5 Retro Recipes That Need To Make A Comeback!

David Chilcott
2–3 minutes
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As someone who grew up in the Eighties, I got to experience a lot of food trends that are, by today’s standards, a little retro and old fashioned. That being said, many of the dishes I experienced as a child are well worth revisiting. Classic flavours never go out of style. Whether you’re indulging in a little kitchen nostalgia or trying these out for the first time, these retro recipes are guaranteed to make you feel a little bit groovy!

Classic Apricot Chicken Curry

Once a staple of the 1980’s dinner party, Apricot Chicken fell out of favour when party hosts wanted to impress their guest with more much elaborate dishes and menus. But this sweet and tangy chicken dish featuring chicken breast, apricot nectar and spices, is flavourful, succulent and very easy to prepare. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

YouTube Recipe Video: https://youtu.be/lo8TtxZELYY

Prawn Cocktail Salad

This 1970’s classic appetiser was all the rage in posh restaurants and dinner parties. It featured shredded lettuce, succulent cooked prawns and a tangy cocktail sauce made of mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Served in a chilled cocktail glass, this quick-to-make starter will delight your friends at any retro-themed dinner party!

YouTube Recipe Video: https://youtu.be/TEbrs3ezCn0

Classic Ice Cream Floats

Once a staple of the old Soda Shop or Milk Bar, Ice Cream Floats (also known as Ice Cream Spiders in Australia!) became less popular when commercially bottled soft drinks rose to prominence, reducing the need for ‘soda jerks’ and eventually traditional soda shops themselves.

A chilled tall glass is filled with soft drink, such as creaming soda, root beer or cola, then topped with a scoop of ice cream. The soda and ice cream combine to make a sweet, foamy drink that was loved by kids and adults alike.

Nowadays, Ice Cream Floats can sometimes be found in cafes and restaurants with children’s menus, but are otherwise slipping away from the public consciousness. As a life-long float fan, I believe these classic drinks need to be brought back and shared with a new generation.

YouTube Recipe Video: https://youtu.be/u_Q3B9aNwQk

Rock Cakes

Soft on the inside, crisp on the outside, Rock Cakes were sort of a cake/cookie hybrid that was frequently found in local bakeries or at your grandmother’s house when she felt like a bit of baking. Like many baked treats, they were easy to adapt in flavour and composition, featuring everything from dried fruits to chocolate chips. I made a recipe for Rock Cakes years ago with choc chips and dried banana chips. Crispy, chewy and delectable fresh from the oven.

YouTube Recipe Video: https://youtu.be/8l5pOzBpIZA

Old Fashioned Sherbet Candy

If you grew up before the 2000’s, you might remember this one from your childhood. A tangy, sour, sweet flavoured powder that was often sold with a lollypop or a plastic spoon which was used for licking and dipping. In Australia, this was often called ‘dib dabs’ and sold at corner shops. Sherbet was also used as the filling of some boiled candies. A crisp, sweet candy shell that hides a sour, tangy powder centre was a personal favourite of mine. Sherbet is very easy to make at home, and you can make it in a variety of flavours and colours.

YouTube Recipe Video: https://youtu.be/AiJukn0_JdQ

One response to “5 Retro Recipes That Need To Make A Comeback!”

  1. Mikey avatar
    Mikey

    To put it into perspective, I am an ’89 baby. So I have a combination of a vague recollection with some of the old school and only having heard stories of these. It is surreal to say the least, partially knowing of old school Australia but it passing you by before you can recollect it – that is an experience for us who were real young in the 90s. Moving right along.

    Apricot Chicken: Yeah…. I am sure of most of us have, memories to say the least, about this dish. It possibly depends on how good of a cook was at the helm. Either this or curried sausages, which might have unlocked memories for fellow readers. Having a know how, and using less shortcuts could well give it a bit of love.

    Prawn Cocktail: Might have to agree to disagree here. That is more to do with personal preferences and tastes; I am a hot food person through and through, and chilled food doesn’t quite hit the spot for me.

    Spiders: Absolutely. It’s not like most brunch-style cafes don’t have the components right there. Heck, if they serve a range outside of the tired Coca-Cola varieties, that is a cash calf right there. And I say this, not being much of a soda drinker these days.

    Rock Cakes: Yes, yes! Keeping it simple at your local cafe is a lost art these days. It feels weird getting a coffee without something to eat on the side going out, but not all the time do I need to have a rich, elaborate cake to accompany it. Akin to biscotti, rock cake hits the right balance; and served with a butter pat, tell me how I am wrong with that idea.

    Sherbet Candy: You mean like Wizz Fizz? I haven’t thought much about that for quite a few years now.

    One particular snack, drink or whatnot that should make a comeback and be more popular is the classic blue heaven milkshake. The range of flavours at most cafes and parlours is so limited. It is usually the same four or five flavours, with an occasional attempt for something else.

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