20 Years Ago Today - Retro Food For Modern Times

Tag: 20 Years Ago Today

05
Jan
2025

January 2005 – Beachside Dinner

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Blueberries, Calamari, Cocktail, Fish, Salad, Seafood, Sorbet, Squid, Summer

Happy New Year, time travellers! Welcome to January 2025 and January 2005! Today we will enjoy a quintessential Australian beachside dinner. Unlike many parts of the globe, the start of the year here is hot, making dining on or near the beach a beloved tradition. Also very Australian is to magpie food and flavours from other cultures so today our “Aussie” meal has roots in the tropics, China, Mexico and Italy!.

I was particularly excited for this month, as seafood and ice cream are among my favourite treats. We’ll soon see how my culinary hopes fared. Today’s menu is inspired by the January 2005 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

But first, let’s ease ourselves into 2005, not with Pop Culture as per our norm but a look at the news events that defined the year:

YouTube’s first video: “Me at the zoo” was the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube. Can you believe YouTube is only 20 years old? I feel like I’ve been watching it all my life!

Hurricane Katrina: A devastating tropical cyclone that killed 1,392 people and caused $125 billion in damages, particularly in New Orleans
London bombings: 52 people were killed and about 700 were wounded in a terrorist attack on the London Underground
Angela Merkel’s election: Angela Merkel became the first woman chancellor of Germany
Kyoto Protocol: The Kyoto Protocol, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, began to take effect
Same-sex marriage legalization: Spain and Canada legalized same-sex marriage

So a mixed bag news wise! Let’s see if the menu was also a blend of good and bad!

The Menu

Blue Hawaiian

I’ve always harboured a certain prejudice against blue drinks. They somehow screamed “college party” to me, a garish, overly sweet concoction best left to the youthful and the reckless. And creamy cocktails? Don’t even get me started. I’ve always considered them rather…gloopy.

But the Blue Hawaiian was an entirely different beast. The colour, was a glorious, cerulean blue, like a summer sky. But the flavour! It was a symphony of the tropics, a vibrant burst of sunshine in a glass. Honestly, I can’t imagine a more perfect aperitif for a beachside dinner. The mere thought of it now transports me – I can almost taste the salt spray on my lips, hear the gentle rustle of palm fronds overhead… pure joy!

Salt and Pepper Squid

Salt and Pepper Squid is a firm favourite of mine when dining out. But I had never tried to cook it at home before. And the result? A perfect prelude to a seaside feast, I served mine not with rice as per the recipe but with a vibrant fennel salad (though you wouldn’t know this from this photograph). You can find the recipe here. I also had some mayonnaise in which I swirled some chilli crisp just in case the pepperiness of the squid needed a bit more oomph!

Salt and Pepper Squid is as ubiquitous in Australian pubs as… well, as a pot of beer. So you can imagine my surprise to discover while poring over the recipe that it has Cantonese roots. This version, however, pays homage to those origins with the addition of Szechuan peppercorns, a delightful touch of unexpected heat that sets it apart from the standard pub fare.

Snapper Veracruzana

For the main course, we transported ourselves away from the vibrant shores of China to the sun-drenched beaches of Mexico with a delectable Snapper Veracruzana. This dish was simply exquisite! The snapper, cooked to perfection, flaked effortlessly at the touch of a fork, while the Veracruz sauce… well, words can hardly do it justice. A symphony of flavours – ripe tomatoes, briny capers, plump olives, and a tantalising hint of chilli – it was utterly irresistible. Frankly, I could imagine this sauce gracing almost any plate. Chicken, prawns, even grilled halloumi or roasted vegetables – the possibilities are endless. It’s a testament to the magic of great ingredients, a celebration of the vibrant flavours of Mexico.

Blueberry Gelato

Gelato has a certain nostalgia for me. Travelling around Italy with some girlfriends back in the day, “gelati” was our code word for a handsome young man. “Shall we go for gelati at 3 o’clock?” would indicate both the presence of one of them and the direction the others should look to see him! I wanted this blueberry gelato to transport me to the beaches of Amalfi. and the heady summer days we spent there. Sadly, this was not to be. I would have preferred this to be more blueberry-forward, like a sorbet. I feel the milk dulled the blueberry flavour. Pretty colour but for me, this was a fail.

