The year was 1961...
The year was 1961. This was no ordinary year in history, it was a BIG one. Vietnam was at War, Berlin was building a wall, The Space Race was in full swing, JFK was inaugurated as the 35th president of the United States and the Civil Rights Movement was pushing ahead amongst heavy pressure from around the nation. On July 4th 1961, my Aunt Nan was a sweet 11 month old baby, and into the world bounced my Mom, “Sis”, as she’s so lovingly been called her whole life. This was a day already filled with much celebration and it was certainly fit for the spirited soul it welcomed.
These Irish twins, one pale skinned and blonde haired and the other tan skinned and brown haired are not Irish at all. No, they are Black and Polish, born into a mixed-race family on the South Side of Chicago. As you can imagine this wasn’t a perfect scenario for this time in history, but love is love and it cannot and should not be denied. This is the American Melting Pot, after all. A land where all humans deserve to love the ones they so choose. Happy Pride Y’all!
My mom spent her younger years in the Roseland and Pullman neighborhoods of Chicago. These neighborhoods were very different in the 60’s than they are today. They were a new frontier for hard working families, especially black and immigrant families. Small bungalow houses with fenced yards provided working class people with something that they hadn’t yet had, suburban-style living within the city. Many South Side neighborhoods today, like Roseland and Pullman, have become only glimmers of their early day suburban like selves and although much has changed they still hold the charm of tight knit city communities.
My Great Grandma Helen (Polish Great Grandma) worked in the watch repair section of Weiboldts Department Store on N. State Street. It was a grand store known for its blue collar appeal - unpretentious and often bilingual. For many families though, Downtown was not a place they ever saw, but that didn’t change the fact that these were city families in city neighborhoods. Chicago was and is still today a very segregated city. Many people chose to stay nestled in the comfort of their small neighborhoods, perhaps never even visiting Lake Michigan - which if you’ve ever spent a summer in Chicago you know the lake is a real treat. The summers are hot and humid and the winters are frigid and grey. In such close communities, you rely on your neighbors for comradery and support. They are your village. And in these corners of the city, the Fourth of July translated to backyard celebrations for all, a time to let loose and cook BIG.
Let’s pause a moment to do a little math. July 4th 1961 is coming up on 60 years ago - sorry, Mom I just outed you for not being 47 anymore (a birthday that came around several years in a row if I remember correctly). So, in the spirit of celebrating big, Happy Birthday Sis!! To know you is to love you and to probably have eaten your snickerdoodles or some delicious creation from your kitchen. You may not often credit yourself for being a skilled cook, but what I know in the kitchen directly corresponds to what I saw in the kitchen growing up. For this forever-young, slice-of-cherry-pie kind of lady, it comes as no surprise that your birthday is always celebrated with fireworks and family barbecues, as the world's best grandma deserves nothing less.
There are some seriously unforgettable and irreplicable wonders that came out of the 1960’s, including my mother. The food was weird (lots of mayonnaise and pickles – two stellar ingredients in my opinion), but creative and delicious. The music was full of life but also soulful and deep. The cars! Oh baby, the cars were flashy. Millennials may be forever in a financial rut thanks to generation Boomer but we do have to give credit, where credit is due.
Much of the food I grew up on at family parties is Soul Food adapted by Northerners - Chicken fried in Crisco, Macaroni and Cheese (more like a soufflé casserole than a creamy side dish) and Grandma Julia’s Sweet Potato Pie. These dishes inspired the casual attitude of this menu because some meals deserve to be simple, crowd pleasing and served on paper plates. Now as much as I would love to share the sweet potato pie recipe, I can’t because there really isn’t a recipe. My mom acted as understudy to Great Grandma Julia (pronounced Ju-ya to those who knew her - my Black Great Grandma) for years before she passed. Sis made countless pies and brought them over for tasting, always receiving the “little more cinnamon Sis” or “little less sugar Sis” feedback. Until one day, it was perfect. That’s how most of the family recipes are on my mom’s side. They are a practice rather than a formula. If you don’t have a red onion, just use a yellow one.
The recipes I picked for this menu are most certainly vital family favorites, with a few personal touches thrown in. There wasn’t a summer party at our house that didn’t include corn and a super rich cake topped with fruit. Ribs were always a real treat and if you’ve never brushed barbecue sauce on the burgers you’re grilling, do yourself the service and try it out. Humble, often store bought ingredients can be real game changers to a classic idea. I hope you love these dishes as much as we do and please don’t overcook your potatoes for the salad or Nan will not approve, because she is the trophy holder for perfect potato salad.
The Menu :
Jell-O Molds (yes they are boozy! And yes you can choose your own adventure) Sour Cream and Onion Dip with Potato Chips Cheddar Jalapeño Corn Potato Salad Slow Cooked Ribs in Sweet Baby Rays Peach and Yellow Sponge Cake Trifle The only pairing for this menu - Miller High Life and lots of it
Great post Nicki. Very cool.