Food for Body, Mind & Spirit

Retro Recipes Book and Bobby Hicks Interview

Tom & Gloria

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Social media star and chef Bobby Hicks of TikTok’s Retro Recipes Kitchen has written a heartfelt love letter to America’s culinary past. His debut cookbook, Retro Recipes: Vintage Dishes with a Modern Twist, reimagines classic dishes while exploring the evolution of taste. Bobby digs into a century’s worth of recipes that once graced dinner tables across the country, blending humor, heart, and history.

Visit the Gloria Goodtaste website to view the full stories and available recipes highlighted in this podcast with pictures and additional info to further enjoy this episode.  Go to: https://www.gloriagoodtaste.com

SPEAKER_01

Hello everyone, and welcome to Food for Body, Mind, and Spirit. I'm your host, Gloria Goodate.

SPEAKER_00

And I'm Tech Town, the man of interesting tidbits and unknown facts, and co-host of this program. Great to be with you today.

SPEAKER_01

Today we're taking a magical trip back in time with our flashback recipe favorites. Close your eyes, everyone, for a moment. And imagine stepping into kitchens of the past. Reflect a special memories as we glance back at the events, moods, and flavors of each decade from the 1930s to today. Recipes tell a story. They bring back the past while leaving their wonderful flavors for us to relish again. These dishes draw inspiration from kittens long ago, from pamphlets, company leaflets, magazines, newspapers, cookbooks, and even contests. They show us how world advanced challenges and hopes and dreams were passed from one generation to the next. Join us on this wonderful journey through time.

SPEAKER_00

Oh yeah. Helping us travel through those decades as the talented social media star and chef Bobby Hicks of TikTok Retro Recipes Fitches. With the stylist, 1950s inspired videos, and a huge following, Bobby has become the go-to expert for providing vintage American dishes. It's a love letter to America's color. It's back with updated classics, wonderful photography, a fascinating historical context, and a great story behind each recipe. Bobby text you love and sometimes forgot.

SPEAKER_01

We're thrilled to share our chat with Bobby. In this interview, he opens up about his journey, his passion for finished recipes, and what inspired this beautiful book. So let's listen in to our conversation with Bobby Hicks. It's so nice to be talking to you today. And I hope I hope you're having fun out there.

SPEAKER_02

Uh yeah, I'm I'm having a great day. Uh it's a little rainy over here in Florida, but this conversation is about to pick it up in most of my day.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. All right. Well, let's start by some questions about when you were, let's say, younger and just developing all these skills. How did you ever develop your skills for video production?

SPEAKER_02

Well, uh one I just want to say thank you for having me on. And and you know, going into that, it's it's one of those things where I uh everything I've done in my life, I've kind of learned a lot later than most. Usually just out of you know a little ADHD hyperfixation and and just a little bit of luck. Um, you know, I I got into video production um, I don't know, maybe about 14 years ago or so when I was kind of getting out of working in in food and beverage and hospitality, and it just was originally just kind of more of a curiosity and a hobby. And I really fell in love with the idea of video editing. And so I was way ahead of the curve, you know, where a lot of people were, you know, still focusing on photography and things like that when it came to content creation, working with companies. I kind of saw the writing on the wall that video might actually be a pretty important thing, and I just also enjoyed it more. And so I spent a lot of time just teaching myself how to do video editing tricks and tips and just being faster and more efficient. And it was just one of the things where I learned how to do it well enough that I was able to actually get hired by my peers.

SPEAKER_01

Wow.

SPEAKER_02

I was making their videos before, you know, like the video thing was really popular, and now it's kind of this requisite of being a content creator. And so I feel like I'm very fortunate because that skill set has kind of allowed me to set myself apart from other people that might have a similar sh, you know, like micro-niche or genre or something like that. But at the same time, like, you know, I feel like my visual style is good enough that it can tailor to a younger audience, but then at the same time also be something that's a little interesting for an older demographic, which is most of my audience.

SPEAKER_01

Uh-huh. Well, you know, as a younger person living in New York, did you ever participate in any of the vintage events or make any vintage recipes or things like that earlier when you were living there?

