Tornado Alley (PROG)

[janice shell]

Nooo, the times they're talking about were earlier. The whole business of "domestic science" and "home economics" became popular in the 1920s and 1930s. At the same time, kitchens became smaller and more "efficient". On the plus side, "modern"--as in not woodburning--stoves and electric refrigerators--rather than iceboxes--became popular and affordable.

Jello became all the rage--because refrigeration--and other appalling culinary innovations took hold. My mother went to college between 1932 and 1936. She had to take a Home Economics course, and a cookbook came with it. Unfortunately, she used it for the rest of her life. Recipes were very basic, and not very tasty, but then she wasn't interested in food, really. There was, however, an emphasis on a "touch of color" and other timid touches that made dishes look appealing. Hence the pimentos, with their appealing color and "mild taste." Herbs and spices were not really encouraged.

One recipe my mother often used was for "Irish Stew". If she added a quarter teaspoon of paprika, it became "Hungarian Goulash".

So you can see how prepared stuff like bad pimento cheese could have come about.