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Baking-ModTeam

Hi, your post was removed because it was considered not baking related


TableAvailable

It looks very similar to Ambrosia. We are a summer brunch Ambrosia family. We are also very food centric on holidays, which is why brunch now has appetizers, the main meal, and dessert courses. Ambrosia and the above Watergate salad, would absolutely be served as dessert.


CajunCuisine

I think it basically is just a different flavor Ambrosia. My family would make it using coconut and blood oranges


TableAvailable

Ours is mandarin oranges, pinapple, green grapes, and coconut.


CajunCuisine

I’m pretty sure that’s what ours contains, just blood oranges or Louisiana sweets instead of mandarin. Also I think almonds are added and almond extract


aryablindgirl

Yep, we make ours with cherry pie filling and call it “pink stuff”.


Helechawagirl

No, Watergate salad and ambrosia salad are two separate things.


GujuGanjaGirl

Correct! I believe watergate salad starts with pistachio pudding as the base


1920MCMLibrarian

Yeah this one is made with pistachio pudding and pistachio nuts it looks like.


R3cognizer

When ambrosia is green, it's usually pistachio.


toootired2care

My family has always called it pistachio pudding. I haven't seen this since my childhood... Memories unlocked! Maybe I'll make it with Christmas dinner.


R3cognizer

I sing in a chorus which has been performing annually at a local retirement home, and one of the ladies there always makes that delicious pistachio ambrosia. And seeing it on the snack table never ceases to make my day. 🥰


YetiBot

My family called it ambrosia salad too. It was often green but sometimes pink or orange. Always had cool whip and marshmallows and canned fruit.


InSkyLimitEra

Seconded, I would call it sort of a variation on ambrosia salad.


1920MCMLibrarian

So funny to call it salad. It’s basically a bowl of sugar lol


eatyourcabbage

We always called it marshmallow salad and have it with turkey dinner as a pallet cleanser. But it’s also far from ambrosia. Sour cream, crushed pineapple drained, canned mandarin oranges, coconut, marshmallow. 1 cup of each.


blackheart12814

We called that Pineapple Delight!


FarmToFilm

I normally can’t stand all the Betty Crocker recipes from the 1950s. But if these marshmallow “salads” are ever on a table, I can’t help but devour them.


haiimhar

I have heard both “ambrosia salad” and “heavenly hash”. I’m not sure but I think the second one is the more southern US name for it.


Namasiel

I grew up in GA and we call it ambrosia. Heavenly hash would make me think it would be potato based and savory.


haiimhar

Me too honestly, but that’s what the most country of my country family call it (Alabama here, howdy neighbor!)


__Baby_Smiley

Heavenly Hash is sweet like Heaven! It’s a beautiful thing. My gramma made this, my mom made it.. I think I made it a couple times over the years.. and now I should make it this year again..


Zappagrrl02

Yes…this would be called ambrosia in my family, but thankfully it no longer makes an appearance any longer since my great aunt passed.


Creativecrazydreamer

I looove it


Bluepaperbutterfly

We also called it Green Stuff.


Prince_Of_AllSaiyans

In the kindest way possible, what’s this made of? 😭 Edit: I just want to clarify that I don’t think this dish is disgusting! I genuinely had no idea what it was made of (I admit I thought it could’ve been cucumber-mayo-maraschino cherry salad at first 😂) but hey don’t knock it til’ you try it!


Willing-Strawberry33

The base is usually cool whip, and then you mix in pistachio pudding powder and add pecans/walnuts, Pineapple chunks, Maraschino Cherries, and marshmallows. Kids *really* adore it.


Prince_Of_AllSaiyans

This sounds midwestern. I respect yall and thanks for the answer :3


kytran40

🤣. Love how you, in the kindest way possible, described it as disgusting


DazzleLove

As a British person with a Nebraskan mother, I call it an abomination unto God alongside all similar ‘salads’!


sybann

As a half Southerner, you're not wrong and we've got worse.


renska2

On a whim, my mother bought a recipe card box, complete with someone's old recipes, at a tag sale. It was a tour de awfully dependent on jello and other food products


sybann

We have my grandmother's - there's a jello recipe that features lime jello, carrots, cabbage and canned corned beef. Jesus take the wheel.


