as bad as they looked.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

“Cheese purists think you shouldn’t manipulate cheese like that,” Larson said. “Other people think of it as not an exciting way to entertain.”

But Larson wants to bring the cheese ball back into everyone’s good graces. The first step is to bypass run-of-the-mill ingredients. “When you start with really good-quality raw materials, it lends itself to a far superior product,” he said.

Larson and his chef Michael Pivoney have buoyed up the ball by using Midwest artisanal cheeses. They also offered a few cheese-ball tips: A 1-pound cheese ball should accommodate 12 guests. Make it a day ahead at most. Take it out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes because, Larson said, “at room temperature, the flavors start to come to life.”

Provide at least two good-sized cheese spreaders, not those teeny-weeny dilettantes shaped like elves or partridges. Because guests often are reluctant to be the first to tackle that mound of groovy goodness, the host should make a point of taking the first piece — “to get the ball rolling,” Larson quipped.

ARTISANAL CHEESE BALL

Eric Larson and chef Michael Pivoney of Marion Street Cheese Market in Oak Park, Ill., suggested these Midwestern artisanal cheeses: Widmer Cheese Cellars or Hook’s Cheese Co.’s 6-year aged Wisconsin Cheddar; fromage blanc from Traders Point Creamery in Indiana; and Roth Kase Buttermilk Blue Affinee, Hook’s Original Blue (both from Wisconsin) or Maytag Dairy Farms’ blue cheese from Iowa. Choose from two coatings: bacon for carnivores, almonds for vegetarians. Serve with an assortment of crispy crackers and artisan flatbreads.

8 ounces fromage blanc or cream cheese

1 package (4 ounces) aged Cheddar, finely shredded

1 package (4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

1 tablespoon sour cream

1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1⁄4 teaspoon each: garlic powder, fresh cracked black pepper

1⁄8 teaspoon salt

4 green onions, thinly sliced

8 slices smoked applewood bacon, cooked, drained, diced, or 1 cup finely chopped smoked almonds

Combine the cheeses, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, pepper and salt in a food processor or bowl of a stand mixer; puree or beat with a mixer on low until mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Fold in the green onions; place mixture in a large bowl. Shape into a ball with a large mixing spoon; chill 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes; drain on paper towels. Chop; set aside.

Gently remove cheese ball from bowl. Spread bacon bits (or almonds) on wax paper or cutting board; roll the cheese ball until evenly coated. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: About 12 servings

Nutrition information per tablespoon: 165 calories, 78 percent of calories from fat, 14 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 43 mg cholesterol, 1 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 372 mg sodium, 0 g fiber

SWEET ’N’ SOUR MEATBALLS

Grape jelly starred in one of the most popular versions of sweet ’n’ sour meatballs. “Often — but not always — they were served from chafing dishes with plenty of toothpicks and napkins placed nearby,” Jean Anderson writes in “The American Century Cookbook.”

Sarah Stegner, chef-owner of Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook, Ill., makes an oldie-but-goodie version for the holidays that came from her grandmother.

OK, so it’s not exactly the same recipe. “One of the things in it was crushed corn flakes and I took that out and put in bread crumbs,” she said. She also substitutes fresh parsley for dried, and uses grass-fed, natural beef (Bill Kurtis’ Tallgrass beef, to be exact). However, Stegner was emphatic about using chili sauce from Heinz — the company that Anderson credits with the classic version she included in her cookbook.

MEATBALLS WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE

1 can (16 ounces) whole cranberry sauce

12 ounces chili sauce, such as Heinz

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 pounds ground beef

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup bread crumbs

1⁄2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1⁄3 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl; set aside.

Mix together the beef, eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, ketchup, salt and pepper in a large bowl; form the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place in a single layer in a baking dish in a single layer; cover with sauce. Bake until the meat is cooked through, 35-40 minutes.

Yield: 20 meatballs

Nutrition information per serving: 162 calories, 29 percent of calories from fat, 5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 49 mg cholesterol, 19 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein, 418 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

COCKTAIL, ANYONE?

In 1960s movie-cocktail parties, you couldn’t entertain without serving fancy-shmancy drinks. Everybody looked swanky, and ice cubes were always making that “clink-clink-clink” refrain behind the bossa nova tunes. One of the more popular concoctions from the 1960s, according to the site cocktails.com, was the orange blossom.

Our 21st-century twist is designed to make your life easier: We’ve turned it into a punch so you’re not tending bar all night, and adding a tropical juice to the mix. We also reversed the juice to booze ratio, so you won’t have a room full of pickled partygoers. If you want a sweeter punch add superfine sugar to taste.

ORANGE BOUQUET

We also loved using guava juice instead of the mango.

11⁄2 cups each: orange juice, mango juice

1 cup gin

1⁄4 cup each: orange liqueur, lime juice

Lime and orange slices, optional

Combine ingredients in pitcher; add sliced fruit. Chill before serving over ice.

Yield: 12 cocktails

Nutrition information per serving: 109 calories, 1 percent of calories from fat, 0.1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 12 g carbohydrates, 0 g protein, 3 mg sodium, 0 g fiber