Watergate Salad Pineapple Pistachio Dessert (2024)

FAQs

Why is pistachio salad called Watergate salad? ›

Syndicated household advice columnists Anne Adams and Nan Nash-Cummings, in their "Anne & Nan" column of October 9, 1997, reported that name came from the similar "Watergate Cake" (which shares most of the same ingredients): "The recipes came out during the Watergate scandal.

Ambrosia Salad Tastes Like Coconut, Watergate Salad Tastes Like Pistachio. One of the first things that sets ambrosia and Watergate salads apart is the flavor profile of each dish. Watergate salad uses a pistachio instant pudding packet and often calls for additional garnishings of pistachio on top.

Whipped topping, pistachio-flavored instant pudding mix, canned pineapple, mini marshmallows, and chopped nuts come together to create this light and fluffy American classic that's beloved by home cooks everywhere, not just in the South, but the Midwest as well.

According to WAMU reporter Gabe Bullard, the name may be satirical wordplay: an early recipe published by the Hagerstown Daily Mail of Maryland in September 1974 (a month after the resignation of Richard Nixon) credits Christine Hatcher, who gave the cake its name "because of all the nuts that are in it." Author Joseph ...

The term "Watergate" has since become synonymous with various clandestine and illicit activities conducted by Nixon's aides, including the bugging of political opponents' offices, unauthorized investigations, and the misuse of government agencies for political purposes.

In almost every case, it's not you, it's your baking powder. Baking powder with aluminum in it reacts to acidic ingredients, causing this discoloration and what many people find to be a “tinny” or metallic taste.

Waldorf salad is named for the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City, where it was first created for a charity ball given in honor of the St. Mary's Hospital for Children on March 13, 1896.

Ambrosia was so named for the food of the Greek and Roman gods. Its region of origin is lost to history. Its ties to the South are strong, though some believe it began in Vermont or elsewhere in New England.

The Watergate Cake from Gatsby (1201 Half St SE). Coconut cake and vanilla diplomat cream, covered in pistachio icing, and topped with candied pecans and toasted coconut.

Some time after President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, both dishes were renamed Watergate salad and Watergate cake. With a “cover-up” of green icing or pudding hiding a bunch of nuts, each treat offered a bright, sweet counterpoint to one of the most shocking periods of modern political history.

Why is it called Elvis Presley Pound cake? ›

The recipe comes from an old lady who was a dear friend of Elvis. She made this cake for him every Christmas and on special occasions. She made the paper promise to keep her name anonymous for fear that people would deluge her Tupelo Mississippi home with requests by fans to make her cakes for them."

Crab Louie salad, often dubbed the "king of salads," is a West Coast classic that began popping up at various area restaurants in the early 1900s. It isn't entirely clear, however, just who made the first Crab Louie or who the salad is named for.

The Waldorf salad, originally a simple apple-celery-mayo combo, was introduced on March 14, 1893, at a charity ball honoring St. Mary's Hospital for Children. Its debut coincided with that of the Waldorf hotel, which opened the previous day. The charity ball was the very first event held at the hotel.

Pistachios were imported from the Middle East, and they always had the distinctive bright red coloring to disguise any discolorations that occurred during shipping. But pistachio imports slowed due to relations with Iran in the early 1980s, and in response, there was a growth in American pistachio producers.

The natural crack provides an opening for salt to enter the shell. This eliminates the shelling process that other nuts have to undergo prior to roasting. There is another theory regarding the reason these nuts are sold in their shell. Some say they are sold in the shell to slow down the eating process.