I’m sure we could come up with a long list of foods that we see mostly seniors being fans of; mince-meat pie, fruit cakes, etc.
So my question is two-fold:
Were these foods popular with them they’re entire lives or did they become fans once they hit a certain age?
And if they were fans of these foods they’re entire lives, and nowdays the foods are not-so-popular with anyone under 60, will we see these foods eventually disappear?
Has this happened before? A food popular with a generation that eventually dies with that generation?
With the exception of Kalhoun 's prunes (hey, that rhymes… I think…) and Patty O’Furniture 's hard candy, I personally love all these foods, and I’m still a young, dashing, spry 31. {does math} Yeah, 31.
Things that I associate, maybe not exactly with old people per se but old times are game meats. Pheasant, for instance. Or venison. Or ELK…
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I’ve finally found a vendor locally that carries elk meat… Oh god I do love me some elk! Lean yet tender and succulent and oh SO tasty!
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Root vegetables, too. Parsnips, turnips, beets… Show a kid these days a parsnip and lord knows what reaction you’d get.
Baked scrod. Yes, baked scrod. Where I live, there are certain restaurants where, I swear, they just bring it to you after you’ve reached a certain age. No need to order.
Liver and onions. Once upon a time, people believed that you really needed to include liver in your diet because of the iron. It was quite common for families to have it once a week. Nowadays there are like 2 livers in the supermarket excluding the one tub of chicken livers that people make chopped liver from. But old people still like it and will even order it in Friendly’s if they are at a Friendly’s that carries it.
I didn’t know that old people like fruitcakes; I just thought that they might be somewhat more likely to give them as gifts.
I’ve heard tell of some monks somewhere (in Ohio, I think) who make fruitcakes that are actually good to eat. I’ve never had one, but if I get a chance I’ll certainly try it and see if the exception proves the rule.
OH! Here’s something else: the elderly have no concept of season-appropriate food. Or, at least they like winter food in the summer. My family and my sister’s in-laws were members of this beach summer community. No air conditioning. Sun, sand, sea. Now, WHY were my grandma and my brother-in-law’s great aunt making hearty roasts, soups and stews at the friggin’ beach in August? I’m thinking it’s old people food.
I don’t know exactly which monks you’re thinking of, but these guys make a mean fruitcake. And by “mean” I mean you can practically get drunk off of one. Very very yummy stuff.
I was reading one of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolf stories, and he writers about a character eating Pickles and Pastrami washed down with Buttermilk. Possibly this was supposed to be a sandwich, but he never mentions bread. My stomache turns at the thought.
If you want some extinct food combinations, look up James Lileks’ book the Gallery of Regrettable Food, or go to his website at www.lileks.com and peruse the ancient food offerings he’s excavated from old cookbooks.
I think one’s desire or approval of KFC goes up as one ages.
I think the progression goes something like this: little kids – McD’s, for the toys.
Older kids – BK, because it isn’t McD’s. Driving age – Taco Bell . Harried workers – wherever the line is shortest. Retired – KFC.
Rock candy. What I wouldn’t give to be able to buy it again! I used to make it too, guess I should right now.
And plain popcorn. Whatever happened to plain popcorn? I hate the goey kind.
Just a small bag at the moving picture show, not a giant tub marked small and costing several dollars.
Since someone’s already mentioned liver and onions, I’m going to go with shredded wheat. Or bran cereal (especially All-Bran). If you’re a thirsty old person, you can have some Postum or Ovaltine. For dessert, wintergreen lozenges, those orange gumdroppy things, chocolate-covered creme drops, or chocolate-covered marshmallow cookies.
Did no one read the OP? Hampshire isn’t looking for a list of foods that only Grandma and Grandpa enjoy, s/he’s wanting to know if those foods were popular while they were growing up and have just faded in popularity since then or if it’s something they’ve just come to enjoy with age.
