MY, HOW FADS DO CHANGE!

Some of us remember the days when one did not put a wine bottle with label on the dining table.  Instead, the wine was poured into an artistically designed decanter, often made of hand blown crystal,   I'm not sure when it changed but I assume it was when wine became more popular than hard liquor and became  chic.for connoisseurs

Cocktail parties are not what they used to be either.  Luscious and innovative appetizers replaced a meal as they were plentiful and filling and could be eaten standing up, holding only a tiny plate and a wine glass. They contained all the ingredients necessary to the daily diet in tidy little bites. Few people throw large 'cocktail parties' these days.  When they do, driver's don't drink.or announce themselves as 'the designated driver' and thus avoid the constant offers of alcoholic beverages.  AA people just avoid alcohol keeping the AA motto in mind:  "Let Go And Let God"

Julia Childs

Another change happened when our eating habits became healthier.  We all remember our beloved Julia Childs who cooked up French meals with butter, heavy cream, wine, and a gazillion additional, tasty calories in each bite.  There seem to be fewer home dinner parties.   It is far easier to coordinate a group to meet at a restaurant, each couple taking care of their own meal. Everyone gets to choose their own meal and a hostess is rescued from having to guess each person's taste, allergies, and idiosyncrasies while their children crowd around having to be told to get to bed throughout the evening. Perhaps, by now, you are saying as I am, "Gee, I haven't missed any of that."  

You might be lauded if you had the foresight to sell any of these fad tools at a yard sale while someone had yet to give up the fad and couldn't pass up your bargain (which probably sits in their basement, unused for the last forty years.  The last fad I will mention is that of the 'fondue'.  We made cheese fondue and let people grab a  fondue fork and drip melted cheese all over the place.  They also used a fork to dip strawberries in melted chocolate.  ( Actually, I think large versions of these can still be seen at weddings and similar functions at a dessert table but rarely at someone's home.). Worse, yet, were the fondue pots that held boiling oil in which people dipped thin sliced varieties of meat to be cooked at the table accompanied by sauces to dip in after the do-it-yourself cooking..


This hopefully proves there are some things which fade out for good reason and no one complains about wanting them back with the 'good old days'.