SPEAKER_02

No, when when um my my partner Kate when I were living in in Brooklyn, we were there for about 15 years, and for about, I'd say, twelve of those years, every summer we'd do the Jazz Age lawn party on the Dovers Island or just any kind of fun, like retro-inspired events.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, they're great.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah, they're super fun. And and those were like a little more specific as well, because it's kind of a Jazz Age period. But, you know, we always really loved the idea of, you know, like going secondhand shopping and finding vintage clothing. And and so I mean, vintage has always been, or at least like, you know, the the mid-century and earlier kind of connection, and that thread has always been there for me to pull on.

SPEAKER_01

Well, now we understand that you also became a semifinalist on the next level shift. What was it like bringing vintage cooking to the national stage at that point?

SPEAKER_02

It was just kind of a surreal experience because, you know, I definitely did not ever expect to actually be on that radar. You know, and so when I got an email, I actually got several emails from Master Chef, Next Level Chef, and Crime Scene Kitchen at the same time. And I decided to go with Next Level Chef just arbitrarily, that uh it was a really, really fun and exciting thing to be able to go on and you know show I guess this interest of mid-century cooking because a lot of people, when I met them, and and even today when I meet people, they they kind of laugh at it. They just assume that I don't understand how to cook because you know I my focus and Forte is based around uh a really laughable, you know, like genre of cooking in in American history. But it's one of those things where I think the books that I have collected and read through, it you know, people don't understand it. Like these books have so much information, and so we fixate on kind of silly things like aspects and you know gelatin ring molds or things like this, but at the end of the day, it's like I learned more from reading old books than I think I ever learned working in kitchens in New York City.

SPEAKER_01

Well, now when you were on actually the uh next level ship, did you learn any lessons from Gordon Ramsay that made it into your book?

SPEAKER_02

Well, I I can't say that I learned anything from Gordon Ramsay, particularly that is in the book. Um, but I definitely learned a lot more about like a sense of self-confidence that I was really struggling with. I've always kind of struggled with a sense of self-deprecation and kind of masking that behind a little bit of humor. But but it's one of the things where you know Shep Ramsey he came up to me multiple times off camera throughout the taping and you know just reassure me, like you just need to know like that was really good and and keep it up. And but I I think that getting in uh kind of critiques and at the same time kind of support and and enthusiasm from you know people that you look up to, any any mentor, let alone the most famous chef in like the world. Like I think the only person more famous than Gordon Ramsay would be, you know, like uh Escoffier. That's the only other name I think would be more well known. Um but yeah, no, I mean, you know, I say I I learned a lot about just um giving myself a little grace and just kind of you know being understanding and open to the idea that like failure is a very important part of growth and progress. Oh, isn't that true? You know, I encourage people to try something and then fail at it. I mean, there there's one recipe in that book, and I'll tell you right now, is the uh the Gilton Rainbow Cake. It's in the toward the end of the book, and it's one of the most delicious desserts in the entire book. It's super beautiful, it's really fun to make, but it is very difficult if you are into rushing foods, or if you if you you know, if you don't actually uh like take your time and read thoroughly, you know, and I think that that recipe is one that like as I was RD and testing it, I it failed on me four out of five times, and then eventually I was able to kind of get the techniques down well enough so that I could articulate it in the book. And so uh like you have to fail in order to kind of be good, um, because otherwise you're not you're not pushing yourself hard enough.

SPEAKER_01

Uh-huh. Well, now your let's talk a little bit about your retro recipe book coming up. It kind of updates uh dozens of vintage recipes kind of with modern techniques for modern kitchens, right? And what type of format does the book actually use? Is it going to be using time periods? Is it gonna be using food categories? Uh how how are you how did you put it together?

