desserts of decades past
a little nostalgia to close out the year!
Something about me: I love vintage food content. I love it a lot. One of the best gifts I’ve ever received is a Vogue Entertaining from 1974. My Instagram explore feed is an endless scroll of jello salads, braided fish, and multicoloured mini-marshmallows-galore!!! I will never not be charmed by a handwritten recipe card—bonus points for unidentifiable splotches, illegibility, or an ingredient of grocery shelves gone by (here’s looking at you, lard).
Another thing about me: I’m so sentimental. I save birthday cards. I’m the person those auto-generated iPhone memory photo reels are made for. It’s the end of the year, and duh, I’ve been reflecting. 2024 was full of change for me. Happily, I spent it in a dessert bubble and this is what I noticed: flares are back and so is pudding. You know how classic baby names are gaining popularity after years of kids named after trees (truly, no offence intended if this is you or your child)? Well, same with desserts of decades past. Tiramisu, Carrot Cake, Baked Alaska, and nostalgic dishes of all kinds and in all preparations are all over restaurant menus, in cookbooks, and going viral on social media.
Don’t worry, I’m not about to hit you with another (not a) hot take list of trend predictions for 2025. You’ve read ‘em, I’ve read ‘em. I’m already excited for this time next year when we go back and mark our scorecards, but I don’t have anything new or exciting to add to that specific corner of the internet.
HOWEVER, I wouldn’t be the dessert person I purport to be if i didn’t do a little research, right? So, while I’m not going to tell you what I think we will or won’t be eating in 2025, I’m dropping facts on a few things we have been eating, and why, for the last few decades.
I’ll deep dive into jello in all its forms and other ubiquitous favourites in newsletters to come next year (the last time I’ll get to make that lame joke before 2025 lol) but it’s December 31st and I have fifty cookies to bake and fifty glasses of bubbly (give or take 49… 48) to drink.
happy new year!!
baked alaska!!
Credit to french chef Marie-Antoine Carême who, back in the early 19th century, discovered that a meringue could insulate ice cream from heat. People really f**ked around and found out back then, hey? The earliest versions were known as “omelette norvégienne”, or “norwegian omelette.” Cuuuute :)
Baked Alaska as we know it was first seen at New York City restaurant Delmonico’s in 1867. It was created by pastry chef Charles Ranhofer in celebration of the United States’ purchase of Alaska from Russia, representing the new state’s icy terrain. It quickly became popular among culinary showoffs (probably Leos), ‘cuz who doesn’t love a good table side flambé?
find it in Vancouver at Elisa!!
tiramisu!!
Tiramisu is Italian. You knew that. But did you know it translates to “pick me up”? I didn’t.
Tiramisu was created in the Veneto region in the late 1960s/early 1970s and credited to pastry chef Roberto Linguanotto at the restaurant Le Beccherie.
In contrast to Baked Alaska, Tiramisu became popular for its simple ingredients and no-bake assembly, making it a staple for professionals, home cooks, and lazy people alike. It really took off in the 1980s (finally giving lady fingers a purpose) and you can bet you’ll find it at most Italian restaurants, or perhaps, filling the produce drawer in your home fridge.
find it in Vancouver at Autostrada or Pepino’s!!
carrot cake!!
Carrot Cake’s is a tale of resilience and also people absolutely kidding themselves. It traces back to medieval Europe when sugar and sweeteners were hard to come by, and where stronger people than I used carrots, naturally high in sugar, to sweeten puddings and cakes. This continued into the 19th and 20th centuries, gaining popularity during World War II where again, carrots were used as a substitute for sugar. Very cool, very resourceful.
Here’s where things get silly. Carrot Cake became a staple in North American kitchens during the 60s and 70s because people thought it was diet or health food. I mean, this is a lie I would happily tell myself, too. Ignorance is bliss. CC for life.
find my favourite versions in Vancouver at Cadeaux Bakery or Coco et Olive!
thanks for the vintage dessert love <3 <3