Football in the 40s and Vintage Finger Food

Even though the "Big Game" did not debut until 1961, that doesn't mean Football wasn't a big deal in the 40s. The NFL existed in the 40s, and they even have the pictures to prove it. (For the record, Da Bears were the ones to beat - Go Bears!)  The NFL Championship game was pretty much the precursor to the Super Bowl. In 1940 The Bears scored what remains to be the most number of points earned by a single team in league history. (Go Bears!)

The 1940s also brought a new league onto the scene, the AFL III. The Bengals and the Chiefs were borne from this league. Their foray into the competition was short-lived though (1940 - 1941), and they are credited with the dissolution of the American Professional Football Association. (That would be according to Wikipedia, and since I don't know what I am talking about, we'll just roll with it.)

I do know this about football; the helmets in the 40s did not look like they could provide much protection.

Don't worry about that big guy running at you. This'll keep ya safe.

                                                      

Now, for those of us that don't know much about the game. Here is an instructional video from the 40s. We can learn all about how football is just like chess, except with head injuries.

Of course, all this sports chat is because this week's recipe was made for a Superb Owl party. Now, I'm not a sports person, per se, so the "party" in question actually took place at my office during my lunch break. But whatever, a party's a party and I always welcome the chance to lure new people into my vintage food experiment.

I've made the only real transportable finger food the book has to offer, canapés. Nothing is more fun than a snack food with a pretentious sounding name.

There are a variety of canapé toppings suggested in the book. There are a few listed in the standard part of the book and quite a few more in the wartime rationing sectioning. Frankly, I thought they all sounded pretty gross. I found what I took to be the two least detestable versions in the rationing section.

We start with toast points.

Toast is my specialty.

The first topping was a mixture of 1 cup grated cheese, any kind (I used finely shredded jack because of a grater mishap that I don't like to talk about), 4 Tbsp chopped sweet pickle (I used sweet pickle relish. That was not a good idea), and enough mayonnaise to bind the mixture. This looked and smelled about as appealing as it sounds.

The second was a mixture of 1 cup liverwurst, 2 Tbsp mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

The resultant "spreads" struck me as a bit stomach turning.

So this was a food, that people would eat... on purpose. Interesting.

I was sincerely hoping that these would be a lot more presentable on toast since I was committed to feeding this delicacy to my colleagues. I felt like I had a reputation around the office for not being a horrible person. This dish was sure to blow my cover.

Sadly, my hopes were dashed...

"Is that dog food?" - Confused Coworker

I really, really tried to bring myself to try one. It seems wrong to blog about food without actually eating it. But I couldn't do it. Piping this mess onto toast was triggering my gag-reflex, there was no hope of me actually ingesting it. However, my brave contemporaries did try them. Word on the street is the cheese mixture was good. I don't buy it. The relish was a mistake, it was my mistake and I totally own it. I seriously thought that relish was just grated pickle. It is not. Not even close. A few people had the liver paté. All of them seemed to really like it, and most of the liver was gone by the end of the party.

I will definitely not be making this again. Toast points are made for caviar (something else I won't eat) or BLT dip only. Oh well. Live and learn. Now let's enjoy some kicky ball.