4th of July Celebration, 2014 edition: Vintage 1970s

I don’t do rants about politics; I prefer to channel my energy into celebrating what’s right about America, and there is nothing more right about the USA than the 4^th of July. To make sure one 4^th of July doesn’t just blend into another, we’ve begun the theme them. It started simply enough – two years ago as an idea to have a hot dog bar with hot dogs from across the country. That was fun and led to the 13 original colonies theme last year complete with choreographed and narrated fireworks presentation. It’s starting to feel like we’re hitting our groove and we’re excited to share our research and plans for this year’s event. We can’t wait to see friends and neighbors!

ABOUT THIS YEAR’S THEME:

Hallmarks of the Vintage 1970's 4th of July picnic

·         Convenience - era of easy foods, portable coolers and appliances, and anything plastic

·         Affordability - rationing and a deep recession sparked creativity with limited resources

·         Classic America - fear of a changing world drove some to cling tightly to comfort foods and traditions as did the bi-centennial celebration in 1976

·         With new twists driven by the times - others were ready to explore new tastes and try new things

POINT OF CLARIFICATION: Vintage 1970s is NOT a white trash party; white trash is timeless and unseemly. Rather think of Midwestern and Plains people gathering in small towns in 1978.

TIME: Come any time after Noon to hang out, but don’t expect anything organized until 3 or 4 with food ready around 5 PM.

DRESS: It’s vintage 1970s so bonus points for those that come dressed accordingly

ACTIVITIES: Lawn games for adults. Trampoline, games and activities for the little ones.

FIREWORKS: If you’d like to participate in the small but very impressive fireworks display by providing cash and/or planning, please contact the Entertainment team – Drew Bateman and Andy Armbruster, co-chairs. I believe there is a trip to Davey Fireworks Emporium scheduled that day. We will have a view of fireworks from across the neighborhood and city that night so bring a lawn chair or blanket for viewing.

MENU: This year’s menu has required extensive research, so please review carefully and appreciate the thought behind the selections. Otherwise you might show up and think you accidentally drive to your parents’ house for the 4^th.  Assignments for meal components are listed. Plan for up to 20 people for each item.

Drinks

• Classic 70s beers, especially regional – everyone bring your own, as desired
• Punch (alcoholic) made with KoolAid (“The KoolAid punches were often served at weddings and showers, as the many, many flavors allowed people to create the perfect color to match their wedding color.  However, when light blue became the ‘in’ color, those of us who chose it were told we needed to know that our punch would not match, as you just can't make baby blue punch.” - see reference 4) – Kerners
• Peach daiquiris (the blender was a new appliance, so grasshoppers were big, as were daiquiris, as per reference 4) - Andy  
• Country Time lemonade for the kids and when you don’t want alcohol (introduced in 1975) - Carrie

Appetizers

• Deviled eggs (show me a photo of a picnic in the 1970s and I'll find you a deviled egg…and a creepy uncle in pants that are too tight) – Andy
• Guacamole and chips (avocados hit the popular market in the 70s - thank goodness) – Seth/Drew
• Meatballs served with toothpicks (“The ‘in’ recipe for the sauce was:  melt a jar of grape jelly and combine with a jar of yellow mustard.  If you were lucky enough to have a microwave by then, you were assured you could prepare the sauce in it.” – see reference 4) – Seth
• Veggies with beau Monde dip (“There was the new, popular veggie dip, with the secret ingredient beau Monde. This is how people came to know you could eat cauliflower raw, as well as carrots and celery.  Many people did not want to invest in beau Monde, because, of course, there was nothing else you could use it in.  They were thrilled when their wealthier friends brought this new dip to parties.” – see reference 4) – Reference 4 (Jo)

Entrées 

• Cold Fried chicken (Reagan served it in '81 – which was practically the 70's - see reference 1; “Cold fried chicken was always a picnic favorite, but by the 70's you bought it at the store, or drive-in, rather than frying it yourself.” - reference 4  ) – Seth, from Super Saver
• Hot dogs in buns (Bush served them in China in 1975 - see reference 2) – Matt/Donnie or Seth

Sides (please note how many salads we have and how few vegetables will be required)

• Jell-O salads (at least 2) with one having an odd filling (because…Duh, it’s 70s and it’s Jell-O.) – Katie and Seth
• Watergate salad (a pistachio salad – recipe here - possibly named because Nixon loved them and if you don't know the connection between Nixon and Watergate you are uninvited) - Mary (Katie’s mom) 
• Pasta shells salad made with Hidden Valley Ranch (if you are white, Midwestern and lived in the 70s you ate Hidden Valley Ranch and pasta shell salad) - Andy
• Potato Salad, basic recipe none of this weird gourmet stuff (do we need another side? Probably not, but no one ever ate potato salad because they needed it) – Jo
• 7-Layer Salad (“Iceberg lettuce with peas, cheese, etc.  I am sure you know it.  The key was making it in the 9x13 Tupperware you could not keep house without, and making it the night before,  topped with 5 dollops of mayonnaise sprinkled with sugar not being mixed in until serving.” – see reference 4) – Cara White (because you have a 9x13 Tupperware dish)
• Calico beans (made in the newfangled CrockPots) - Katie

Desserts

• Wacky cake (honestly I never heard of it until I researched for the menu, but I like the story behind it and the name – see reference 3 and confirmed by reference 4) - Carrie
• Homemade ice cream (made and served in plastic containers full of PCBs) – Neil Bateman is legendary, no debate on this one

References:

1.        “Hundreds of thousands of people celebrated the nation’s 205th birthday…and close friend of President and Mrs. Reagan held a barbecue to honor her 58th birthday…The menu included cold fried chicken, baby pork barbecued spare ribs and chili brought to Washington from Chasen’s Restaurant in Los Angeles. Among the guests…[was] Frank Sinatra.” ---“Washington Celebrates on a Rainy Fourth of July,” Irvin Molotsky, New York Times, July 5, 1981 (p. 1) [1983]

2.        “With a can of Miller High Life beer in his hand, United States envoy George Bush presided over an Independence Day picnic that broke the Peking diplomatic community’s tradition of staid national day celebrations. About 500 guests gathered on the lawn in front of the U.S. liaison office for hot dogs, beer, soft drinks and recordings by singers Johnny Cash and John Denver. Although a few diplomatic eyebrows were raised, Bush’s party was a hit with the majority of the guests— diplomats, journalists, American visitors and the Chinese guests who happily consumed the drinks and food flown in for the occasion. Attired in fire-engine red slacks and a blue golf shirt, Bush awarded door prizes to half a dozen guests. Most guests later attended a showing of the American movie ‘That’s Entertainment.’” ---“Beer and Hot Dogs in Peking on the 4th,” Washington Post, July 5, 1975 (p. A9)

3.        Wacky Cake: http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcakes.html#wackycake

4.        Jo Bateman, Drew’s mom and home economics teacher during the 1970s. Information shared via email. (edited for appropriateness J)