SPEAKER_02

Well, yeah, I mean, uh you know, I'm really excited about it because it's about a hundred recipes that range from I think the 1970s or so, and then just earlier. Um, the general original kind of concept I was going to have was to make the book almost chronological, you know, where it'd be based on like the first chapter would be the 1910s and then the next chapter would be the twenties. But I I thought that it when I really started to kind of like look at it, it felt very disjointed and it felt very strange because, you know, arbitrarily, you know, if I wanted to make, let's say, a pineapple upside-down cake, you know, I would have to understand which decade that would have been either invented in or most popular in, and kind of like that was another issue issue that it kind of ran into, where it's just like, you know, let's just simplify this. And so I broke it down into more traditional chapters, where it'd be, you know, maybe like appetizers and breads, and then, you know, uh salads and things, and and you know, meats and and fish, and then just like a simple dessert section with uh another section at the end that was basically more for like tips and tricks or kind of essentials that I feel like everybody should have in their back pocket. And so the book itself, like it should read intuitively. And at the very top of each recipe, you know, I actually have uh just a little marker that identifies like which decade it was either either where it was created. You know, for example, like Del Monaco Pie, you know, is a is something that I really love in the book. It's it's a super underrated sleeper that I think when people make it, they'll love it. And it it doesn't really have a whole lot of history. I found it from a book from 1933, and so in my cookbook, it's under a category just says the top 1930s, whereas, you know, like something else that, you know, let's say like Book Breaking Young has been around for hundreds and hundreds of years. This is like the 1960s or so, because that was when it was revitalized in the American vernacular from Julia Child, you know, when she released Master in the Art of French Cooking. So, you know, like there's there's a little bit of common sense intuition, and it's more just kind of about like giving a broad stroke kind of understanding of like this is here because I feel that this is a really important recipe that came from a particular period of time that I just thought you guys should know.

SPEAKER_01

Mm-hmm. Well, now, thinking about all the recipes that you put uh into the book, is there a standout recipe that has really a surprising historical story connected to it?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I I personally think the uh the the country captain is actually just one of my favorites. You know, it it's a recipe that basically like originated uh around like the colonizing period of time. You know, the the English settlers were coming from England and at the same time kind of bringing their ships that were going to India and stuff for spice trade. So it's like these spice trades were kind of traveling from you know the the the UK and like the Western Europe kind of side of things, and then traveling across the transatlantic slave trade, picking up people from Africa, and then bringing them to the Caribbeans, and then eventually everybody you know landed on the east coast of the country. And what was fascinating about this recipe is that basically it is kind of like America's first hybrid, you know, like fusion dish of sorts. You know, it's this beautiful like chicken curry dish that's inspired with like these madras curry flavors, you know, from like their spice trade. And then it has kind of like these deeply rooted, kind of rich West African flavors, you know, the like the rich stews and things like that. And then also it has influences from you know the Caribbean with like coconut and things like this, kind of all pulled in together. And so it makes this incredibly delicious dish that is really simple to make, but it was also one of the things where it was even so popularized kind of uh in the military, for example, like uh General Patton was actually one of his favorite recipes, but it became so popular, it was just included as like a MRE, you know, for for the military for years and years. Um but it just kind of fell off the radar, and it's something that I really, really wanted to include that particular recipe, and it's something I cook often from my clients, you know, um, because I think it is just so delicious and it has a really interesting cultural significance that uh I was really excited to be able to contribute.

SPEAKER_01

Now, uh how do you ever give the vintage recipes the modern twist? Because I know you said you you're presenting these with the modern twist. What do you mean by that?

SPEAKER_02

Well, every single recipe in the book, you know, is inspired by um recipes that came from before. You know, like everything in here is something that it's not like I made this up. I didn't create the country captain, but what I did do for every single dish in the book was put my own particular, you know, thumbprint on it. I reworked all the dishes, and I kind of improved upon them for our modern palette. So, for example, you know, I don't have a green bean casserole in the book per se, but you know, when you think of green bean casserole during the holidays, everybody thinks the same thing. We'll get the cans of green beans, we'll get the cans of cream and mushroom soup and some of this fried onions, throw it together and bake it, and we're good. So, what my book does is that it tries to take these same comforting elements that we are so familiar and we love. You know, it's the nostalgia that we are coming back to these dishes for. And so it's not up to me to give somebody you know something and be like, this is better than what you had. But it's my responsibility, I personally feel, is kind of like, you know, if you're buying this book, I want to teach you the way that your great great grandmother would have made it instead of the way that you know, like we grew up having it just from the convenience period of like canned goods from like the 50s and 50s that started this trend. But I personally try to make it a point to provide recipes that teach you how to make maybe perhaps the sauce merman or you know, other sauces that would actually pre like you know, I'll teach you how to make buru and then like a marshmallow or a bellethe or you know, something like this to actually make the base for these things instead of having to grab like a can of candle food, because at the end of the day, it's like we're trying to teach you how to cook good food as well as just make good recipes. And there are hundreds and thousands of uh dishes out there that are really quick and convenient. You know, if you want to spend an extra 20 minutes and make it even better and just kind of elevate your skills, I think that's that's supposed to be worth it because these skills are things that are going to elevate not just the dish that I'm teaching you in this book, but it will carry over and allow you to kind of replicate this on your own, you know, with very simple steps uh in perpetuity. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, what elevate it? Yeah, no, some people think that, you know, vintage recipes might be too hard to follow. What would be your best hi tip for somebody who's has that fear to kind of get started, put their toe in the water, so to speak?

