More Miraculous Microwaving!

If you have a really good memory, you might look at today's post and ask, "Didn't you already write about Multi-Power Microwave Miracles from Sanyo?" 

And, okay, yes I did, but that was the 1979 version. Today, we're looking at the 1977 version. So there.

I can tell Sanyo learned from its mistakes because the newer edition had a relatively-yummy-looking picture of veal parmigiana on the cover, and this has...  chunks of avocado that have been out waaaaay too long mixed with black beans and apples, served over rice? I'm kidding, of course. The background suggests this is a curry of some sort. In this case, Curried Lamb.

It just happens to look weird and greenish and gloppy in the picture. (Good thing the food stylist overrode the instruction to peel the apples, as the little pops of red in the picture are the only parts that look even halfway appetizing.) These observations bring me to the focus of today's post: the photographs. This book's pictures don't always really sell the recipes. 

I can't say I'm particularly inclined to think Tuna Crunch will be great. (I mean, there's a reason Yankee Candle doesn't sell "Microwaved Tuna" jar candles.)

The recipe sounds pretty standard-- a bit of veg, canned tuna and mushroom soup, some chow mein noodles and cashews for the titular crunch. Still, the picture of it seems almost like the book is embarrassed about this recipe. 

The components of the recipe are up front and perfectly in focus, but the casserole itself is kind of backed out and a bit blurry, like nobody really wants to examine it too carefully...

Still, the photographer was perfectly fine with putting the Beef Tacos right up front.

These look like the world's blandest tacos, filled with roughly 50% shredded iceberg lettuce and 50% unseasoned ground beef. There's a little parsley on the side if you want to make it "spicy."

The recipe suggests the tacos may have slightly more flavor than they appear to:

I'm not convinced that a quarter teaspoon of chili powder would do much to spice up a full pound of ground beef in a cup of plain tomato sauce, though.

And for dessert, I'm not exactly sure what recipe these cakes are meant to represent, but it looks like the food stylist let the kids frost them...

... with their toes.

So, yeah. I think Sanyo tried a little bit harder on the next edition because this version wouldn't necessarily inspire a 1977 family to blow a week or two's salary on a microwave.