False Idylls

For those who imagine the past as an idyllic food world in which people lived on the fresh produce they grew in their own back yards and perhaps some eggs and meat from the farmer up the road, I have a reminder from Better Homes and Gardens Fondue and Tabletop Cooking (1970):

Okay, the picture is black and white, so maybe it's not quite clear what we're looking at.

Crunchy ham sandwiches! Buttered white bread layered with ham and process cheese, dipped in eggs, rolled in crushed potato chips, and grilled. I'm half-surprised that no fast food restaurant is offering this on a limited-time basis right now. (Add bacon for 50 cents more!)

At least cooks in the '70s were supposed to serve these with "crisp relishes." (And dessert!)