SPEAKER_02

I think that you know, a lot of people look at cooking in a way that I can't anymore because I've been doing it long enough. You know, like I I forget about the fear factor that people have when it comes to cooking. There's so many I have so many like incredible home cooks that make my favorite meals when I go to like family events or things like this, you know, and and I'll be the first one to grab their food and eat it, and then I'll ask them, hey, can you make a dish? You know, and they'll say, sure, show me the recipe. I think, no, you don't need a recipe, just go for it and make it, you know, and and you know, so many people would be like, no, no, no, I need to have a recipe. And I think that that's the interesting thing, is that it's it's not that these recipes are difficult, but it's like I think that there is a particular time when people became more reliant on a recipe, and at a certain point it just got daunting if there were more than four ingredients. And I think that was kind of part of the convenience culture of hey, instead of asking you to put aside butter, milk, flour, salt, pepper, and you know, some spices to make a bechel, you know, for just grab, you know, like uh cream of mushroom soup, and then that'll be good. So it's like what I'm hoping is that this book might actually just kind of remove some of those stressors from people because it's very almost every recipe is very easy. Yeah. If you have a few steps ingredients, it you're actually taking the time to cook and then teaching how to develop flavors. And you know, as long as I think somebody goes into any recipe, and it's not just mine, any recipe is just a little bit calm, they collect, they set up their meeting process, which is very important. I still do that myself. Anytime I'm cooking, it's just making sure that everything I need is set up in front of me so that I don't have to worry about, oh, I forgot about this, or I gotta get this, you know, while something is cooking. Those are when the stressors come in. So, you know, if people just take their time and just kind of begin to fall in love with the process, I think that they'll they'll really enjoy the food.

SPEAKER_01

Uh-huh. Well, I understand that memories and connections seem to be attached to recipes very strongly. Is there a particular dish from your own life that seems to connect? A personal one for you.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I mean, I I have quite a few um in the book in particular. I mean, you know, there there are two that come off the top of my head for me where I grew up uh in kind of like you know, a middle class family, uh, you know, that uh my parents couldn't really cook very well, but my mom tried and she always made sure there was food on the table for us. And I grew up on the frozen convenience foods that you know like everybody, you know, all the millennials kind of uh you know, like really grew up and attached to. And so for me, like I think the potatoes and onion pierogi in the book is something that is just incredibly near and dear to my heart, along with chicken keto, just because like these two dishes were things that I would get so excited for if my mom was making these. Um it was never necessarily super great, you know, dishes. It was just what the nostalgia is connected to it. And so those two dishes in particular I'm very, very excited about. And then, you know, at the same time, in the dessert section, I have the buttermilk pie, which is you know, it's also uh a tribute piece to um you know somebody that was following my channel for uh years and years, and you know, talked to my post, and she uh you know reached out to me you know a couple years ago and uh messaged me letting me know that she was coming in hospice and she had maybe a day left to live. And you know, I talked to her for a while and and I asked her if there were any particular dishes that you know she would like me to make a video for, and she said buttermilk pie. So I made that and uh I wanted to make sure I included it in the book because not only is it a really delicious pie that I think fewer people are really aware of, unless you live in the South, you know it's it's not only just a beautiful and delicious pie, but like it really is one of those things where I have that memory connected to, you know, like just that conversation. Like that those those the most real conversation I've had with the follower, and it's like She passed away that night, you know. So it's a it's a really good thing. What a story. I mean, there's been a lot of things in here that those are the ones that stand out to me right now.

