Memories...
How many products that you remember from your childhood are still available? How many of those products have you forgotten about or have not tried for years?
It is amazing if you start a list off how long that list will become and grow and once you start talking with others, it triggers off that person's memories which in turn will set you away and your own list will grow even longer.
You'll also be amazed how many products have been around much longer than you realise. Also, what an interesting history many of them have. Many companies(especially in America)have serious archives of all of their history.
How many products are withdrawn from sale. Brought back after a period of time. How packaging is tweaked. Names change(why did a household cleaner known as Jif in the UK have to eventually become Cif)Hair Removal Cream known as Immac is now called Veet, Oil Of Ulay is now Olay(or vice versa)I forget, Marathon Bars became Snickers and are to be called Marathon Bars again.
And then I was thinking the other day(I'm sure it's still available)What about Maxwell House Coffee? I cannot tell you the last time I saw or heard an advert for that brand of Coffee and yet for best part of 100 years it has been one of the most popular brands of coffee worldwide. It was the sponsor of many popular tv and radio programmes in the States. Is it so popular, this product that simply does not need to be advertised? People still remember it's slogan "Maxwell House...always good to the last drop!"
I'm prompted with this blog entry because some items came up on a forum I belong to and Ritz Crackers were mentioned. It has to be over 30 years since I last tasted them.
They are still available so someone is eating them. I cannot remember why we stopped eating them, I know that we did. Were they mainly only purchased when people were planning a party. Would they now be superseded by all the other snacks that have come on the market over the years such as those crisps that are available in a tube "Pringles" with the slogan "Once you Pop, you can't stop!"
This proves that some products are pushed to keep up their public's awareness of certain brands, new products or try and get you to switch to another but I am realising that much of what is in shops rarely is advertised on radio or tv. Also, over the years I think you are more likely to see the advertising pushing financial services , debt consolidation, cosmetic products, legal services, banks and the like. Product wise I would say cars, alchohol, pain killers, crisps, frozen vegetables, crisps and chocoate gets the most air time. What does this say about our tastes and changing society? I think we go through certain phases where the range of what is advertised changes depending on the time of year. When Winter arrives they'll advertise items associated with staying warm and cosy.
It has prompted me to return to some traditional puddings/sweets I once might've had after my main meal. I always tend to stick to a healthy option such as fresh fruit and/or with ice cream.
But I occasionally make a fresh fruit crumble with some custard etc...and the other day I thought it has been years since I ate a very light and fluffy desert that I sometimes could eat as it is or sprinkle some biscuit over the top or hundreds and thousands. That was Angel Delight or the supermarket's own brand. Usually as good. Because unlike the old days the same companies that produce their own brand, will also manufacture the line with the supermarket's name on it. Also, whereas price plays it's part, a supermarket also wants to be associated with quality.
So I'm looking for an excuse to revisit an old memory again which I am sure will still be as pleasurable. And yet such a simple one and hey, it's only made by adding milk.
Update:We tried the Butterscotch Angel Delight tonight...in a word Delicious! I think we'll be having that again. Light and fluffy as it says on the packet.
On the other hand they keep making Bourbon biscuits and they are one that I have never found appealing and if they are in a selection they will be the last biscuit I'll eat and more likely they'll sit there in a tin and remain there until someone throws them out.
I'm tempted to say promotions instore are probably more successful these days and catching us on the spur of the moment in a moment of weakness. Appealing to us on the three important points of selling...price(value for money)taste and how something looks.
I mean...I came across these by chance on promotion in the supermarket...who can remember(they were larger)Joosa Jim's in the shops when on your way home from school? Well, they're back...kind of :-) and they were half price. Real fruit juice and mineral water being used.
Update:More or less as remembered. Lovely and cold. The shape does mean that they last longer and take ages to melt but I could see me buying more. And I have now taken to bashing them with a rolling pin before opening them as it means I can eat them straight away and they resemble those drinks many shops sell known as Slush Puppies where they are like crushed ice.
During my shopping trip I discovered Tortelloni, A fresh Egg Pasta Dish from Italy which I hope to try and looks a little like Ravioli only where that looks like little pillows, these are parcels containing fillings other than Beef. Do I serve it as it is or add a sauce? I suspect that's expected as most Pasta dishes use sauces based on tomato, herbs and olive oil. Do I serve it with other items such as meat or vegetables? Not sure because many Italian dishes that use Pasta use only the one ingredient. Most of the Mediterranean diet is good for your health and tasty so I have every hope it's going to be good.
The verdict:A quarter of the packet was enough of a portion for each of us so we still have half a packet to use. I poured some sauce over the pasta and oven fries containing Tomato, Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic and Basil(it wasn't over powering)
The pasta parcels softened and expanded practically doubling in size.
The sauce gave everything extra flavour. I could imagine eating it again and I felt good afterwards, not bloated. It was a light dish.
And for a treat afterwards instead of fruit or ice cream, we had a small portion of custard with a muffin packed full of Blueberries.
Followed by a coffee with a smidgen of Brandy.
Lovely...
(Remember by clicking your mouse over an image they can be enlarged)
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 1:15 am
4 Comments:
hmmm, I remember Angel Delight too, as well as fish balls (batter covered) that now I think about it they probably ahd 10% meat...which is why they taseted so good! ;-)
Fray Bentos pies (in the round tin) gooey pastry etc...
Some of these products are still perfectly good wholesome food if only the image could be updated or the so called experts on tv these days would avoid promoting foods and ideas that are faddy.
I wish I could remember her name but there is an elderly cooking expert that worked a lot in the Second World War telling the population how to work with the ingredients and rations available and she's been doing so again and the dishes have been excellent and they have not needed much preperation.
Some good basic receipes are all that is needed.
We've all heard the stories about rules in the European Market that have seen vegetables and fruit destroyed because it was noit a certain size ofr it was not cosmetically pleasing to the eye.
At last they've admitted the rules have been too stringent and they plan to allow more produce onto the shelves.
It will be re-labelled as having a specific use such as fruit used in the making of jam as an example(but once you get it home)you do with it as you wish, but it will mean less food waste and the prices will be lower.
Although they spoil themselves by the fact a story appears in the press where a grower has been told to destroy thousands of tons of Kiwi Fruit because they are 1 centimetre smaller than what is allowed under EU regulations.
I've discovered another new item to try :-)
Butterscotch Angel Delight and Birds Eye Rissoles were two favourites in the 60's of mine. I didn't realise until well into my thirties that rissoles were one of those 'make n' mend' type recipes from WW2. We had Angel Delight last year and it was, as you say Gildy, delicious - not good for my diabetes though.
On the crisp/snack front I used to love Pork and Bean flavoured Rancheros. And I'm one of the generation that goes all misty eyed when anybody mentions Aztec bars in their distinctive purple wrappers.
Ahh yes...
But there was a time I kid you not where a company that was the forerunner of Walker's and known as Tudor Crisps used to produce a Kipper Flavoured crisp.
I'm glad that you were able to risk a little taste of Angel Delight. I understand that just sometimes if careful it is possible to treat yourself once in a while.
I know Kidney patients I was in hospital with when I first took ill sometimes told tales of how they would do everything right and then risk being a little bit naughty.
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