Tuesday, March 1, 2011

:::SUBURBAN CHIC ::: SHITTY CHIC (C):::

Ok so as we have established I was a child of the 70's. So many images and icons are burnt into my consciousness. My penchant for the bad taste of the era comes in a close second to the love I have for mid century design - but its an entirely new sub category with a name I have coined myself...'Shitty Chic'. Items so ultimately vulgar and repulsive they are magnificent in all their glory. We are talking hash, trash, so bad its good.


To understand this new love affair lets just say it was always going to be fashion or art for me but I did seriously consider becoming an Industrial Designer - I am still not over perspex yet. Most fashion fads and fashions follow through to decor then food, the 90's Spanish thing, 80's Tex Mex...well things that occurred in the 70's food and kitchen wise are kind of inexplicable and there was a serious lag with some 50's cuisine being dragged along and 'updated' along the way.
Lately I have been indulging in this specific fetish and it has me so on! No place is sacred especially the kitchen. I have been collecting bad taste or 'Shitty Chic' tablecloths and ugly plastic plates and all - they are hideously lovely. May post pic's of Shitty Chic BBQ I am planning to torture my friends with at a later date, I am still busy collecting. Meanwhile here are some ideas for the menu of the Shitty Chic Book of Cuisine.

 Fancy a Terrine or some slab of Pate?

Cookbooks contained savory jelly's using Brine. Faux french food a plenty! Beef Burgundy, Steak Diane, Chocolate Mousse and a drum roll for the suburban fav' of the day....Apricot chicken - what delight a sachet of French Onion Soup & a can of Apricot nectar poured over chicken pieces in the oven could create - I must confess it was a childhood favorite.


Anyone else remember Aussie Chinese food? Kai se mein? Cool = Cabbage, another packet of another kind of soup Chicken Noodle and Mince and Viola you could feed 30 people for like $3.00....a lot of nosh for not a lot of dosh! Get me my poncho...

There were salad plates a plenty - very spesh.
Gherkins Pickles and Condiments had a special place.


T- Bones were the 'it' meat cut of the day.


Cabana was the exotic meat always paired with Coon aged cheese, the plastic film like flack jacket to cut through. You used your electric can opener to open the Beetroot and Electric Knife to carve any meat. We did a lot of meat in those days, there was no issue with fat that was the best part mmmm.....'nice and fatty'.


Check the 'Dolly' hair cut on this Mum.
The clothes and the decor was vulgar it was such an assault visually...in its own ' you need new pupils' it was bad taste heaven.


Lets toast with a Shandie to bad taste heaven...or would rather some Fruit Punch? We had this exact same bowl and cups! I wonder if I can find one?

1 comment:

Matt Mitchell said...

I love it! So many memories, particularly the electric can opener. My mum and dad had one and I recall it barely being used. Brilliant! x