SPEAKER_01

Now, if you're thinking back, what would be the absolute best retro cake that you really discovered? The best one that was put up.

SPEAKER_02

Because, you know, like this experiment that I've done with Fresh Recipes Kitchen, you know, it's it's something that I'm still constantly making and developing and testing my dishes and stuff. But if I'm thinking about dishes that are also in the book that I think would be like really delicious that I just like really gravitate towards my person, personally, but I really do think that my pineapple upside down poke cake in the book is actually it's one of the things where it's so effective. It's not a normal traditional pineapple upside down cake. It's kind of a combination of things where I took a typical pineapple upside down cake. I think a really delicious pineapple caramel, you know, using the extra juice from a can, you know, like you know, whatever whatever you're having, nothing is wasted. I think that juice along with the rest of the share that you're actually putting at the bottom of the pan and turning into essentially a caramel. And then when the cake is baked, well, it's still in the pan, upside down, right? Um you poke the bottom of it and then you pour this kind of like caramel sauce in there, and it's still a little ruddy, so it kind of absorbs into the cake itself, and after you let it sit for a little bit and then you turn it over, it just is hacked with so much flavor.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, I'll have one of those, please. Well, uh I this is a really important question. I wanted to make sure that I get it to you. How do you think that people in the future are gonna look at the modern recipes we have today? Okay, when they're gonna call today's recipes retro, what do you think they're gonna think about?

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I I actually have this, I I talk about this almost daily when I think about this, that you know, like the irony isn't lost in me that right now I am currently about to publish a book that, you know, is representing dishes that were made from the previous century. Right, you know? And I just keep keep laughing because I'm you know I've been calling it I'm waiting for the day when in you know fifty years from now or thirty years from now, somebody is going to write a retro recipe book about the TikTok era coming out. Um you're not alone. It's kind of my mind that I'm actually waiting for it. But there's there are two things. There's that, and then I'm waiting for the day because I I I do so much of my research and everything else, and getting my books from secondhand stores, I'm waiting for the day that I'm also gonna find one of my cookbooks in uh like a goodwill.

SPEAKER_01

Well, it's been wonderful to chatting with you today. You're just so much fun, and I know that your book is going to be so successful because you know, everyone loves vintage recipes.

SPEAKER_02

That's a lot of fun. You know, like the book itself is meant to be approachable and enjoyable, and at the same time, the most important thing is just nostalgic. You know, like I started the whole channel, you know, around 2020 with the COVID kind of period of time when it was at its peak. Because it was what we all needed and wanted. I started it because I wanted to have something that was cathartic and giving me a break from all the anxiety and the tension. And then it's really kind of ramped up. And so I feel like this is a perfect book for people to have, you know, whether it's a party gift or a copy book or you know, just something that you actually want to go through and make these dishes because it's a lot of fun. And the rest is in here evoke that sense of nostalgia that when you make these, you feel good, you feel calm and happy, and it's something that you want to share with your friends, family, and neighbors. So I really am so grateful for you having me on, and and you know, thank you for letting me share this.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, well, thank you so much. I'm heading for the kitchen right now. All right, it's not talking to you.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_01

Wow, what an inspiring chat with Bobby Hicks. I loved hearing about his creative journey and deep respect for those classic recipes.

SPEAKER_00

Spot on, you can feel his genuine enthusiasm for preserving and refreshing those mid-century treasures.

SPEAKER_01

Bobby has generously shared several sample recipes from his book for our listeners to try right now. These two are a spectacular gelatin rainbow cake and the delightful pink coconut layer cake. Let's first look at the recipe called gelatin rainbow cake. I love that name by the way. It sounds beautiful. And it's pure 1960s fun. Those jiggly layers of different flavored gelatin are eye-catching and meant for sharing. It does take patience, by the way, and careful timing with multiple bowls. But the wow factor when you slice into it is absolutely worth it. It's great for birthdays or even celebrations.

SPEAKER_00

Making this cake can be challenging. It's very important to follow the directions to a tea, and you may have to practice certain steps to get it right. It sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate our upcoming summer gatherings.

