Just a head’s up for anyone interested in listening to me yammer on and on about vintage cooking: There is a rather lengthy interview with me on Collector’s Weekly right now where I talk about the preservative powers of gelatin, torturing Tom and what it’s like eating a liver mousse.
I have to admit, when I read the interview I didn’t really like the way I sounded. Does that ever happen to you, where you listen to yourself talking and think, “Really? That’s really how I sound?” But Tom thought it was funny, so I guess that means it is a good interview.
One of the questions that I got asked in the interview was if I had ever tried any of the savory flavors of gelatin. I had to admit that I hadn’t ever tried them. I am not sure when the last year of production was for these flavors, but I can’t ever remember my mom feeding them to us when we were kids.
Did anyone ever try any of these flavors? If you have, let me know in the comments because I am interested to know what they tasted like. Especially the celery!
I haven’t had it from a packet but I do remember having veg jellied stock as part of a dish… it just tasted like jellified stock (broth). I’m guessing a jello version might be more unusual tasting (and not in a good way).
I was born in 1955 and was never served any of these strange Jell-o concoctions. Only had the occasional fruit flavored Jell-o with maybe some canned fruit added to it.
I’ve never had the Jello version, but I have made my own cucumber gelatin by juicing cucumbers and using Knox. (Don’t ask why.) It was actually pretty tasty, in a weird sort of way.
Congrats on the article! Love your site
I made some aspic appetizers with hard-boiled egg and cooked pork slices just to try it out. Dreadful! Was far too salty and icky with the beef broth in the jello. I may try it again, but I will not use canned beef broth as it suggested. I’ll make my own light chicken stock and do something else.
Awesome interview! Thanks for the mention! Mwah!
Great interview! I thought you sounded just fine.
Never had savory Jell-O, but being from New England, I’ve had my share of coffee Jell-O. It’s actually pretty good with some cream on top.
Veg, sadly the coffee jelly lost out in the Jell-O poll
Which reminds me, I have to make that soon.
Ruth, again, congrats.
I just wanted to put in a good word for aspics, European style. The Germans call them Suelze, and they are fabulous. Savory aspics, slightly vinegary, with all sorts of things suspended in them. You can get them in the grocery store, butcher, and in restaurants. Don’t forget that they’re an essential part of the French garde manger – essentially what you discovered on your own – a way to preserve foods and keep them fresher longer. Terrines and pates are part of it, too.
I had to eat a lot of the stuff you write about here as a kid, and I can’t say I miss much of it – well, the stuff from boxes and packages. My mom was a great southern cook, and looking back on it now, convenience foods, while convenient I’m sure, were not her friend in the kitchen.