"Tasting Table has a recipe for a classic Watergate salad, and it's pretty simple. It's made from instant pistachio pudding mix, canned pineapple, Cool Whip, marshmallows, and pecans. This kind of dessert salad was popular at potlucks and family gatherings a few decades ago, but has fallen out of favor in recent years."
"Experts have speculated about reasons why dessert salads like Watergate or Ambrosia salad made from Jell-O and pudding like this fell by the wayside. There's some psychology behind how the look and mouthfeel of gelatinous or slimy foods is normally associated with spoilage. Younger generations simply grew up after dishes like this had already fallen out of fashion."
"In 2002, 65% of Americans surveyed said they didn't know enough about Watergate to explain it to a friend, according to ABC. There's evidence that many people in the modern age, especially those who aren't American, have no idea what Watergate is, so this salad would make no sense to them."
"No one really knows who named Watergate salad, when, or why. The Watergate scandal broke in 1972 and dominated headlines until Nixon resigned in 1974. By 1973, the Watergate salad was already reported on when the Miami News said the recipe was "catching on." This reference, however, reads as a joke."
Watergate salad is a creamy dessert salad associated with the 1970s and early 1980s, often made with instant pistachio pudding mix, canned pineapple, Cool Whip, marshmallows, and pecans. It was commonly served at potlucks and family gatherings, but it has become less popular in recent years. Some explanations connect the gelatinous or slimy look and mouthfeel of pudding-based foods with spoilage, which can reduce appeal. Another factor is generational familiarity, since many people do not know the Watergate scandal or the name’s origin. The salad’s naming is unclear, though it appeared in reports by 1973 and was linked to political wordplay about Nixon.
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