it's a Retro Cook Off!

The day has finally arrived!

It's like Christmas morning, only it's midday...with vile retro food...
but hey - I'm excited!!

Can't wait to see what everyone has made.

Here is my dish inspiration...

Salmon Party Salad 
courtesy of Better Homes & Garden 1968

Gelatin, Salmon, Black Olives and Celery (I used Cucumber in mine), 
Grated Onion, Horseradish, Salt, Vinegar, Sugar & Avacado & Sour Cream 'Icing'


And here is my version...

Looking very pale in colour in comparison. 
Perhaps I should have used Red Salmon? Or added some PAL dog food?
I can't imagine how this is mean't to be eaten - 
on a cracker like a dip? With a fork?
I can however, VIVIDLY imagine it coming back up.

****

And this is my sister Jenny's entry to the cook off.
(she doesn't have a blog so I'm happily adding her dish to mine)

Shrimp & Orange Cocktail 
courtesy of Keep Cool Cookbook by Susan Lloyd 1973

Cut the orange in half, remove fruit in segments. Mix together chopped segments of orange and shrimp together. Mix together with mayonnaise, cream, lemon juice and spoon into the orange and add shrimp pieces. Place in the fridge and chill before serving. 

  (She sent her teenage son down to buy parsley for the garnish. He came back with 'modern parsley' so off he was sent again to buy 'old fashioned' parsley. It's the little details that make all the difference...)
 

Thanks Jen!

Please add your link and head on over to 
Lucy Violet Vintage for more retro cook off fun!
 Many thanks to all who have taken the time to join in, 
and a big Howdy! to those who are just popping in to see what's on offer.

Hope you enjoy!

"It's a Culinary Wonderland... " 
(sung to the tune of John Mayer's "Your Body is a Wonderland")

Reminder - Retro Cook Off this Saturday!

Pop in anytime from Midday Sat 3rd Nov 2012 (Melbourne, Australia time) to add your link, 

or perhaps just swing past & check out the retro goodies on offer.

Either way - come hungry!

Kylie and I are very excited to see what everyone has prepared.

 Here are few pics just to throw some last minute inspiration into the air...

Prawn & Seafood Jelly Surprise

Some kind of Tomato Soup al la Mousse...

 Anchovy & Egg Mousse.

(I can't bear to think about what that 'meat' is on top)

Until Saturday - Happy Cooking!

Images 1 & 3 glen h and Image 2 bluwmongoose

 

Retro Cook Off!

For examples of other hideous retro baked creations, 

you can see our first bake off offerings here and here, 

and Freaky Friday Nasty Retro Food here & here.

Our first head to head bake off was on abit of a whim, so we thought it 

would be great to pre plan one and have more folk involved. 

If you aren't available on Sat 4th Nov, why not prebake, 

take some photos of your dish and schedule your post?

 

I'm trying to figure out if the Bread Loaf Surprise above is a viable option for me to attempt.

It's anyone's guess what the ingredient holding the hot mess of peas corn and potatoes together is...

Jubilee Swap - Lucy Violet Vintage

I signed up this year to be part of the 'Jubilee Swap' over at Faith Hope and Charity Shopping.

Lakota (of Faith Hope & Charity Shopping) matched bloggers who signed up from all over the world, with a partner to swap items with.

I was super lucky to be matched with one of my favourite Australian bloggers -  Kylie over at Lucy Violet Vintage.

In the swap, you had to send your partner a min of 3 items, a thrifted item (but if all items were thrifted - great!), a handmade item (either by yourself, a friend or an Etsy purchase etc) & at least one item with a Jubilee theme.

Kylie sent me this gorgeous package (even the package was Jubilee themed!) which included:

1) Hand made apron with 2 gorgeous pockets on the front of beautiful English landmarks.

2) A handmade ring by Pat over at A Treasured Past in a very cute Jubilee themed box.

3) A 1977 Queens Silver Jubilee teatowel.

4) English Breakfast Tea (T is for Twinings) .

5) All packed beautifully in a Diamond Jubilee Tin with a lovely note on a vintage London postcard.

Thank you Kylie for all the time and effort you have put into the swap and for all my beautiful gifts. I am thrilled with my treasures and you have certainly made my first 'swapping' experience a good one.

And a thank you to Lakota at Faith Hope & Charity Shopping for organising it all.

I have finally completed my purchases for Kylie (she set the benchmark pretty high & I had to regroup upon receiving hers!!) but her package will be on its way to WA this week!

