Ambrosia

Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream swirled with Tropical Peep Fluff served in a wine glass with an Orange Blossom Honey Roasted Nectarine and Bourbon Glazed Pecans and Cherries

Ambrosia was the fragrant food of the Ancient Greek gods, providing them with longevity and the ability to overcome death. It is curious then, that ambrosia is also a fluffy fruit salad, which originated in the United States during the 19th century. For decades, it has been a popular holiday treat for Southern Americans, but in the late 1800s everyone in the country was enjoying the sweet coconut and orange salad because it was the perfect way to enjoy the recent accessibility of tropical fruits. After the Civil War, orange production went up 400% and for Gilded Age diners a mixture of white and orange fruits was luxury. It was heavenly. It was ambrosia. 

Over the years, recipes grew to include whipped cream, other fruits such as cherries and pineapple, sometimes a bit of alcohol, and in the South, pecans. Throughout the salad’s history, chefs have declared one must only use fresh coconut, while others like James Beard made it clear that moist canned coconut is best. During the 1920s and 30s, advertisements came with recipes that had previously called for marshmallow whipped cream now listing newly invented small marshmallows as an ingredient.

Ambrosia for the Greek gods wasn’t made up of marshmallows and probably wasn’t coconut either. Often not distinguished from nectar, drink of the gods, ambrosia was designed for divine beings and was provided by Hebe, the goddess of youth. Strongly associated with spring, Hebe kept the gods eternally young by serving them ambrosia and nectar from a wine goblet. Her time as cupbearer of Mount Olympus came to an end when she married Hercules, yet in 16th-century England, the Church weirdly picked her as a warning for women, spinning her story to claim that she left the godly mountain when she was accidentally and immodestly disrobed at a banquet.

Ambrosia smelled as sweet as perfume and is believed to be honey due to its natural healing properties. Other theories for ambrosia’s make up are grape wine, honey wine, or hallucinogenic mushrooms. During the early Roman Empire, herbalists and botanists used the term ambrosia in reference to cooking and medicinal plant matter. And today, ambrosia is a favorite at holiday potlucks, a nostalgic recipe, and appealing inspiration for new culinary concepts.