I wasn’t alive in the 70′s; but, I’ve always been intrigued with the entertaining favourites of decades past. I collect vintage cookbooks and pour over them, soaking in the entertaining ideas and recipes. I tend to lean towards the ideas that engage the entire group as a whole….things that are extremely interactive and communal, like fondue parties! Or its second cousin, the very quickly overlooked raclette!
Another thing about the 70′s entertaining scene I love is how there was a strong emphasis on making things that looked and tasted very impressive, things that gave the impression of you slaving all day in the kitchen to satisfy your guests when really, it was something you whipped up in about a half hour. Enter quiche! Quiche is always something that people seem to become very impressed by. And, in reality, it couldn’t be simpler to make, especially if you use a store-bought crust.
I make quiche occasionally when Husband and I have little bits of things in the fridge that need to get used up or if I open the freezer and realize I have some pie dough still sitting in there from who-knows-how-long-ago. The first vegan quiche I made was years ago and I remember it being really delicious…however, it was one of those kitchen experiments where I came home after work starving and just threw things in a blender and hoped for the best…to this day, I can’t even remember what flavour that quiche was. That’s quite a shame when you get a craving for quiche and are trying to find an appealing recipe.
It was time to turn back to my copy of Vegan Brunch and try out Isa’s Classic Broccoli Quiche recipe. I even tried my hand at her Basic Pastry Crust recipe. The pastry was really difficult to work with for me and I think I’d just use my old stand-by crust recipe next time around. Although, it did bake up very nice and flaky. I didn’t change a thing about the filling at all…and after eating it, I wouldn’t! It was a great quiche; it had strong broccoli flavour, it was seasoned very nicely, it set up wonderfully, and I just loved the roasted cherry tomato garnish. I’d have to agree with Isa, too; it was great at any temperature we served it at. Try it out! You’ll long for the days of avocado-coloured appliances and polyester pant-suits!
I guess you had to be there to appreciate that one. We did entertain alright, and we tried different things, like corn roasts and barbeques. Not too many vegans around where I grew up, in the 70′s. Viet Nam was happening, and protesters were getting out of hand. Draft dodgers were flocking into Canada for refuge, and they brought along with them no culture, as they adapted to ours readily. In the USA, however, the trends shifted to distract from the non-appealing distant war, the Rolling Stones sang “Paint It Black”, and most Vegans were in a foetus stage, quazzy developping, just slowly developping from exotic influences of Indian cuisine. People wanted drastic change, and those who survived Viet Nam were silent about it, and watched, helplessly, as the society they once knew, the old America, vanished in an optical illusion of new diets and new styles, and confused politics, and plastic clothing, and Star Wars, in a Galaxy far, far away. Most just remained in Canada, and were assimilated into our burgeoning society until they received a full pardon from Bill Clinton, or whoever that President was that pardoned them for having a conscience and open eyes.
We are not in Kansas anymo’ Toto!
those old ideals never leave, huh? they stick with you regardless of how your life changes and how much older you become.