Watergate Salad 🍍

     
Growing up, to me, summer time meant long hot days, playing outside, swimming in our in-ground pool and pool parties and potlucks.  Of course my favorite menu items were  Coney Islands and two green desserts, Creamy Lime Pineapple Jello Salad from Last Monday’s first in a two part series on “Green Summer Desserts,” and Watergate Salad...NO, they did not serve this salad (AND IT REALLY IS NOT A SALAD  BECAUSE IT CONTAINS NO LETTUCE OR VEGETABLES) at the infamous Watergate Hotel and pistachios were not a favorite food of President Nixon.  A food editor in Chicago decided to boost interest in a recipe he was writing up, “Pineapple Pistachio Delight,” made with Royal Instant Pistachio Pudding, he  would capitalize on the current political headline at the time, in the mid seventies, “The Watergate Break In Scandal,” by renaming his “Jello Salad,” Watergate Salad.

     I actually have a Watergate Story.  At age 7 our Family traveled to a Washington DC for Easter.  We went to see the city and go to the Annual Monday after Easter event at the White House called the White House Easter Egg Roll.  We waited in line and President and Mrs. Nixon came out onto the lawn.  We were actually interviewed by the Washington Evening Star news paper.  They asked my brother how old he thought the President was and he told the reported that President Nixon was ten years old...That’s what you get when you interview a four year old...That afternoon, we went back to our Howard Johnson Hotel for a late lunch.  The restaurant had a long line for lunch so my Dad asked the hostess, where we get lunch close by because we were hungry.  She pointed to the hotel across the street saying that they served lunch.  We went across the street to a very lovely and modern hotel, which was NOT famous at the time, The Watergate Hotel.  We were seated and my parents opened the menu. I too opened the menu to see at $12 salad and the prices went up from there, mind you this was 1970, so a $12 was quite expensive.  My Dad said, “Don’t touch anything.”  When the waitress came back to take our order, my Dad explained to her that they were looking for a place more appropriate for children, so we left and went back to the “HOJO,” where the line had gone down and I was able to have my “Spaghetti Freddy,” my FAV item on their menu and my hot fudge sundae with mint chocolate chip ice cream, for dessert which we only had on special occasions. going to the White House was most definitely a special occasion.

     Anyway, here’s the Watergate Salad recipe.  Enjoy it and many of my other Favorites here on my website or in my book, “ It’s a Great Day To...Gather Around a Table,” (available on my website), Barnes and Noble (online or in store) or on Amazon.com.

-1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple-do not drain

-1 (3.4 ounce package) Jello Pistachio Flavored Instant Pudding

-1 cup miniature marshmallows

-1 1/2 cups Cool Whip whipped topping

-1/2 cup chopped pecans

-additional 1/4 cup chopped pecans for garnish

Combine all ingredients except the 1/4 cup pecans for garnish. Sprinkle those on top after blending above ingredients.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.  It’s a Great Day ☀️