Famous Food Friday – Singers & Swingers

Today’s Famous Food moment is a blast from the past -- the groovy, swinging sixties! In 1967, this slim volume gathered together a group of famous and not “scene-makers”.

It features, according to the cover, “dozens of nutty, turned-on, easy-to-prepare recipes from the grooviest gourmets happening.” On the back cover: “Dig the sounds… in the kitchen. They’re hip, mod, delicious recipes from today’s top scene-makers…”

Who are these “scene-makers”? Well, some you know – the Rolling Stones – and some – The Cyrkle – are clearly no longer making the “scene.” There is Omar Sharif sharing his Southern Fried Chicken recipe. No offence but I’m not sure I want Omar Sharif making fried chicken! There are the Buckingham’s long before Lindsay ever saw Stevie Nicks. There is Don Adams and an entry by Sybil Burton Christopher, who was Richard Burton’s wife before Elizabeth Taylor. After she was dumped by Burton she moved to Manhattan, opened a boutique and, if this little cookbook is any indication, made the “scene.” (She is also the mother of Kate Burton who played Ellis Grey, who was the mother of Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo in Grey’s Anatomy. So, in some way, that makes Sybil the de facto “grandmother” of Meredith Grey, or maybe not… I digress.)

As you can see from these page, no expense was spared in the production of this book!

Here are just a few of the groovy dishes one might find oneself eating while making the scene.

Hot Dogs On the Rocks
(serves 5 Stones)

10 frankfurters
5 potatoes, or enough instant mashed potatoes to serve five
1 large can baked beans

Prepare the instant mashed potatoes, or boil and mash the potatoes. (Use milk and butter, making regular, every-day mashed potatoes.) Cook the frankfurters according to the package directions and heat the baked beans.

On each plate, serve a mound of creamy mashed potatoes ringed by heated canned baked beans. Over the top of all this, slice up the frankfurters in good-sized chunks.

Mick supposedly “invented” this dish with Charlie Watts adding in the canned beans.

When I think of the iconic, swinging sixties scene, one name always comes to mind – Leonard Nimoy. This is a fab first course invented by Nimoy, himself.

Cold Soup Nimoy

2 cans cream of celery soup
2 cans cold water
1/4 pint sour cream
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cucumber, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Seasoned salt (or salt) and pepper

Mix he soup, water, sour cream, lemon juice and seasoning, and beat with an egg beater. Stir in chopped vegetables. Chill and serve in cold soup bowls. (It is especially nice if you can let it chill overnight.)

How fab is that. Canned soup chilled! Overnight.


Finally, for all my blog readers, a third recipe from a triple threat – one Barbra Streisand. In 1967 she was an actress, a singing star, and now a mother. According to Singer & Swingers, Streisand took up cooking when she went into retirement. (The first of many retirements in Bab’s history.) This recipe is for her invention she calls instant ice cream.

Barbra’s Instant Coffee Ice Cream

24 marshmallows
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 cup heavy cream

Turn your refrigerator to the coldest point. Pour milk into a saucepan, heat, and gradually add the marshmallows. Mix until the mixture is smooth; add the instant coffee. Let it cool a bit. Whip the cream until stiff; mix cream and marshmallow mix together and pour into and empty ice cube tray. Freeze.

Barbra likes it with pretzels. Believe it or not.

Seriously, with this cookbook I’ll believe anything.

Might I suggest that you gather your friends to make the scene? You can be the swinger who whips up dinner. Start with Cold Soup Nimoy (Don’t forget to chill it overnight.) For the main course Hot Dogs on the Rocks finished up with Barbra’s Instant Coffee Ice Cream with a side of pretzels, just like Barbra!

No doubt you will be the most fab foodie on the block!