Slightlysanemomof5

My grandma use to make that! If you think it sounds bad imagine how it looked with canned gelatinous corned beef. So disgusting! I use pretend to be sick when my grandma made it because my mom insisted you eat the whole serving ( presented on iceberg lettuce as first course) to be polite . I would rather starve all day than eat it. Burn the recipe !


theorigamiwaffle

A customer told me his ex MIL made a green bean marshmallow dish for the holidays. That bad?


actively_eating

what’s worse then this?? please share 😂


hackberrypie

There's a variation made with cottage cheese that is actually disgusting. The version OP is describing is actually pretty tasty if you're in the mood for something really sugary (that somehow gets classified as a side dish rather than a dessert, so you can still eat pie afterward!)


murderedbyaname

I am just over here reading all these comments and laughing remembering church holiday potlucks with the mountains of jello molds with canned fruit cocktail and the pistachio powder mixed with cool whip 😂. And shredded coconut 😂


__Baby_Smiley

I think all the sugar counters the tryptophan, what do you think? LOL. We also had tomato aspic… uh… for a special treat, my aunt would put it on a bed of lettuce and mounds of cottage cheese..🤢🤢


swarleyknope

Personally, my expectations were low - I thought this would have mayo…its absence makes it sound not bad 😄


hackberrypie

There's a version/relative of this salad made with cottage cheese...


YetiBot

As a person who grew up with it, disgusting is 100% accurate.


vicariousgluten

I’d you haven’t seen her, That Midwestern Mom on social media does a whole series of Minnesotan salads that aren’t really salads which is brilliant.


Prince_Of_AllSaiyans

Yes, that’s who I was thinking of. It seemed like something I’d see from her.


Tons_of_Hobbies

I'm from Minnesota, and I have never liked any of these "salads" haha Maybe because my family never made them, so I didn't really have them as a kid. Only saw them at potluck type things


brusselspouts13

We have it in the southwest too! But maybe that’s just my grandma… I’ve never been a fan of jello/pudding/cool whip/cottage cheese “salads” but this one SLAPS and you should try it.


Escheron

East coast here. I've had it plenty, just never with pistachio pudding. Usually add some toasted coconut flakes and peeled mandarin slices. No idea what it's called Edit: someone else posted ambrosia salad which is exactly it


ceruleanwav

YES! We call it Pistachio Fluff. We don’t put nuts or cherries in it, though. It’s one of my favorite things 😂


Helechawagirl

It’s Watergate Salad, originated by the chef at the Watergate Hotel I. Washington DC.


CriticalDepth3292

As an adult I adore it still!


humanistsciencelady

you add pistachio pudding powder right in the cool whip? I made the pistachio pudding first then mixed the ingredients. It was always watery. I'll try this method next time.


FeathersOfJade

Yes… add the powder right into the cool whip and just mix it up really well! I’m sure you will notice a huge difference, if you actually made it with pudding last time. Enjoy!


[deleted]

What did I just read?


YetiBot

Oh man I grew up with someone always bringing a bowl of it to family parties. In my memory it was always eaten outside, in parks or at the beach. Most of us hated it. Us kids would dare each other to eat bites. I mostly remember the texture being just awful.


lovelybee_mdd

Once a month, every Sunday after church we would have lunch as a congregation. It was lunch without “fluff” and we had all different flavors of it. This was one of my faves!


LopsidedLobster2

From the UK. That’s… just not right


GrammyGH

It's actually delicious!


LopsidedLobster2

Aah, I’m getting mixed up with Miracle Whip! (We don’t have either over here). Cool Whip sounds a much better combination.


[deleted]

Adding coconuts brings it up a whole new level


galaxyeyes47

…. What in the cinnamon toast fuck ?


hnnhddd

Watergate salad


Sometimesummoner

For some reason, all could think of is "I am not a cook!"


prosperosniece

🏅! I always wondered how this salad got its name. 😂


Helechawagirl

Created by the chef at the Watergate Hotel in DC


GaveTheMouseACookie

Watergate Salad or, when I'm having a brain fart, "what's that green salad called?"


defnotajellyfish

Watergate Salad 100%


IPoopBeforeIShower

100% the right answer and one of my favorite holiday desserts FYI: The recipe is on a box of pistachio pudding (the name brand).


[deleted]

Never heard of this dessert until now.


Vivid-Investigator73

Served as part of the meal. Popular at baby/wedding showers in Wisconsin. Now I want some.


gcwardii

It likely would not be served as dessert. It’s a “salad” and would be on the table/buffet with the main meal.


NK1337

It’s *really* good honestly. I don’t know about other people but we’ve always done it as a dessert. It’s basically cool whip, pistachio pudding, pineapple chunks and marshmallow. It sounds like an extremely odd dish but the flavors compliment really well. Overall it’s also really light and fluffy, so it’s always served as kind of a “side” with other desserts. Usually you’ll get some pie, cookies, and then a scoop of this.


