1980s Media

Published in 1986, the cooking television special, “Holiday Entertaining with Martha Stewart,” offers unique and exciting recipes and decorative inspiration. To entertain and inform her viewers, Martha Stewart includes recipes for main dishes, sides, and desserts all of which are interesting and extraordinary, like her pie-crusted turkey and Italian plum chutney. She also suggests certain ways to spruce up your Thanksgiving dining table spread and decorations like which dishware pairs together nicely and what types of garden flowers compliment the aesthetics. With warm fall tones to set the mood of the film, it is inviting and cozy. This time in history is intriguing in media as family households welcomed cable television into their homes. The popularity allowed viewers to access new media sources, like cooking shows. Stewart's memorable special symbolizes culinary expression, entertainment, and character and helps viewers understand what recipes and aesthetics individuals were eager to try at this time. In comparison to modern-day film, Martha’s show is lower in quality: a bit fuzzy, but casual and informational.

The “Silver Palate Cookbook” published in 1982 by Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso is your classic cookbook of rich and delectable dishes for all occasions and viewers. Recipes like cajun chicken morsels, ducks and dandelion green salad, presto fondue, and Tex-Mex stuffed peppers are included in their collection of Spanish, Mediterranean, and Asian-inspired dishes. The plethora of recipes is accompanied by menu and serving suggestions, quotes, food guides, and illustrations. The cover of the cookbook includes natural and vibrant tones of red, blue, and green in what appears to be a cuisine-style storefront. The cookbook draws you in with the detailed cover art and titles. At this time in history, society took on new ways of incorporating exciting foods into their daily lives, like exploring new ways to freshen up their diet. This cookbook symbolizes a comprehensive all-encompassing form of recipe sharing that can be compared to modern-day cookbooks in its old-time aesthetics. It reveals what types of recipes were in demand at the time of publication.