It's not common knowledge that the American culinary heritage peaked in the 1950s. Although this assertion is unproven, it seems to align with public opinion. If asked, the majority of people would probably select the 1980s or possibly the beginning of the 20th century. But I contend that more than at any other time in history, the cuisine of the 1950s typified the mood of their day. The foods of the 1950s were, in fact, the foods of the future for those who were creating, designing, and consuming them. And Jello Salad was without a doubt the epitome of 1950s cuisine.
Since the fifteenth century, aspics and gelatins have been traditional dishes in both Europe and America, but they were regarded luxuries primarily enjoyed by the wealthy due to their difficulty in preparation. They did not adopt a much more egalitarian and truly American identity until the twentieth century.
The US military invested millions of dollars in food technology research during World War II. They specifically needed to provide troops on the front lines with meals that were low-cost to prepare, readily transported, and would endure indefinitely. Jello's transformation from a luxury product to a universal favorite would depend on advancements in machine packaging, refrigeration, powderization technology, and food preservation after the war.
Surprisingly, mass-produced Jello was originally developed 32 years before the US Federal Reserve, in 1881, but its prime was achieved during the baby boomer generation. Many people lost faith in tradition and "the way things used to be," as it were, during the horrifically violent World Wars. In reaction, there was a slingshot effect that caused the cultural center of gravity to change from one that had its feet firmly planted in the past to one that was rapidly moving towards the future. The 1950s saw the people embrace the excitement and freedom of new ways of living, made available by new technologies in a time of enormous economic opportunities. The modernist movement had a significant impact on American society. However, Americans also felt compelled to defend their form of domestic capitalism as a shield against the new, ascetic, and radical liberal Soviet society. As home economics classes became a required component of the curricula of American high schools and colleges, young moms were urged to embrace trendy, easy cuisine rather than relying on the family recipes of their parents and grandparents.
Now for the Jello Salad.
Jello appeared to be the food of astronauts, time travelers, and utopians with its vibrant new colors and seemingly limitless applications (in fact, a famous recipe from this era was dubbed "Salad Utopia," combining whipped cream, canned fruit, and cheddar cheese). Since everything else that was new and cool seemed to come in a can, it didn't really matter if it came from a box. Artificial was excellent. Potlucks and church suppers embraced Jello, a new but uniquely American invention, especially in the Midwest, shielded from the flood of immigrants from South America, Asia, and Africa who brought "ethnic" cuisine to the coasts.
While preparing Jello Salad, I had numerous opportunity to learn. First off, there's already a good quantity of water left over from fruits and veggies, so cut back on the water used to prepare the Jello (maybe a tablespoon or two less per packet). Secondly, it is imperative to ensure that the orange slices' rinds are peeled off. Third, if you're making jelly, don't include pineapple. When I cooked this salad for the first time, I was unaware of this and ended up with a lot of soup that tasted like lime. The enzymes in pineapple relentlessly prevent gelatin from setting correctly, therefore anyone claiming to have anecdotal evidence of creating Jello with pineapple is either lying or has a bad memory. Fourth, if you are putting your jello salad in a community refrigerator with other odorous leftovers, it is imperative that you cover it while it is chilling. