Comments on: Watergate Salad

By: starfire

starfire — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:57:16 +0000

a friend made a variation of this for a potluck at work but she called it a “dump salad”. you dump 1 large can of crushed pineapple, 1 large box of lime jello, 1 large container of cottage cheese, 1 cup of walnunt pieces, 1 package of mini-marshmallows, mix it all up then fold in a large container of whipped cream. i have since made it several times (also in double batches) and it always disappears! i believe people like it because it doesn’t sit as heavy as cake.
i am looking for the pink one that has cherries, pineapple, whipped cream… etc

By: tina

tina — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:45:46 +0000

My mom made this when I was a kid. Except she mixed the pudding in with the Cool whip first, then added cottage cheese, mini marshmallows and mandarin oranges instead of pineapple. We loved it and my kids still say every holiday “You’re going to make the pistachio right?” (Obviously the actual name didn’t stick)

By: papawow

papawow — Wed, 12 May 2010 14:53:31 +0000

An “affront to the culinary arts” maybe; but there is something that draws me to this recipe. I’m going to have to make some…

By: Dinerwood Mike

Dinerwood Mike — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:07:00 +0000

It’s called Watergate salad because the Watergate hotel was green.

By: Sandi

Sandi — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:16:33 +0000

The way I was taught to make it was to mix the pudding according to the package directions {with 2 cups of milk} and then add drained pineapple {crushed} mini marshmallows and cool whip. This way makes a much lighter, fluffier dessert.

By: Lahern

Lahern — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:45 +0000

I doubt the flavors were ever actually made, but as a kid I remember a contest in Dynamite Magazine to name a new topical Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavor. The front runners were “Watergate Ice” (I have no idea what that might taste like), and my favorite, “Impeachmint.”

By: dogbytes

dogbytes — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:01:22 +0000

i havent found a book that i’ve wanted to make all the recipes ~ but this article in the Stranger, really struck a chord in me ~ http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=445158

not that im suicidal, but baking does make me happier. that and my SAD light. and massive doses of coffee. remind me, PNW girl, when is it supposed to be spring?

By: Humuhumu

Humuhumu — Mon, 12 May 2008 20:15:29 +0000

Hoo boy, if the packaging on my marshmallows mentioned flavoring, then I missed it in all the excitement. That can’t have helped. The Lutheran cookbook version called for “whipping cream” but I think they meant whipped cream, because it’d be seriously gloopy if it wasn’t whipped. I do, though, think it’d be better with whipped cream than Cool Whip — one less chemical in the mix.

I do think it’s worth trying again, but I’m going to hang up my Watergate Salad-making hat, and instead look forward to enjoying it from the hands of a master during my next visit to the Rongo Rongo Room.

I totally agree about scratch cooking. I was talking to someone just this weekend about how different very old cookbooks are: they assume you know how to do basic things like making a roux. My foray through the 1979 Marysville United Methodist Women’s Cookbook was inspired by a much more noble cooking blog adventure: Trott’s trip through the entire Joy of Cooking. I won’t learn how to make a roux, but boy howdy I will be a Jello mold master!

By: dogbytes

dogbytes — Mon, 12 May 2008 19:11:02 +0000

Mini marshmallows in delicious fruit flavors. Orange. Lemon. Strawberry. Lime., Perfect in a fruit salad or right out of the bag for a fruity, fat free treat! but not so perfect for Watergate Salad.

By: dogbytes

dogbytes — Mon, 12 May 2008 19:08:28 +0000

i’m pretty sure, the pastel ones, have fruity flavours. there was probably a collision of chemicals that made the Wonderful Watergate Salad a little bit off. i also might have affected the colour.

now i am inspired to have a Lutheran Potluck theme party.

i blog my food adventures on myspace, not as picture intense, but fun nonetheless. cooking from scratch has become a Lost Art.

By: Humuhumu

Humuhumu — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:48:57 +0000

You’re in good company — I was surprised how many people at the foodie dinner I was at loved the Watergate Salad. Do multi-color mini-marshmallows taste different from white ones?

By: dogbytes

dogbytes — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:54:25 +0000

i think its because you used pastel marshmallows, that you disliked this delicious dish! i think it tastes even better if you allow the flavours to meld overnight. Watergate Salad is one of my guilty pleasures.