Posted by Erin Zimmer, April 16, 2008 at 9:45 AM
What are your favorite snacks of yesteryear that don't make the grocery shelf cut anymore? They probably wouldn't survive a transfat ban and they'd make healthy-school-lunch lobbyists wince, but gee whiz, we can't help the way we feel. Here's to gushing over the landmark snacks of the 1970s, '80s, and '90s—inspired by a Talk thread from last week.
10. Crystal Pepsi
For only one glorious year ('92 to '93) was it possible to let that un-brown, caffeineless cola touch our lips. Purity, clarity, and see-through unbelievability made this a breakthrough soda, even if it was still crammed with phosphoric and citric acids. Saturday Night Live took the concept to another, more carnivorous level with Crystal Gravy. When viewed today, the commercial for Crystal Pepsi is almost indistinguishable from such parody:
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Posted by Robyn Lee, April 15, 2008 at 12:00 PM
The kitchens of 1999 didn't turn out as advanced as 1967 would've hoped. All a busy mother had to do was punch a dinner choice into the computer and a few seconds later a pre-portioned frozen meal would pop out of a conveyor belted microwave oven fully cooked. (Asshole husband and ODC son hopefully not included.)
Watch the video, after the jump. [via Bitten and TreeHugger]
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Posted by Robyn Lee, April 4, 2008 at 12:00 PM
In 1964, the Rolling Stones used their musical prowess to sell...puffed rice cereal?
Check out their catchy jingle in this British Rice Krispies commercial, after the jump. [via The New Yorker]
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Posted by Robyn Lee, April 3, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Even though I think this commercial could be edited down by 30 seconds, I'm strangely drawn to it. I like the catchiness of the song; the cheeriness throws me off. All I can think is, "People are definitely not that happy when they drink Dr Pepper." But then again, I've never seen a naturally occurring group of young, carefree Dr Pepper drinkers frolicking on the beach and eating hot dogs; maybe they are that happy.
Watch the commercial, after the jump.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, March 27, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Photograph from Allen Sandquist on Flickr
I had no idea that Doritos packaging ever looked as cute and simple as this one from the 1970s. Today's bag design looks a bit more...intense. Check out more great retro food packages in Roadsidepictures' Flickr set.
Previously
Photo of the Day: Skippy Peanut Butter Tin Can, 1930s
Potato-Chip Connoisseur
Posted by Robyn Lee, March 19, 2008 at 12:00 PM
I know I just posted an Estonian meat commercial yesterday, but I looked up more of director Harry Egipt's work and couldn't resist this commercial titled "Chicken Kiev." Because this isn't your typical Chicken Kiev—it's Chicken Kiev surrounded by young women dancing and sitting in a room of shiny, silver props who occasionally indulge in a forkful of chicken.
I don't get it, but that's probably the appropriate reaction. Watch the commercial after the jump.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, March 18, 2008 at 12:00 PM
The Estonian meat industry of the 1980s entices you to indulge in bounteous quantities of ground chicken by chanting, "Kana, kana, kana, hakkliha" ("Chicken, chicken, chicken minced meat") alongside nightmare-inducing clips of ground chicken slowly flowing out of a meat grinder and women eating deep-fried ground chicken lumps.
After the jump, prepare to have your salivary glands tingle with unease.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, March 14, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Editor's note: This week, it's, like, omigawd, totally '80s for our daily In Videos segment. Big hair, breakdancing, and before-they-were-big celebrity commercial appearances to the max. So kick back your fat-laced high tops and take a chill pill. —The Serious Eats Team
What better food tie-in could you have with popular icons of nerd-dom than artificially colored, diabetes-inducing breakfast cereal? You've got your Pac-Man Lucky Charms knock-off, your C3POs that look more like conjoined Cheerios than anything Star Wars related, and the pseudo-amorphous fruit-flavored blobs of Super Mario Bros. cereal.
Watch the crunchy, vitamin-enriched fun, after the jump.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, March 13, 2008 at 12:00 PM
In the '80s, Taco Bell pushed burritos and tostadas using old women with a penchant for gardening, Red Lobster enticed customers with the promise of a grand shrimp-filled adventure, and Ponderosa used a disco beat to illustrate that they were "really cooking for you."
Let the mouth-watering fun begin, after the jump.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, March 12, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Editor's note: This week, it's, like, omigawd, totally '80s for our daily In Videos segment. Big hair, breakdancing, and before-they-were-big celebrity commercial appearances to the max. So kick back your fat-laced high tops and take a chill pill. —The Serious Eats Team
If you wanted to make something cool in the '80s, all you had to do was add some rapping. Doesn't matter if you were pushing chicken nuggets, beer, or kid's cereal—make it rhyme and dance and you've got yourself marketing gold!