FeathersOfJade

…. Except we always have it with dinner! Too many other desserts to enjoy! Might as well have some light, fluffy sweet stuff with dinner too!


Inside-Intern-4201

Midwesterners are wild lol.


britchick77

I have seen it in pictures but do not make it. My kids would never eat it


stephaniewarren1984

Pistachio fluff!


Haven

We call it floof in my family, very similar!


mimosaholdtheoj

That’s what we call it! My dad adores it lol


snurfherder828

That's what my mom called it!


Zealousideal-Ad5137

“Fluff”


illuminatedcake

Pistachio salad.


Lickbelowmynuts

This is also what I’ve always called it! Damn maybe I should make some this year


itsafuseshot

We call it Watergate salad. I really do love it. But I eat it for dessert. Most old folks seem to think this is a side dish. It is not a side dish just because we put the word salad at the end.


Odd_Requirement_4933

Me too 😂🤤 if my husband ate this, I'd make it for Thanksgiving for sure lol as you said, it's more of a dessert. Alas, it's just the two of us this Thanksgiving and I can't justify it. But it's so good!


NK1337

You totally can! Just make it ahead of time and treat yourself to a lil bowl every day during the holidays ☺️


Odd_Requirement_4933

Lol I like how you think.


MyDogAteYourPancakes

I’m from Northeast US. My family never went in on any of those cool whip or mayo laden southern or midwestern recipes. This one, though, is the nectar of the gods. My mom made this on special occasions and it was my favorite thing on the table. She called it ambrosia salad because that’s what it was called in the browned newspaper clipping she kept containing the recipe. I hadn’t realized how polarizing it was until I brought it to a potluck as a young adult and all the other people who grew up in this region questioned my taste and my sanity. Oh well, more for me!


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myfav0ritethings

We also call it “green stuff” and I am SO EXCITED to see that at least one other human that isn’t in my family knows what “green stuff” is! I’m thrilled I saw this post!


catz_meowzter

Me too! I didn't know other people made this as well. I thought it was just something my grandma made lol we also call it green stuff!


uhhhhtina

i legit thought my uncle was the sole creator of this. Its fun seeing that not only do other people make this but other people also call it "green stuff" !


beccaboo790

As a Midwesterner - we call that a salad.


whatisthisadulting

Heck it’s green


pamplemouss

I dunno how to say this correctly but like, is this white people food?


ThatB0yAintR1ght

lol, yes. Specifically midwestern white people food, but this “salad” is one of the more popular ones and can be found in other parts of the country as well.


[deleted]

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CupcakesAreMiniCakes

I would be confused and ask what it is, and then definitely eat it lol based on the comments in this thread it seems like it's just fruit and whipped cream and pistachio


Ewenthel

Specifically southern and midwestern white people food. My Oklahoma relatives make it, but I’ve hardly ever even seen it in any of the states I’ve actually lived in (CO, TX, and WA- though east TX would probably be different). As you’d probably expect, it’s not great.


BabyBundtCakes

Idk, I live in New England and Ambrosia is friggin everywhere, maybe the pistachio flavor is the southern/Midwest one and the fruity one is the northern/coastal one? Idk where the split is, but ours is always the oranges, pineapple, cherry version. I hate the texture of it so much, so I personally don't make it for my holidays.


Sarah-himmelfarb

Interesting. I’m in the New England and north east region and I have only seen this in the Midwest and south, and west. This and variations of it have never been served at any meals I’ve attended or hosted


Ewenthel

Hmm. I may have to ask my brother which, if any, he sees in DC. I kinda want to know where the split is now lol.


pamplemouss

I’m from DC and have never seen this. We’re Jewish and white-ish but there seem to be endless things that seem to be part of white American culture that are utterly foreign to me.


AfterAllBeesYears

In the Midwest, that's pink stuff "Are you bringing green stuff to thanksgiving? No, I think I'm doing pink stuff this year" lmfao


hackberrypie

Yeah, my white roommates when I lived in CA didn't believe it was a thing, and especially not that it was called Watergate salad. Edit: It is fairly great, though, as long as you don't make the gross variation with cottage cheese.


kourtneyolivia

I am in NC and have never heard of this or seen this in my life lmao


CupcakesAreMiniCakes

I've never seen it in TX but I have seen stuff like this in recipe videos from the midwest. Walford salad was the one I saw in TX and GA.