My Nigella Moment – BLT Salad

For first-time readers, this refers to the moment at the end of Nigella Lawson’s cooking shows when she sneaks back to the fridge to have another bite of something delicious. In the context of these Twenty Years Ago posts, it is something contained in the magazine that may not fit with the overall menu theme but I’m sneaking it in because it is too good not to share.

BLT is a classic for a reason and this salad combines those familiar flavours into something new. This was delicious and definitely something to sneak back to for a little bit more after everyone else has gone to bed!

I hope you’ve enjoyed being beside the seaside with me! I also wish you all the very best for 2025! Let’s hope it’s a wonderful year for all of us!

08
Dec
2024

Fusion Food – December 2004

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Custard, Delicious, Desserts, France, Lamb, Lobster, Middle Eastern

Hello time travellers, and welcome to December 2004, where we are decking the halls with Fusion food courtesy of Delicious Magazine. For those who are not familiar with the term, the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts says it involves “bringing together ingredients from different cultures and merging recipes. This technique of joining culinary forces offers truly novel flavour combinations and unique menu offerings”.

In their examples, they list Tex-Mex and French Vietnamese. My personal favourite fusion was an absolutely fabulous Korean Taco place near where I used to work. Their kimchi fries were to die for!!! Kedgeree, which I also love, is a fabulous Anglo-Indian creation. I am also not averse to a tandoori chicken pizza!

On the menu today, we have an American / Middle Eastern mash-up, an Anglo-Indian combo that is not kedgeree and an Irish / French marriage to finish off. Will these be in the realm of kimchi fries? We’ll find out soon enough.

But first, it wouldn’t be a 20 Years Ago Post without a quick look at what was making the charts in December 2004.

Step Back in Time – December 2004

Movies

Today we are looking at the film charts from December 2004 and what a month! In the first week of December, National Treasure was number 1,Bad Santa was #4 and Garden State was #6. Week 2: Team America: World Police was #1. In Week 3, Ocean’s Twelve was number 1. Personally, I hated that one so it just goes to prove you can’t have everything. But in the fourth week, Lemony Snicket was # 1, and to round out the month, Meet The Fockers topped the box office, and Phantom of the Opera, which we spoke about last month, was #6.

Music

There was no change from last month in the top songs. My Boo by Usher and Alicia Keys was number 1 in the first week, and Drop It Like It’s Hot by Snoop Dog was top of the Billboard charts for the rest of the month.

Books

In a weird twist, The Da Vinci Code headed back to the top of the charts in the first week of December. I can’t explain this. The movie didn’t come out til 2006 so it wasn’t tied to that. And surely everyone who wanted to read it, had already read it by then. Maybe it was a surge of people buying Secret Santa gifts for their coworkers. Anyway, its return was short; Night Fall by Nelson DeMille took top place the second week, and Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom was the best-selling book for the remainder of December.

Two things that I would have wanted as Christmas presents that year were the rerelease of Stephanie Alexander’s Classic “The Cook’s Companion“, although with a massive price tag of $125, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t under any tree with my name on it. Also, according to Delicious magazine, this was when Nigella Lawson’s “Feast” was released.

So, now that we have set the scene, let’s set the table for our fusion feast!

Lobster Cocktail with Preserved Lemon

This recipe livens up the traditional prawn (shrimp) cocktail with a bit of luxe from the lobster and some Middle Eastern flavours of preserved lemon and harissa. You will see that the recipe calls for a whole lobster. I used a far more economical lobster tail, and one tail between the two of us was perfect for a starter. This meal looks elegant and ritzy but can be made without a high price tag.

This was delicious, and every ingredient had its place. I had never even thought of using a grain in a seafood cocktail. And, to be honest, I thought about not including the burghul wheat. Please don’t do this, it brought a beautiful nuttiness to the lobster cocktail. I’d never had it before but now, I want to have burghul in every seafood cocktail! It was a game changer ingredient!

A word of advice on the sauce. When I first made the harissa sauce, I thought it was a little bland, so I added more harissa. I then popped it into the fridge whilst I made the rest. The flavours continued to develop, so what I ended up with was somewhat spicier than when it went into the fridge! It still tasted delish, but be careful if you are playing with the ratios, as you don’t want to overpower the flavour of that lovely lobster!

Finally, our lime tree was also bare so I used a lemon as my garnish. We’ll now have to wait til winter for fresh limes but the lemon tree is the gift that keeps on giving!

