If you’re thinking of catering a Mad Men party this weekend with authentic 1960s cuisine, you may want to reconsider—a look at the terrifying stuff that passed for dinner back then offers a clue as to why Julia Child was regarded as such a revolutionary. The following photos are from Betty Crocker’s Dinner in a Dish cookbook, published in 1965, a mayonnaise-slicked, canned-fruit dotted roadmap to an American culinary era thankfully gone by. First among the supper-time atrocities: a “Summer Salad Pie” (left), whose ingredients include lemon-flavored gelatin, tomato sauce, and tuna fish tossed together in a cheddar-cheese pie shell. 

PARTY SANDWICH LOAF: This festive table topper only looks like dessert. It’s actually buttered white bread layered with three different fillings: shrimp-celery-egg salad, a cream-cheese-pecan-pineapple spread and chicken-bacon mash. The icing: more cream cheese, cut with light cream and tinted with green food coloring.

LOBSTER ÉLEGANTÉ: What makes this lobster so “éleganté? A cup and a half of shredded, processed American cheese, in a pairing that puts today’s postmodern chefs to shame.

STUFFED PEPPERS FESTIVO: As simple to make as they are beautiful: fresh green peppers, stuffed with a box of Betty Crocker’s macaroni and cheese, flecked with cubed ham.

CURRIED TUNA CASSEROLE: A blend of cream-of-mushroom soup, rice, canned tuna and canned onions gets its jazzy look from festive triangles of egg yolks, chopped peanuts, plumped currants, crabapple jelly, sliced green onions and crumbled bacon. Bon appetit, indeed.

Hippie wheels. Photo by Mathias Degen.

It’s 1960s week here at Brokelyn, what with the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, starting on Saturday, and the return of Mad Men on Sunday night. We’re going full bore on both fronts, first, with a search for some Woodstock-worthy wheels.

Nothing says “I embrace free love and flower power” like a ’69 Volkswagen, and so I spent the past week clicking my way through vintage car sites to find one. Turns out ’69 Volkswagens aren’t so easy to come by on the East Coast, and those that actually run aren’t so cheap either. Here, the results of my search: seven VW bugs and buses, almost all within 200 miles of Brooklyn and ranging in price from $400 to $6,000.

Cambria Heights, Queens: $400

The closest VW, a convertible Beetle located in Cambria Heights, Queens, is also the cheapest—just $400. Unfortunately it doesn’t run. But I’m sure you can think of some wonderfully creative use for it. Just look at those kids who turned a Dumpster into a swimming pool. Why not make it the centerpiece of your Woodstock Anniversary Backyard BBQ? Or turn it into yard art! Besides, this year “rust” is the new black.

Nassau County: $4,000

If you want something that you can drive home, you’ll have to travel a little farther afield, say Nassau County. A guy named Anthony is willing to part with his adorable baby blue Beetle for $4,000. It even has a roof rack just begging to be heaped with camping gear and a sunroof. Stargazing, anyone? 

New Jersey: $3,535

Looking for something a little sportier? You might try the ’69 VW Beetle convertible for sale in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. This white car with a black top looks stellar, but the seller says it’s a “work in progress.” Careful! This may be code for “doesn’t run.” If so, the asking price—$3,535—seems a little high.

Connecticut: $6,000 bug and $3,000-plus van

Connecticut, also known as the “Land of Steady Habits,” boasts a taxicab yellow Beetle for $6,000 (above) and a “Westy” camper bus (below) complete with a flip-down table and cots (the top bid on Ebay is currently $3,051).

Pennsylvania: $1,500 bug

Pennsylvania has a yellow Beetle with a newish engine and only a little rust (current bid $1,500). 

Georgia: $2,000 camper

I was going to stop there, but this one is just too perfect. If you can find your way to Georgia, you can get a well-loved ’69 VW camper bus in Woodstock, a town of 10,000 just north of Atlanta. The bus, which is admittedly a bit forlorn-looking, is selling for $2,000. But according to the ad, it goes 65 miles an hour, so you should have no problem getting it home.