I won’t talk about food but rather about soft drinks. In Russia, we probably experienced a completely different process, when new foods have been coming to us, from McDonalds in 1990 to cereals/corn flakes to energy bars to yogurts to steaks to pasta.
I recall my school years back in the 80s. There was a constant food deficit (not just food!). Those memories are my vaccine against the idiotic dreams of how good the Soviet Union has been.
It has not. Ever.
I remember, as a kid, that the West has always been a guiding star to us, a land of plenty: food, goods, jeans, cloths, chewing gum, cars, movies, music, everything.
So, I was having a hard time to recall what food has gone forever.
Yet, I do have a sweet memory about the Soviet vending machine. The only one as a type, actually. Those have been selling carbonated water for 1 copeck (1/100 of a rouble), and flavoured carbonated water for 3 copecks.
Those Soviet vending machines were present everywhere in the Soviet Union. Often, there were long lines of folks trying to quench their thirst.
The funny (or scary?) thing was that there was one single glass for everybody to drink from. Yes, you could wash it up using this Soviet vending machine, then pour it over with a copeck or three. Enjoy your drink. And pass it to the next customer, anxiously waiting for their turn.
Guys, really; Nobody in the USSR was thinking about catching some kind of disease out of that glass (made of glass). For us, it was OK as no other option was available. We just had no idea it could have been done in a more different – more safe – way.
It looks mad from the today’s perspective, yet, for three generations of the Soviet people it was 100% OK.
Do I miss it? No.
Was that three copeck sweet drink great? Hell, yes!
The humble gooseberry
In post-war Britain, where I grew up, they were absolutely everywhere — grown in allotments and back gardens, sold cheaply by greengrocers, and turned into pies, crumbles, fools, jams and puddings. Today, most younger Britons won’t have ever tasted one.
So why the decline of what was one of my favourite fruits?
Gooseberries are seasonal and quite sharp-tasting compared with the sweeter fruits that modern consumers seem to prefer. Also, the move away from home baking hurt them badly; gooseberry crumble only exists if somebody actually cooks it! And gardens became much smaller, which, coupled with the decline of allotment culture, saw the disappearance of many older bushes.
Of course, it’s not just gooseberries. Remember Spam fritters, or bread and dripping, or blancmange? Not on today’s menu. Another absentee, thankfully, is Tapioca pudding – the famous “frogspawn” dessert which remains to this day the most disgusting food ever put in front of me.
But back to my long-lost gooseberry; not extinct, rather just moved somewhat “upmarket”. That sharp, green, almost “hedgerow” note in many New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs is often described as gooseberry. I should know – I drink gallons of the stuff.
Yes, gooseberries and other foods that once belonged to ordinary kitchens are now returning, wearing a tuxedo. Think rhubarb in gin, elderflower in cordials and even nettles turning up in fashionable soups and restaurants.
So, gooseberries have not actually vanished altogether from Britain, they have simply emigrated into bottles of posh plonk. Which reminds me that it is now wine-o-clock, and this blog is finished.
Where did that food go?
Researching this article became a little trip down memory lane for me. OK, researching may be a stretch but you get the idea. I just assumed food was fairly constant and changed little… The list of foods you can find online that no longer exist is eye-opening.
Pudding Cups: I forgot all about Pudding Cups… I used to have these and in fact, they were even part of the school lunch. I suppose I just assumed they would always be around and didn’t give it any thought. Pudding cups were once a lunchbox staple and after-school treat for many American kids. These single-serve containers came in flavors like chocolate, vanilla, and butterscotch. I remember they came with little plastic spoons and I would try to get the last bit out of the bottom corners. Did you ever lick the plastic cup?
Ambrosia Salad: My Mother used to make this when I was a kid. I suppose the word salad is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. This sweet concoction typically included canned fruit cocktail, mini marshmallows, shredded coconut, maraschino cherries, and chopped nuts mixed in whipped cream. This was one of my favorite dishes and was almost always on the table when company came. It was during this period that Americans were the most overweight people in the world. Just sayin’…..
If you remember a favorite food, leave a comment below. 👇