SPEAKER_01

Speaking of gatherings, I know that in the 1960s and 70s, gelatin desserts were extremely popular. So, out there, if you have any of your mother's or grandmother's molds around, you might want to try making your own gelatin desserts for some gatherings. If you do that, I wanted to make sure to tell you that you should use less liquid than is called for on the package because you want to have them thicker, a thicker density or texture that you would have in your jello. And the other thing to take into consideration is how are you gonna get it out of the pan? And believe it or not, your mother and grandmother had those same problems. You can actually do it by doing a dipping method by putting it into hot water for a short amount of time, counting very quickly. Alright, start like maybe one to fifteen, one to thirty, jiggle it a little. A lot will depend on the size of your mold and the jello itself. Put a plate on it, turn it upside down, and then you wait. What do you wait for, Tom?

SPEAKER_00

You pray.

SPEAKER_01

You pray, yes.

SPEAKER_00

That it's gonna come out.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, and you wait for the pop. Right, plop. Okay, so when the blop comes out, you take it off, and there it is. They are beautiful, they're lovely to have for your gatherings. So if you have those things, try them out because I think you'll have a lot of fun making them. Make the smaller ones first, don't try tackling something really big. Get used to working with the gelatin first. Once you do that, tackling something like a birthday cake or one of these bigger cakes, you'll then be able to manage that a little bit better, I think. Cheerful 1950s, 60s energy with its fluffy texture, sweet coconut flavor, and pretty pink color. It's elegant enough for company and comforting at the same time.

SPEAKER_00

Oh yeah, it sounds delicious, and I love coconut.

SPEAKER_01

And did you know that coconut cake is really very, very popular in the south?

SPEAKER_00

Didn't know that.

SPEAKER_01

It did. They love coconut cake in the south.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Alright. Well, we also had the pleasure of taste testing two more of Bobby's recipes in our own kitchen. His super quick homemade light or dark brown sugar, and the warm, comforting apple betty. Well, Tom, tell us what you thought about those.

SPEAKER_00

They were fantastic. Now, if at some time you run out of brown sugar in the middle of baking, we have a recipe where you can make white brown or dark brown sugar in just minutes. That sounds like magic. This homemade brown sugar is convenient and cooking failure is averted. Bobby's homemade version tastes even fresher and better than the stuff bought at the store. I couldn't believe it until I tasted it.

SPEAKER_01

It really was delicious after we made it, and it stayed in a plastic bag. I even held it over for an extra day, a couple of days to see if that would work. There is one problem with this recipe. You need to have a bottle of molasses. Now, that means that you go and buy a bottle of molasses, you put it in your pantry. So if you have to make brown sugar, you have it there.

SPEAKER_00

Just like a fire extinguisher.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, right. If you have that, you're free to go. You're free to go. You can use that brown sugar in any of your recipes, then, and then it will work. So let's also now talk about the Apple Betty, which is a cozy old-fashioned fruit dessert. Unlike apple crisps that uses oats, this one features a buttery breadcrumb topping that gives it the most wonderful homespend texture. It's ideal for using of leftover bread or cookies and works wonderfully with apples, pears, or whatever fruit you happen to have on hand. It's warm from the oven. Serve it with a scoop of ice cream or whipped topping or whipped cream. Absolutely delicious flavor. And you know, apples are so good.

SPEAKER_00

These recipes make you want to head straight to the kitchen to try them out. And anything with baked apples is applecious.

SPEAKER_01

That's good. Good going, Tom. Alright. They really do. These dishes capture the spirit of Bobby's book, transforming simple ingredients into meals and treats that nourish the body, spark joyful memories for the mind, and warm the spirit. And mark your calendar because Bobby's beautiful debut cookbook, Retro Recipes, releases on June 2nd. It's available for pre-order now and belongs on every home cook's shelf.

SPEAKER_00

It has that blend of history, heart, and practical cooking inspiration we all crave.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you for joining us on this memorable journey today. I hope this episode has inspired you to kind of dust off some of those old favorites. Try something new from the past and create some fresh memories around your own table.

SPEAKER_00

Bring a little good taste into your life.