Ambrosia salad was one of those attempts at healthier eating in the 80s that was delicious and questionable. It’s roots are claimed by southern states but I was chatting with two people from South Africa yesterday and they were saying that their mothers made it for their families all the time as well. It was a world wide phenomenon. The word “ambrosia” comes to us through Greek mythology and was a food for the gods that bestowed strength, power and immortality. Now I am not going to claim this recipe will do that for you but for many people it was/is a tasty treat that can be found in cookbooks printed as far back as the late 1800’s. One version of this or another has been around for about 150 years. The completion of the trans-continental railway opened the way for the ingredients to be easily available making the 1980’s the last time its popularity soared.
Like many family recipes there are many versions of this creamy fruit salad. Pecans, cranberries, diced apples are seen in several variations but we have kept to the classic version here. This is a make ahead dish as it really helps to let it sit for a day so that the flavours can combine.
You will need:
20 oz. tin of crushed pineapple
2 – 15 oz. tins of mandarin segments
8 oz. sour cream
10.5 oz. mini marshmallows, multi coloured or white
¾ cup coconut
3 cups whipping cream
¼ cup pineapple juice
Open and drain the canned fruit, holding back ¼ – 1/3 cup of the pineapple juice. Whip cream and add in the sour cream. The sour cream does two things. It acts as a stabilizer for the whipping cream and gives the “salad” the tangy aspect of it’s sweet and sour taste. Continue to beat until well combined. Add in 3 Tbsp. pineapple juice. Taste and add in a little more if needed. Too much and this dish will get sloppy. Hold back a little of the fruit for decorating then fold in fruit, marshmallows and coconut into the whipped cream. Coconut can be toasted if you prefer. Place in bowl, garnish, cover and store in fridge. Remove an hour before serving and let the dish return to room temperature.
Other popular treats in the 80’s included:
Snickerdoodles, a soft and chewy cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar
Plum Tart, found here ->https://mykitchenwand.com/italian-prun-plum-cake-with-streusel-topping/
Chocolate Zucchini Cake found here -> https://mykitchenwand.com/chocolate-zucchini-loaf/
Frozen Yoghurt, found here -> https://mykitchenwand.com/rhubarb-crisp-frozen-yoghurt/
Mud Pie, a chocolate graham crust, chocolate fudge pudding,whipped cream
Enjoy exploring down memory lane!
Ambrosia Salad from My Kitchen Wand