Lamb Rack with Coconut Gravy and Mango Chutney

This feels to me like a perfect blend of the Fussiest Eater in the World’s tastes and mine. He likes his good old English roast. I like a bit of spice! This recipe was, therefore, a win-win! It felt a bit unusual adding the curry gravy to the meat after it was cooked but this recipe really worked for me!

Baileys Crème Brulée

Speaking of win – win…Baileys is one of my favourite tipples. And crème brulée is one of my favourite desserts. This was DELIGHTFUL! The Baileys was there but more like a whisper than a scream. If I hadn’t known it was was Baileys I would have spent the first few spoonfuls thinking…”I know what that flavour is….but I need just one more spoonful to figure it out”…and after that I would have decided not to worry too much about defining the flavour and just dug in for sheer enjoyment! And of course, if you want a stronger Baileys flavour, a little glass on the side wouldn’t go astray!

And just listen to that crack!

My Nigella Moment – Tomato Tarte Tatin

The tomato tatin was absolutely delicious. What made it SPECTACULAR was the caramelised garlic. I made the tomato tarte tatin on a night when I was by myself so I made a quarter quantity of the caramelised garlic. Massive mistake. It was absolutely delicious. I had some left over after the tomato tatin and I put it on absolutely everything I ate over the next day or so. Salad? I added it to the dressing? Steak, I added it as a little condiment. Snacking – the carmelised galirc and butter on really fresh bread was divine. Seriously someone needs to bottle that up and sell it. I would buy a lifetime supply!

The ricotta cream was also really nice. I did add a little tip I picked up from Girl Dinner and added a splash of pickle juice into the ricotta mix which I thought set it off really nicely!

What a month! Each of these brought me joy! I’m so glad the December 2004 issue of Delicious delivered fusion, not confusion. Now, I need to dash; I have a great little business idea I want to try out!

Have a great week!

25
Aug
2024

Spice It Up – August 2004

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Apples, Baking, Blue Cheese, Delicious, Indonesia, Lamb, Leeks, Magazines, Pie, Salad, Savoury Pies and Tarts

Hello friends! Welcome to Twenty Years Ago Today! For a spicy twist this month, I turned to the August 2004 issue of Delicious magazine for recipe ideas. While the month wasn’t perfect, one dish stood out as a clear highlight and is easily one of my top ten of the year. But, before we get there, let’s take a little look at what was making the charts pop culture-wise back in August 2004!

Pop Culture – August 2004

So, for the first week of August 2004 and, also for the first time in what seems like eleventy billion years, The Da Vinci Code was NOT the number one selling book. That honour went to R for Ricochet by Sue Grafton. Now, I have never read any of this series. Is anyone out there a fan? I love a good mystery / thriller. Please let me know if you think this series might be good for me! However, before we get too excited about the demise of The Da Vinci Code, it went back to number one for the rest of August.

Collateral was the best-selling film of August 2004 but Garden State, which was a film we covered in my film club was #10. Leave, (Get Out) by JoJo was the number 1 song. I do not remember this song or the singer at all!!! Does anyone?

In the absence of any memory of JoJo, let’s pop the soundtrack for Garden State onto Spotify and get cooking!

The Spice It Up Menu – August 2004

Gado Gado

Spices used – garlic, ginger etc in the Satay sauce, chilli

I adore Gado Gado. It’s the perfect balance of health and indulgence, combining the virtue of steamed vegetables with the decadence of a spicy satay sauce. Unfortunately, despite searching through multiple supermarkets, I couldn’t find the tofu puffs I typically include. To compensate for the protein, I added some eggs. I ate this as a main dish so wanted to make it a substantial meal.

I also took some liberties with the vegetables, using ingredients I preferred or had readily available instead of strictly adhering to the recipe.”

Gado-Gado Recipe

Lamb Chops with Bay, Paprika and Chickpeas

Spice used: Paprika

The Jamie Oliver recipe was…alright. While it wasn’t a favorite, it was certainly edible. I’m not likely to make it again, but it was passable.

The biggest issue was the excessive amount of chili. As someone who enjoys spicy food, that’s a rare complaint for me. The chili completely overwhelmed the other flavors.

Another minor annoyance was the recipe’s use of the term “chops” while actually calling for “cutlets.” For those unfamiliar with lamb, cutlets are significantly more expensive than traditional chops. I used loin chops for my version because I had some in my freezer.

Lamb Chops with Bay, Paprika and Chickpeas Recipe

Apple and Blackberry Pie

Spices used: Cinnamon and Cloves

This. Was .Divine.

