Photo by Seemann via morgueFile.com
I was making some flavored gelatin desert this morning (store brand, hence I will not use the more obvious name) and I noticed something on the directions (I’m a thorough directons reader) that creeped me out.
It had directions for adding fruit OR VEGTABLES to the gelatin. Someone thinks adding, say, green beans, to blackberry gelatin is a good idea for a tasty treat?
I guess it’s one of those things you shouldn’t knock until you try it but I say “gross.”
It’s a midwestern thing, I fear. Add vegetables (or cottage cheese) and somehow you’re allowed to call jello a salad.
It’s a mockery and a sham.
Do you know what state sells the most Jell-o?
Give up?
Utah. Apparently by a significant margin. Must be like the official food of the Mormon religion or something.
Utah, eh?
they probably make Postem-flavored Jello.
Ah the wonders of gelatin, regardless of brand. Let James Lileks show that there is something worse than vegetables and gelatin.
Jello with meat. Why not? Why should we be hobbled by the outgrown shibboleths of past generations?
Lileks is who I want to be when I grow up. Or down.
Lars, I am Midwestern through and through and through and I have never eaten say, corn, in my Jello. Cottage cheese would not be for me, but I could see it. My mom’s big holiday family gathering specialty when I was a kid was Jello with crushed pears and cream cheese molded in a crescent shaped fish mold. But veggies? Fruit, OK. Bananas, yes. Grapes, yes. Mandarin oranges, yes.
Zuchinni, NO.
they used to serve jello bricks with green olives in ‘em in the cafeteria when I was a kid. I don’t think I ever ate one, but I know they did it.
I suppose it’s not as stupid as my revulsion would indicate – I mean, it is basically jellied hooves I’m eating anyway. Once you realize that, it’s not like a pimento is going to make it any *more* or less disgusting…
According to a Smithsonian article some years back, the idea that jello is made from hooves is false. It’s made from the bones of pigs. Oddly, the resulting collagen substance is so intensely refined that rabbis certify it kosher, in spite of its origins.
What about Spam jelly?
Somehow I doubt it.
That is really interesting. I have a number of Christian friends who follow old testament dietary laws who will not touch Jello but will eat certain other gelatin products. They are under the impression it is *not* kosher. I don’t really pay attention as I a) don’t do kosher and b) hate hate hate Jello and all it’s counterparts. I am familiar with dietary laws through my friends and the celebration of Passover, although even that is not completely kosher at our house. I just try not to serve ham.
Growing up in CO in the 70’s, there were always a lot of jello salad at church potlucks, and at least one with shredded carrots. Not totally gross (compared to the other casserole surprise options there), but me and my sibs would go with the ones that had mini-marshmallow in ‘em.
The list of things that cannot be instantly improved by marshmellows of any size is pretty short. My aunt always put mandarin oranges inside of lime jello…not my favorite. I like female wrestlers in my jello
Speaking of marshmallows, it has long been my unshakable conviction that large marshmallows in cocoa taste much, much better than little ones. I have no idea why.
Oh, it’s pigbones? Yeah, that makes it Soooooooooo much better. Nothing disgusting about that…
Count me among the residents of the Midwestern types who find gelatin combined with anything repugnant. Fruit flavored gelatin by itself is an evil substitute for a real dessert. In fact, my dear mother gave us kids warm, still-liquid Jell-O as a palliative to the stomach flu. Little wonder I associate Jell-O, 7UP and chicken soup with being sick.
With all due respect to the Jello-O people there’s NO room for Jell-O in my home.
Unless it’s infused with alcohol.
I think my dad used to put milk on it — like breakfast cereal.
Liz — at least carrots are sweet.
Olives? Really, olives? Yikes!
rocky — I associate warm 7-Up with a visit to my grandma’s house. That and my dad and her speaking a mix of Polish and English for which I could only understand every 9th word or so.
Have none of you ever read The Joys of Jell-O? I think I have two copies of that vintage cookbook gem. Disgusting but entertaining. Aspic, anyone?
I remember a “salad” of green Jell-O, carrots, raisins and cottage cheese at pot-luck dinners. It always looked unlucky to me.
Especially if it also contained pineapple…
A dear family friend used to bring aspic (that’s what she called it, but it was mixed vegetables in Jello) to our Thanksgiving dinner every year. I can’t recall what it tasted like—I may have spread it around the plate or perhaps I’ve just repressed the memory.