Are you ready for some….FOOD? In honor of the 50th big game, Jersey Bites presents recipes for appetizers (and one dessert) from across the decades. Many thanks to Mary Wozniak, Veronique Deblois, Melissa Beveridge, Terry Krongold, Kerry Brown, and Marina Kennedy for their fine contributions!
Swedish Meatballs
If you were watching the Packers beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl I (1967), you were likely dipping your chips into some “California” dip (Lipton onion soup plus sour cream). That first Super Bowl party may have also offered up a chafing dish of that iconic 60s appetizer, Swedish meatballs. There are myriad variations, many with either sour cream or heavy cream. This recipe (straight out of mom’s recipe box) instead adds Burgundy wine. Don Draper would approve. Click for the recipe. —Mary Wozniak
Fondue
Call it the Bill—or Ted—of party foods. Mentions of fondue can be traced back to the time Homer’s Iliad, possibly as early as 800 BC, according to a BBC article. Cheese fondue’s more modern roots go back to late 17th century Switzerland. And this fine party food made its mark as a groovy appetizer here in the U.S. in the 70s. Click for the recipe. —Recipe submitted by Veronique Deblois
Bread Bowl Spinach Dip
In the 1980s, bread bowls surfaced as an appetizer phenomenon. A fresh round loaf of bread, hollowed out and filled with dip is just as tantalizing now as it was four decades ago. Try a classic spinach dip in the bowl. It’s colorful and loaded with veggies. Cube the bread that you hollowed out of the center for dippers and serve them along with celery sticks, pepper slices and your favorite crackers. Click for the recipe. —Marina Kennedy
Back in the 90s, Hot Pockets were a top choice for afternoon snacks. As a kid, I scalded the top of my mouth countless times on these individual servings of combinations like pepperoni and cheese and of course, broccoli and cheese. Little pockets of treats surrounded by a flaky crust. It was like the hand held pot pie. This recipe take a little twist on our favorite 90s microwave treat, with a homemade pie crust and a hot wing filling that will give your guests the chance to enjoy the flavors of the big game in a throwback bite. (Note: scalding of the mouth is required when eating, so serve ’em hot!) Click for the recipe. —Melissa Beveridge
Cupcakes have been popular since the 1950s when mixes (think Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker) hit supermarket shelves. But they really went big time in the late 90s when Magnolia Bakery in NYC started selling “gourmet” cupcakes for $3.00 each. Then in 2000, the hit series Sex and the City featured a Magnolia Bakery cupcake and people went wild. In fact, Magnolia Bakery is a stop on the Sex and the City tour. In 2003, Crumbs Bakeshop took cupcakes to a whole new level, offering four different cupcake sizes, up to the over-the-top 6.5 inches, and charging $40/dozen. By 2013, the cupcake fad had peaked and fickle foodies flocked to the newest bakery trend: the Cronut. Click for the recipe. —Terry Krongold
Bacon on a Stick
This app combines two hot food trends from the current decade: bacon, and food-on-a-stick. They’re not fancy, but your game-day guests will devour these smoky bites and beg for more! Who can resist bacon with anything? Especially on a stick… Click for the recipe. —Kerry Brown