While the closing date for the swap is not until the 7th of July, alot of people have already completed the swap and are adding links of pictures of their loot onto the Faith Hope & Charity Shopping site here if you'd like pop over & check out what other people received.

Hooroo!

Retro Cups & Mugs

I have a real thing for brightly coloured retro cups and mugs.

This great collection belongs to Stephen of Target Retrospective.

Majority of this particular collection is Staffordshire Pottery,

for those in the pottery know.

 (This excludes me. 'There is much to learn my young apprentice.')

Big thanks to Stephen for allowing me to show his cool collection here.

Staffordshire Pottery Jar

Staffordshire Jars

Staffordshire Tableware Storage Jars

Midwinter, Hostess & J & G Meakin

Had to include these coffee pots - amazing!

Retro inspired apron

My beautiful friend Jenny has recently taken up sewing. 

She has already churned out several great pieces, including

this absolutely gorgeous retro inspired apron for me! Hooray!

In fact, Jenny made 3 different style of aprons, & myself

& our two other besties all received one for Christmas 

presents at our annual Christmas catch up!

We were so chuffed, we wore them for the rest of the afternoon.

Thanks Jen! 

Love your work. 

I'm researching patterns for my next order.... : )

Tea Cup Succulents

Popped into Vinnies today on the way home and spotted these cups & saucers as I was leaving, and only $4 for the lot - SOLD!

I knew instantly what I wanted to do with them - Tea Cup Succulents!

Yes, they are probably old news now, but they make a gorgeous gift, which is exactly what I have planned for these pretties - Christmas/End of Year gifts for my childrens kinder and school teachers.

Normally, you would carefully drill a couple of small holes in the bottom of the teacup, so that the succulent can drain after watering 

(small amount of water once a fortnight). 

But as I love how these cup and saucers come with a side plate as well, I have decided to leave the cup as is. I will leave the option up to the gift recipient as to whether they would like to keep the succulent in the cup, or transfer the succulent to another little pot, and wash and use the cup and plates.

So I'll head to the local market and pick up some little succulents closer to the end of the year. Then all there is to do is make a little card, tie it with string to the cup handle, and pop it in a box! 

I have used a cake box here (which you can find and buy from your local bakery) & lined with wood wool, but paper tissue or similar would do the job nicely too.

Something different as far as little gifts go, and I'm excited about it.

But they'll probably get them home and say "Geez, what's the deal with this?! What happened to a box of good old Dairy Milk or Roses Chocolate?!! Robbed!!"

Retro Carafe & drinking glasses

Some recent purchases from 'The Man' & Vinnies...

...a Carafe (from The Man) & three glasses (Vinnies) with a raised fruit vine pattern.

Although they are not matching, I think the Carafe and glasses go quite well together. Don't you?

 The carafe did have a great little white lid that sat in the top, but I managed to break it (still in the shop!) with my bionic strength so it went in the bin : ( 

It's a shame there was only three of these glasses...

Ready for some Pimm's, or maybe Mojitos (Em?!) on Melbourne Cup Day!

Market finds

Sunny Sunday morning - perfect for a market stroll.

These are my purchases from Frankston market this morning.

Willow cake tin, and a brilliant retro (although somewhat enormous) biscuit tin.

Best get baking!

Kitchen Cannisters

I have a real thing for Retro Kitchen Cannisters and tins at the moment. Colourful, useful tins of character brightening up kitchen benches & shelves.
I have MANY cups of coffee and tea throughout the day. It's like a little holiday within my day, stopping for that 5mins or so with a few biccies!! (sad yes, but true).
So, with how many times a day I frequent these tins in mind, I think it's time to be abit more creative with my current cannister situation. Time to get some new (but old!) ones to inject some fun and colour onto my kitchen bench.

I have found many a glorious cannister thus far whilst searching for inspiration, and even added a few in that my wonderful friends possess.
From the cool & colourful to the weird and wonderful...
Enjoy!

Post Bear

My friend Emma's cannisters.
And how awesome are those vintage scales?!

My friend Terri's bright and cheery cannisters. 
Obtained in a straight swap between stallholders at a market - 
the cannisters for a skateboard! Score!!
PLUS she has these too cute spice cannisters as well! (pic below)

Cannister envy....

Above 2 pics Bella Dia

Island Girl

Dory with Serifs

crimsonkingsnake

Heartfelt

Zapped

acoustitch

http://rosinalee.blogspot.com/

lauralibert

You can count on me

Above 2 pics Raining Rita

H is for Home

Same gorgeous cannisters on a kitchen shelf.

http://stylistsownblog.wordpress.com/

Post Bear