Unfortunately, my photos were not. Please don’t judge this on the photo or my really bad lattice work because the pie really truly was AMAZING!!!! This is a top ten dish if ever there was one! There is a version with Rhubarb mentioned which I will also be trying ASAP!

Apple and Blackberry Pie Recipe

Cinnamon Tea and Recipe

Spice Used: Cinnamon

Delicious Magazine also contained a recipe for Cinnamon Tea. I only ever really drink herbal tea, so this was not for me. Howeever, as the name suggests, it does contain a spice so if you are a tea drinker and maybe wanted something to sip on while eating your pie, here is the recipe.

My Nigella Moment – Leek and Gorgonzola Tarts

For first-time readers, this refers to the moment at the end of Nigella Lawson’s cooking shows when she sneaks back to the fridge to have another bite of something delicious. In these Twenty Years Ago posts, it is something contained in the magazine that does not fit with the overall menu theme but I’m sneaking it in because it is too good not to share.

I love leek and gorgonzola anything as it reminds me of a pizzeria I used to go to with my work mates a few years ago that did an amazing leek and gorgonzola pizza! I didn’t think these were as good as the pizza but that could also be nostalgia talking. They were quite nice in their own right!

Leek and Gorgonzola Tarts Recipe

I hope you have enjoyed this trip back to August 2004. Have a great week!

01
Aug
2024

July 2004 – No A’s

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Cheese, Delicious, Fish, Magazines, Muffins, Soup

Hello friends and welcome to today’s Twenty Years Ago Today Post where I am creating a meal from the pages of Delicious magazine from July 2004. But, as usual, the menu comes with a challenge – this month the challenge was to create a meal where none of the recipes contained the letter A. In the event that you ever have an Alphaphobic over to dinner, I have you covered with this one.

And, even if I do say so myself, July 2004 did not disappoint in the taste department. Last week I mentioned that the Grapefruit Oat Brulee was Top Ten in the things I have cooked this year. And this week we have another, not one but two contenders for that list! Life is good – at least in the eating department!

Pop Culture – July 2004

We’ll get along to the deliciousness soon but here’s a little reminder of what was big in July 2004 to help set the scene. Looking first at films, Spiderman, I Robot and The Bourne Supremacy where respectively 1-3 at the box office. Personally, I would have been more interested in Anchorman, Fahrenheit 9/11 and The Notebook at 4, 5 and 7.

In books, the Da Vinci code was yep, you guessed it still number 1! Will the reign of this book never end? Angels and Demons also by Dan Brown was sitting at #7 this month so we might be looking at a Dan Brown double next month! And speaking of doubles, Usher had the number 1 and 2 songs on the Billboard charts with Burn and Confessions Part II.

And now we’ve set the scene, let’s take a look at our menu!

The No A Menu – July 2004

Minestrone

This was, without a doubt the best Minestrone I have ever eaten. I made a huge pot of it and ate it everyday for my lunch for the entire week. Now usually when this happens by Thursday I am starting to get a bit bored and by Friday I am dreading the meal, Not so this time, I would have eaten this for another 5 days if I had more!

This Bill Granger recipe is a little different from most other minestrones for two reasons. First, it has meatballs made from Italian sausages and second it has no pasta. It is also LOADED with veg so, outside of those little meatballs, it is also very healthy. This minestrone was definitely worthy of being on my Top Ten for the Year!

Minestrone Recipe

Smoked Fish Pie

The Smoked Fish Pie was also delicious! I used smoked trout in my pie and it was really yummy! This one is definitely something I will make again! We ate our pies on a frosty cold winter’s night and it was perfect comfort food!

Smoked Fish Pie Recipe

Lemon Meringue Muffins

Now…I could have sworn I took photos of these but no…not on my phone. Not in the cloud….and not enough time to remake them! Also, to be honest, these were probably the weakest part of the meal. They were ok but a little dry. This though, could have been my fault. I cooked the muffins until they were nearly ready but then I had to go out. I left them in the turned off oven to finish the cook and cool. Maybe they were in there a bit too long. I did however love the little secret stash of lemon curd in the muffin and the meringue top was delightful.

I thought for want of my own photo, I would include the photo from the magazine as inspiration. However, there wasn’t one. The recipe was included as a reader asked why there was a recipe for Lemon Meringue Muffins indexed in April 2004, however there was no such recipe in the magazine. The editors explained that the recipe had been pulled for space at the last minute.

