I’m keeping things short and sweet this week because I am in full-swing Easter prep mode. As a side note, how did this happen? I swear I was wrapping Christmas presents only yesterday and now I’m up to my neck in cellophane grass. I’m not complaining though, this winter has nearly killed me. I guess times flies when you’re *not* having fun, also.
Actually the one thing that I have been looking forward to over the winter (and for the better part of two years) is the final season of one of my favorite television shows, Game of Thrones. I wouldn’t say I’m a die-hard fan of the series and I’ve never read the books but it’s hard not to jump on the bandwagon of such a cinematic, edge-of-your-seat-good show. And, maybe because I’m obsessed with food, I’ve decided to celebrate in the only way I really know how: a themed dinner.
I’ve always loved the idea of a TV dinner, although most of the contemporary supermarket versions look a little dog food-y. Maybe it’s just my inclination towards the retro but they looked so much more appetizing and less-processed when they first came out. There are a lot of conflicting opinions as to who first invented the concept but it was Swanson & Sons who, in 1953, launched their product entitled “TV Dinner” so they get credit for the name, at least. It was all just genius marketing. Television in the 50’s was rapidly gaining in popularity and companies like Swanson & Sons and Maxson Foods Systems took advantage of it. They weren’t just selling plates of food but the idea of a modern way of experiencing home life.
But, as we well know, food trends come and go. The golden age of frozen TV dinners is firmly passed but the concept of enjoying a meal with others around the television set is as relevant today as it was nearly 70 years ago. Maybe it’s not meatloaf or Salisbury steak but there’s something so incredibly comforting about hunkering down with some great food (my drug of choice is a bougie cheese plate) to enjoy an hour of uninterrupted, mindless entertainment. Heaven.
La Retro Recipe 