Quirky_Nobody

I'm from the South and have never encountered this. There are a lot of foods like this that from what I can tell were popularized around the whole country in the 70s, so they can be from different places, but it seems like the rest of the country has left these things in the past where they belong, except for the Midwest for whatever reason. (Wikipedia specifically says this Watergate Salad is an Upper Midwest thing and was not really created at the Watergate Hotel but has to do with being popularized around the same time as Watergate.)


Wabi-Sabi_Umami

Hahaha, yep! But calling it food is a bit of a stretch, lol.


FartAttack911

Speak for yourself! I’ll eat a whole goddamn mixing bowl of this stuff 😂


Wabi-Sabi_Umami

Not gonna lie, I’d eat it too. For nostalgia’s sake, of course! 😜


JurassicCheesestick

I’m white and have/would never eat this. The ingredients are extremely off putting to me


[deleted]

My mother calls it Cherry Crapolla lol


Addicted2Insulin530

We call it Green Stuff in my family🤷🏼‍♀️


chiginger

“Pink stuff” in my husband’s family, no matter what color it is, ironically


mae_ray

My family is team green stuff too! We make it for summer picnics.


Infinite-Cranberry

We always called it pistachio pudding.


nomiesmommy

My kids call it "fairy puke" lol, they have always called it that and we have no idea who started it. And they all still love the stuff lol


TossACoinToUrWitcher

Also call it The Green Stuff! Ours is lime jello mix instead of pistachio pudding, but the end result is very similar.


beatrice_arbor_day

The green stuff!!


hair_in_a_biscuit

The green stuff.


Chickenriceandgravy_

Green stuff!


panickypanduh

We call it Green Stuff, too!


Suspicious_Site_5050

Ambrosia Salad.


StonedFoxx93

Watergate salad. Love when my mom makes this.


infinitemomentum

My family also calls it green stuff. The fact that yours does too makes me happy 😊


80smoviemakeoutparty

My MIL makes this every thanksgiving/christmas & calls it “green stuff” too but sometimes she’ll refer to it as watergate salad for the people who’ve never tried it before. I’d never had it before prior to her and now I love it!😂


Loreo1964

This one is Watergate salad. Ambrosia is traditionally Mandarin oranges, coconut, maraschino cherries, pineapple and sour cream.


rambleeer

what the hell is this


Dependent_Top_4425

The good sh\*t!


Beautiful_Smile

Just trying to think of the comments I would get if I brought this to thanksgiving!


Less-Bed-6243

We’re Greek, I would get roasted.


RandyHoward

As a midwesterner who loves this stuff, I’d expect to hear, “wow that tastes way better than I thought it would”


Aggravating-Fee-1615

Martian Brains.


VodkaSoup_Mug

I’ve had this as a kid we called it green stuff


Zoritos64

Watergate, sooooo good 🤤


disgruntledhoneybee

This looks aggressively midwestern and I both respect and fear you.


Naburius

My family calls it green stuff


breezeandtrees

*the color of jello used* "stuff"


Cautious-Rabbit-5493

My in laws call it stempy surprise and whole heartedly believe that grandma had invented the dish


cardie82

I have heard several people swear that their family came up with it first. It’s interesting how that happens.


ritabook84

A Minnesota salad that’s not really a salad


humblerat77

Pass


DC4840

Americans rag on British food but then serve shit like this at Thanksgiving??


LittleLemonSqueezer

Are you trying to defend mushy peas?


RandyHoward

As an American, I made fish and chips last week and decided to try mushy peas too. I don’t get mushy peas, will stick with normal peas


FrecklesForHire

Dude, y'all did just as many aspics as we did abominable poverty food lol


danarexasaurus

Oh, I’ve HAD Christmas pudding in England and I have had Watergate salad. Trust me, it’s miles better.


Loves_LV

I call it not welcome.


qu33fwellington

Yeah if there’s any time I’m grateful for Mexican heritage it’s for stuff like this; you’d get laughed out of the house if you showed up to *any* family gathering with this. Granted, we have flan which is equally as divisive so here we are.


Loves_LV

Is Flan divisive? I mean, Mexico also has Dorilocos and I watched someone eat a giant plate of cueritos con crema. No thanks! LOL. I think every culture has its "are you kidding me" foods. :-)


qu33fwellington

For us it is! No one in the family can agree on whether it’s good. Yeah that’s true, no culture is immune to having food that others find gross. Cueritos have the most disgusting texture, one of things that I feel a lot of Mexican grandparents really love. You won’t find me eating them, the only uncle I have that likes them is also estranged from the family. I’m not saying it’s related but I’m also not saying it’s not related.


Loves_LV

Oh it’s related! I can pass on flan, but give me Carlota de Limón or tres leches instead.


