Tastes change, of course. Consequently, so do recipes.
Often, what was once all the rage fades as the years go by, whether because of shifting styles or changing nutritional imperatives.
On the plus side, that means dishes that were en vogue when St. Tammany Health System was founded in 1954 – think molded Jell-O salads, Vienna sausage casserole and other such midcentury monstrosities – have since been relegated to history.
But, alas, it also means recipes like the old recipe for St. Tammany Parish Hospital’s bread pudding – far more delicious than it is healthful – have also been shelved.
Until now.
Installment No. 60: Food for thought
Today’s artifact: A tattered and stained recipe card for bread pudding, part of a collection of retired STHS recipes collected in an old card file preserved for posterity by St. Tammany Health System’s Food and Nutrition Services team.
Why it is significant: Flipping through this collection of old recipes – each typed out neatly on an index card – is like flipping through a box of historic postcards.
They feel out of date, but they are nonetheless fascinating, as a window into the past.
And then, every once in a while, you run across one that holds up – one that is still an undeniable gem, even with the passage of time.
Like the vintage recipe below for St. Tammany Health System’s bread pudding.
Is it healthful? Well, no. It is bread pudding. But food is love in South Louisiana, and few things say love like well-made bread pudding does.
In addition, few recipes illustrate the STHS Food and Nutrition team’s kitchen wizardry – and their love for making people happy – like this local favorite.
Besides, all things in moderation, right?
Granted, “moderation” isn’t a word often used to describe a recipe that contains instructions for cooking both a 50-serving batch or a 150-serving batch. Which means if you want to re-create it, you’ll have to either do some math to reduce the recipe’s quantity.
Or – and this is our recommendation – you could just invite over a few dozen of your closest friends.
Do you have a St. Tammany Parish Hospital story or item to share? We’d love to hear about it! Email us at CommDept@stph.org.
Next week – Installment No. 61: Under the sea
Last week – Installment No. 59: A man with a plan