On a local radio show just before Thanksgiving, people were invited to call in and share their traditional favorite or not so favored dishes, like the one Aunt Trudy brings that everyone takes a serving of, but then leaves on their plate to be scraped into the garbage disposal later because no one wants to hurt her feelings by not at least pretending to like it by ostentatiously taking a large serving, preferably while she's watching.
Several people called and talked about various jello desserts with strange things floating in them. I once knew a family whose great grandma made an interesting concoction with lime jello, coconut, dill pickles and celery.
No. I never tasted it.
Yes, I took some on my plate and dumped it in the trash after dinner.
Anyway, back to the radio show. Many people had memories of fruit salad, and after the eighth or ninth person called with their story, it was dubbed White Trash Fruit Salad.
We're not talking just fruit here. I think most of you are familiar with the 'drain a can of fruit cocktail and add a bit of this and that' salad. I add cut apples in green and red, sliced bananas, sliced maraschino cherries, celery and I never forget the mini marshmallows. The problem with the marshmallows is that after sitting in the salad for a few hours, they dissolve, so I don't add them until just before serving. If there is salad left to eat the next day, I have to add more marshmallows because the original ones have disappeared. Good times. :)
Most people finish by dumping in a container of Cool Whip and mixing, which makes you end up with a sort of frothy and pink foam.
Makes one feel quite festive... Martha Friggin' Stewart, am I right?
Our family recipe makes the dressing a little differently. The stuff we pour over the salad contains Miracle Whip, sugar and milk. Don't knock it. Seriously.
So I made this for Thanksgiving, even though Eric won't eat it. I just felt like I wanted some. Haven't had it in years. Turns out Matt likes it quite a bit, and is as fond of maraschino cherries as I am.
I had about half a bag of marshmallows left. Rather than add them to the collection of dead and dying marshmallows taking up cupboard space above the dish drainer, I thought I'd try saving them in a Food Saver canister.
That was sort of fun. As the air was sucked out of the canister, the marshmallows puffed up a bit. When I let air back in by pushing the little button, the marshmallows shriveled up like little raisins. They ended up about half their usual size, too.
When I made White Trash Fruit Salad for Christmas dinner, I did not have a bag of fresh marshmallows. All I had were the shrunken ones in the food saver canister on the back of the counter. I shrugged and dumped them in.
Well, they didn't grow, but in some strange and wonderful miracle, they did not dissolve overnight, either. In fact, about three hours ago, I had a serving of fruit salad and the marshmallows are still tasty.
Ah. Tradition.
Aren't you glad you read here today?
What weird or interesting things do you traditionally serve for holiday meals?
My mother in law puts celery in her jello salad too. Until reading your post, I was pretty sure this was just more evidence that she was insane. Guess some people actually like it, huh? Seems weird to me. I mean, it's a vegetable - what on earth is it doing in fruit salad?
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is cool whip with tart green apples, those teeny marshmallows, and bits of toffee. This was my version of an apple/walnut fruit salad thingy an aunt used to make (only I don't like walnuts). Yum!
I don't like jello so never eat it, even with space container marshmallows. It always looks festive though.
ReplyDeleteMy mom makes one with mandarin oranges and coolwhip. the grandkids all love mandarin oranges.
My hubby's aunt makes a "salad" with canned crushed pineapple, pistachio pudding mix, cool whip and marshmallows. You can garnish with walnuts, if you want. It turns into this lumpy, fluffy green goop. I had to ask for the recipe because it is not Christmas or Thankgsgiving without this on the table.
ReplyDeleteThe church supper is not complete without this strange baked turnip and apple casserolle with streusel on top and tomato aspic with the turkey. I can't wrap my head around aspic--cold tomato jello with chunks???
Homemade cranberry sauce, which isn't weird or difficult. My mom always used to make either carrot and raisin salad (shredded carrots, some kind of dressing, and raisins) or peas and Velveeta cheese cubes with mayonnaise (I think). Both weird, but I like them.
ReplyDeleteMy momma's fruit salad is...
ReplyDelete2 cans peach pie filling
2 cartons frozen strawberry (drained)
2 cans maderine oranges (drained)
2 cans Pinapple (Drained)
4-6 bananas sliced.
Add all you ingredients except the bananas.(Chill) Before You add bananas, add a little lemon juice to the bananas to keep the from turning.
This will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge. But it never last that long at momma's.
I can't remember the last time I had a Fruit Salad in a Jello anything. Oh...I've seen them...but have avoided them.
ReplyDeleteI can't think of anything that is a bad food tradition. I guess the only thing that pops up is this bottle of red wine that my dad keeps pulling out every year at Christmas. I'm sure it has been at every family dinner for at least 2 or 3 years. It isn't that bad as it is from Kelowna Winery in BC. But it is a 2 litre bottle with a screw cap and now there is a coating on the inside of the bottle. Were at the point that if we all have just one more glass of wine, it will be gone soon. Plus, he just bought another one to replace the old one...only it is in a plastic bottle. One day, it too shall pass....
I love your post. I have had such fruit salads, but like them more as a dessert. I have had wheat salad also and love that. You take a cup of wheat berries in 2 cups water and cook until the water disappears (almost an hour). When cool, you make a mix of 8 oz cream cheese block softened, one regular package instant vanilla pudding (dry) 2 cups drained crushed or tidbits pineapple and a container of cool whip and mix in the wheat berries. To me, it is still a dessert, but others eat it with the main course with all the jelly salads. My mom used to make a salad with cooked white rice, fruit cocktail and cool whip. That was good too, more like a dessert (did I already say that?).
ReplyDelete