This Bygone Dip From The '70s Costs Pennies To Make

The 1970s was a tumultuous decade. While the aesthetic and traditions of 1970 closely resembled the conventions of the 1950s and '60s, by 1979 everything was different: Music and fashion were more lively with a hard, bright edge of rebellion, while societal changes meant busier daily lives, opening the door for things like microwaves and convenience foods to flood the market. Economic flux in the United States also pushed people to pinch their pennies — but that certainly didn't stop them from having a good time.

Rather than swearing off entertaining altogether, gatherings became a little more casual, featuring an abundance of vintage appetizers that deserve a modern comeback. Friends gathered around fondue pots or trays of cocktail wieners, while things like cheese balls and dips provided delicious and inexpensive ways to make crackers and crudité feel fancy. Clam dip, in particular, added an air of elegance to a party, as the inclusion of seafood was (and still often is) associated with high-class entertaining and wealth.

However, the open secret about clam dip is that the combination of canned clams, cream cheese, sour cream, and umami Worcestershire sauce costs just under $5 to make a full batch, which comes to right around $0.80 per serving. In 1975, the whole batch would have cost less than a dollar, meaning each serving only cost just about $0.13. Today's cost is a bit higher, but still offers an old school way to treat your guests to a pretty delicious treat without breaking the bank.

If you're a culinary sleuth who loves finding vintage recipes in old cookbooks in thrift shops, or recipe cards from estate sales, you've likely found at least one clam dip recipe. While almost all of them include canned clams and cream cheese as a base, a cursory comparison quickly reveals that everyone's personal recipe was just a little bit different. While Worcestershire sauce and sour cream were also pretty standard, some recipes took things a bit further with fresh or dried herbs, hot sauce, or onion juice in place of minced onions.

This means it's more than okay to breathe new life into this classic snack by adding some 21st century flare. That may mean swapping out a little of the cream cheese for mashed avocado as a nod to millennial culture, or crumbling some bacon bits into the mix for smoky, salty, meaty goodness. Minced sundried tomatoes in oil would add a pop of flavor without drowning out the other ingredients, as would something like chopped pickled jalapenos or a tablespoon of olive-forward tapenade.

Leftovers also provide an opportunity to create some delicious fresh dishes. For instance, leftover dip makes delicious stuffed mushrooms — just spoon it into baby 'bella caps, top with bread crumbs, and bake. You can also use it to make deliciously creamy pasta for a quick, easy, and satisfying dinner, as canned clams bring fresh seafood flavor to pasta and the cream cheese breaks down into a rich sauce.