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August 8, 2012

It's so warm, even the vintage fruit salad needs to be frozen!

It's a busy day, it's scorching hot out, and you - and/or your entire household - is suddenly in the mood for dessert tonight, but there's nary a popsicle, cookie crumb, or slice of cake to be had in the whole house, and the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven and risk the kitchen getting so warm the paint starts peeling off the walls (or at least the feeling that it could).

I've been there, believe, me I've been there. Canada certainly deserves its wintery rap, but we're no stranger to mind blowingly hot summertime temperatures either (don't let this year's rain here in B.C. fool you, I've been through my fair share of astronomically hot Canadian summers before), which means that over the years I've come to know just what to do in this kind of situation (especially when the ice cream man is no where in sight).

Frozen desserts and no-bake cheesecakes, my dears. Little, scrumptious summertime dessert godsends, I tell you, which can be jazzed up or striped down to your heart's content, and which spare you from having to even give the stove a passing glance (this point being of prime importance to those, like moi, who are not blessed with central air).

As August is the generally the sort of time when you're in the mood to entertain, serve up sweet treats after midweek meals for the kids, and perhaps bring something delightfully yummy with you to a neighbourhood barbeque, in celebration of the start of the the eight month of the year, today's post features a Frozen Fruit Salad from 1963 fits all of those bills wonderfully.

1963 vintage recipe for Frozen Fruit Salad

{Chocked full of fabulous vintage ingredients like maraschino cherries - a personal fave - and pineapple tidbits, this sweet, refreshing vintage Frozen Fruit Salad is as much fun to look at as it is to eat. Image via jackie121467 on Flickr.}


If the idea of adding mayonnaise to something you're likely going to eat for dessert (though, of course, you could always serve this fruit studded dish right alongside your lunch or dinner) doesn't exactly set you salivating, you can always leave it out and just up the whipped cream content by another 1/2 cup or so. Likewise, if this particular pairing of produce isn't your favourite, play around, swapping in or out, whatever you fancy. I could see fresh cherries and ripe summer peaches, partnered with almonds being an especially nice take on frozen fruit salad.

Though this dish is very much akin to ice cream in and of itself, if you wanted to you, you could always serve it with a little dollop of your favourite sorbet, sherbet, ice cream, or vegetarian ice cream (rice, soy, almond, coconut, etc) on top or to the side. Depending on what you add to your frozen salad, a little drizzle of chocolate sauce, caramel, or fruit coulis could be an especially nice touch, too.

August, though sometimes brutally warm, is a gorgeous, dreamy time of the year and one that deserves to be celebrating in ways both big and small, so why not do as I'll be doing this month and whip up a batch or two of delicious frozen fruit salad before autumn returns?

16 comments:

  1. That looks good but I'd feel weird putting mayo in my dessert. Sour cream I'd be okay with. It's got less calories too. I love dessert but sometimes the hubby eats a bit too much of it and later feels guilty.So I try to keep it out of the house unless it's a special occasion.

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    1. Much as I love to whip them up, I don't keep desserts on hand all the time either. Like they say, if you don't have it around, you can't eat it! :)

      ♥ Jessica

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  2. looks so Yummy! Very kitch dessert (which i mean in the best possible sense of the word :p)... but mayo in a dessert sounds very strange :). I wish we needed to cool down over here in england, its utterly miserable! I might make this just to bring some sunshine to my kitchen.

    Great Post

    India
    x

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    1. Thank you, India dear. I know just what you mean and how you intended it. I adore kitschy recipes and never shy away from a kooky, yummy looking vintage dish :)

      ♥ Jessica

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  3. Okay, I have to know more about this no bake cheesecake!! My family and I adore cheesecake, one of my fave deserts.

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    1. Hi sweet Sean, no-bake cheesecake is a definite must when the mercury rises. There are scads of recipes out there, many of which are akin to this classic from Kraft, http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/philadelphia-no-bake-cheesecake-118489.aspx, and nearly all of which are (I find) a total breeze to toss together.

      ♥ Jessica

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    2. Wooohooo!!! This looks positively delicious!! Must try it. Thanks so much, dear!

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  4. What a great idea! Frozen salad, it's hot here too, so I take your idea with great pleasure ... Thank you, Jessica!

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  5. The mayonnaise does sound odd, but often these strange sounding things turn out to be incredibly delicious.

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    1. I second that completely, Tracey. I've always been a fan of unique food combos and have a few that I eat all the time (such as a simple snack/salad of apple slices drizzled with golden Italian dressing).

      ♥ Jessica

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  6. I could definitely go for this dessert especially during our scorchingly hot Summer days in South Australia. I have kept this recipe and I plan to try it.

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    1. Hope it turns out terrifically for you, dear lady!

      ♥ Jessica

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  7. I just got the hint that I'm not making any desserts right now. In my defense, I've been canning and baking quick breads for the freezer all summer.

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  8. Thank you very much for your lovely comments, everyone. Hope your frozen Jell-o salads all turn out scrumptiously!

    ♥ Jessica

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  9. My grandmother STILL makes this! It's much yummier than it looks (or sounds).

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  10. this is a dessert I've never seen before! Great idea, but you're right mayonnaise with fruits? hm, have to think about it. Thanks for your lovely comments, I'm always happy reading them :)

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