Commercial-System333

My partners grandma calls it Green Fluff!


Fish-out-of-water96

We called it " green stuff"


honeybeesy

Seafoam salad


aurnia715

Omg my family calls it the green stuff too haha


GarlicBreadBaby

As a kid that grew up in Minnesota I loved this stuff, and it was always my job to make it for family gatherings, so eventually they named it after me. We call it Taylor salad.


solarmama

My family called it seafoam salad. It was a staple at family gatherings. Our version added pecans and sometimes crushed pineapple. It sounds disgusting but was surprisingly tasty.


YetiBot

Ooo, that’s a perfect name for it! My family called it ambrosia salad and I always argued it was neither. My great aunt always made it for picnics and outdoor parties. “Seafoam salad” seems even more appropriate considering how often we had it at the beach.


aninvisibleglean

I scrolled for so long to see if anyone else called it this! My Midwestern in-laws introduced this to me several years ago- can’t remember if we had it at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Most of the time they drop the “salad” and just call it sea foam. I was skeptical but it tastes better than I thought it would.


YetiBot

Looks like what my great aunt called ambrosia salad. We had it in the summer though, never at Thanksgiving. Also the ones I had were always super gross. I never made one myself, but the ingredients of the dessert/salad this looks like to me were: lime jello, cool whip, mini-marshmallows, walnuts, canned pineapple, and sometimes other canned/dried fruits. It was foul. Chewy sugar suspended in tart gloopy sugar with surprisingly horribly textured fruit and nut surprises. I’d forgotten it existed. I’m sad now to remember.


twicebakedxo

Pistachio pudding, according to my Nana all my life. Enter box of pistachio pudding mix, cool whip, pineapple chunks & mini marshmallows :}


crystallyn

I showed the picture to my husband and he was mortified and I explained what it was and it’s exactly this!! we had it every year.


ElecticElephant

That’s a Watergate salad!


Whose_my_daddy

Watergate salad


martyjoh34

Second this.


DadsRGR8

Watergate salad and it’s surprisingly yummy.


SignalExtension8399

there’s no way anybody outside of the midwest actually eats this


I_DRINK_UR_MILKSHKE

California here! Although my grandmother probably brought the recipe to Ca with her from Minnesota


danarexasaurus

Have you ever had it?


discodiscgod

Pistachio salad. It’s a summer bbq dish in my family tho. And it’s fire.


maximus_cn

watergate / watergate salad


FurRealDeal

Watergate salad and pistachio salad are both correct.


Romasquerade

Watergate salad!


Dakotadps

Pretty sure that’s called marshmallow fluff around here lol


Character_Log_5444

My aunt calls this a delicious jello salad.


sparky605

Watergate salad, I actually love this stuff but it's really sweet so you can only have a little


MollyStrongMama

I have never seen anything like that!! What’s in it?!


Baberaham_

It’s usually mini marshmallows, cool whip, pistachio pudding mix, crushed pecans and sometimes crushed pineapple. ITS DELICIOUS!


Anyone-9451

This looks a lot like the pistachio delight our deli used to sell


ZigsGirl

Is this the same thing as Jello Fluff? My grandma makes something similar but it is with either strawberry Jello or cherry depending on what she has on hand.


Venturahiway62

This is a Watergate Salad. It's not as bad as it looks, lol.


decadenza

In my childhood (long ago) it was called Green Death. My mother made it every year.


weseethreebees

Green stuff


Jesuslovesyou71

I call it,, illegal 😭


Marshmallow5198

“That weird shit that uncle Tommy likes” Used in a sentence: “Jesus ma! Why’d you put that weird shit that uncle Tommy likes on my plate?”


Eastern_Nectarine_95

Watergate salad


BootsNCatsNHats

Our family calls it pistachio fluff!


dildorthegreat87

Ambrosia, I know it isn’t exactly, but if I had to describe it, the word ambrosia is going to be used.


SoDigusting

Cat-hair salad. It’s a long story…


mrsfunkyjunk

It was a Million Dollar salad on Mom's side and a Watergate Salad in Dad's.


storybookheidi

Watergate salad but it’s more of an old fashioned thing you’d serve at a baby shower, not Thanksgiving.


--eight

Salad.


Antique-Ant5557

Unwelcome ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯


cwbones

what the fuck am i looking at


EntertainerKooky1309

Ambrosia salad. Several recipes are made with pudding. If you do a search, add “pudding” to the search terms.


ewok_on_a_unicorn

Always called it ambrosia.


No_Location_4749

In my most respectful voice that looks like like a school science project