There certainly seems oto be something slightly cursed about this recipe!

Lemon Meringue Muffins Recipe

My Nigella Moment – Baked Brie with Braised Cabbage

For first-time readers, this refers to the moment at the end of Nigella Lawson’s cooking shows when she sneaks back to the fridge to have another bite of something delicious. In these Twenty Years Ago posts, it is something contained in the magazine that does not fit with the overall menu theme but I’m sneaking it in because it is too good not to share.

Oh wow…this was sooo good! This was the other recipe that is Top Ten so far this year. There is so much to love in this – warm oozy cheese, salty crispy pancetta, the sweetness of the apple in the cabbage….this was luscious!

Baked Brie with Braised Cabbage Recipe

Well, for me Delicious Magazine from June 2004 was great. Shame about the muffins….but maybe they should have been left out of this issue too!

Have a great week!

21
Apr
2024

April 2004 – The Letter L

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Breakfast, Delicious, Drinks, Fruit, Lamb, Lemon, Magazines, Mango, Meat

Hello, retro food lovers! Today’s post features the letter L and Delicious Magazine from April 2004. Our meal today has a slightly Indian feel with a lassi, some lamb and a lovely lemony dessert! But before we get to the food, let’s set the scene.

The Da Vinci Code was the best-selling book of the first half of April. Quelle surprise! However, for the remaining two weeks, Glorious Appearing stole the number-one spot! Before you get excited, this book sounds dreadful! I would rather read The Da Vinci Code! Toxic by Britney was number one on the charts and Hellboy was number one at the box office.

Hopefully more on the side of glorious, rather than toxic or hellish is our menu for April 2004!

Mango Lassi

I am starting my L themed meal with a Mango Lassi. Lassis are yogurt-based drinks often containg spices. Think of it as a Punjabi smoothie. Lassis boast a long history, dating back to 1000 BC! People believed they had healing properties. Drinking lassis could improve your digestion and your skin and reduce bloating just to name a few!

Lassis can be sweet or savoury. The mango here makes this one quite sweet so it would have been an equally nice way to end the meal! This also takes less than a minute to make so quick as well as delicious. I used frozen mango in mine so you do not have to wait until mangoes are in season to make this!

Mango Lassi Recipe

Spiced Lamb Lollipops with Korma Sauce and Toasted Almonds

This, like the Mango Lassi above comes from an article called “Curry on Jamie”. No surprises for guessing that the Jamie is one Mr Oliver, who seems to be featuring in thee 20 Years Ago posts rather a lot. The Lamb Lollipops were a version of a curry. The twist was that instead of the meat being cooked in the curry, it was grilled and served with a curry sauce for dipping. It was absolutely delicious! I served my Lollipops with a radish and coriander pickle from the same article and some bought paratha.

Lamb Lollipops Recipe

Lemon Posset with Lemon Crunch

Apart from the letter L, there is another linking factor between today’s recipes. The lassi dates back to ancient times, Korma is believed to be created in the 16th century for Shah Jalan at the inauguration of the Taj Mahal and our dessert also has it’s roots in history. The OED traces posset back to the 15th century where, like the lassi, it was known for it’s healing properties. I liked the lemon crunch because it added some texture into what was otherwise a very soft dessert. The texture of the posset was panna cotta-esque. An almond biscotti would have also gone down a treat with this…and created a link with the lamb dish!

Lemon Posset Recipe

I found the quantities here made for quite a sweet mix so l added more lemon juice, specifically as I also knew the crunch would also be sweet.

My Nigella Moment – Breakfast Almond Croissants

For first-time readers, this refers to the moment at the end of Nigella Lawson’s cooking shows when she sneaks back to the fridge to have another bite of something delicious. In these Twenty Years Ago posts, it is something contained in the magazine that does not fit with the overall menu theme but I’m sneaking it in because it is too good not to share.

One of my favorite bakery treats is an almond croissant so I was delighted to find a recipe where I could do a cheats’ version at home. These were delightful. And also went nicely with some mango lassi!

Breakfast Almond Croissant Recipe

Oh, I just realised another link. These meals all belong in a spectrum from yellow to brown…the posset is light lemon yellow, the mango lassi is a pale orange, the korma sauce was a deep orange and the croissants were brown. These colours are also all autumnal so maybe I was also channelling the seasons with my meal!

Have a great week!