Check out the commercials after the jump, plus a few bonus videos that were too good to pass up—you don't want to miss watching the Fat Boys enjoying an "all you can eat" at Sbarro in New York City in the mid-'80s.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, March 11, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Editor's note: This week, it's, like, omigawd, totally '80s for our daily In Videos segment. Big hair, breakdancing, and before-they-were-big celebrity commercial appearances to the max. So kick back your fat-laced high tops and take a chill pill. —The Serious Eats Team
Before they became famous enough to not appear in food commercials, Brad Pitt, Jason Alexander, and Matt LeBlanc appeared in...food commercials. It was the 80s—times were tough.
After the jump, watch Pitt scarf down Pringles, Alexander dance for a McDLT (yeah, it's old, but it's a classic), and LeBlanc illustrate the superior thickness of Heinz ketchup.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, March 10, 2008 at 12:15 PM
Editor's note: This week, it's, like, omigawd, totally '80s for our daily In Videos segment. Big hair, breakdancing, and before-they-were-big celebrity commercial appearances to the max. So kick back your fat-laced high tops and take a chill pill. —The Serious Eats Team
How did Hershey and Pringles manage to peddle their addictive snacks to the young, impressionable youth of the '80s? Through the power of breakdancing. And not just any breakdancing, but the kind that can only be accomplished by an entire student body moving in perfect harmony to a beat brought forth by a crazed desire for junk food.
After the jump, check out these commercials and a bonus video of a tween Alfonso Ribeiro (aka Carlton Banks) teaching you how to breakdance.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, March 3, 2008 at 3:15 PM
Photographs of banana and smiling sandwiches by Eartha Kitsch, and baked potato by Julia.
You know those questionably delicious recipes accompanied by less-than-appetizing food styling from the 1950s? There's no reason that those recipes have to die out just because they trigger your gag reflex—recreate that frankfurter delight or jellied pineapple rings and post your photos to Flickr's Mid-Century Supper Club group. Ingredients used and edibility of the dish are less important than faithfully styling it to best resemble the original recipe. [via Craftzine.com blog]
Related: Gallery of Regrettable Food
Posted by Robyn Lee, February 11, 2008 at 12:00 PM
"You'll never know when you'll be hit!" It's like Russian roulette, but with cream pies! According to this commercial, if you plonk your kids down to a game of Pie Face they'll have fun beyond their wildest imaginations. They'll be crazed with happiness. They won't be able to stop shrilling with glee. As long as you supply the whipped cream, the madness will never end. [via metafilter]
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Posted by Robyn Lee, January 29, 2008 at 12:15 PM
In the 1960s NASA asked Pillsbury to help them develop an edible food snack that American astronauts could conveniently eat in a space shuttle. The result of their efforts resulted in a glorious example of space food technology...which was then reformulated for the non-space-traveling public and aptly named Space Food Sticks.
Watch the commercial for Space Food Sticks after the jump. And be sure to watch it all the way to the end; the last 3 seconds are awesome. [via io9]
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Posted by Robyn Lee, January 16, 2008 at 12:00 PM
It's too bad that today's potato chip commercials would probably never be as simple as this drive-in movie ad from the 1960s. It gets the main point across: potato chips are GOOD! NOW GO ASK FOR THEM AT THE CONCESSION STAND!!!
Potentially increase your appetite for potato chips after the jump:
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Posted by Lia Bulaong, May 9, 2007 at 5:01 PM
I can't place my finger on it, but there's just something I really love about this illustration of a dream kitchen circa 1944. LR Monkeytoes found it pasted into one of her mother's scrapbooks from back in the day: "She not only cut out these types of photos but also ones of fresh fruit, a glass of orange juice and other foods not readily available in rural Canada in the 30's! "
Posted by Lia Bulaong, April 4, 2007 at 11:02 AM
Tina Danze visits the newly-reopened Trader Vic's in Dallas for the Morning News: "Sealed like a tomb for nearly 20 years after its closing in 1987, the lounge has been restored to its old Polynesian-pop glory. Mismatched lanterns and fishing floats hover over the dimly lit room; tiki heads and accessories salvaged from other closed locations abound; and the festive cocktails are back, along with vintage barware and over-the-top garnishes."
Trader Vic's is so deliciously retro and camp in Dallas that even Tom Selleck, himself a legend of much the same stature, has visited in the last month! If like me you've never been to one, or you're yearning to relive an experience of old, their website lists all thirty of their restaurants—there are three in Germany and four in the United Arab Emirates!
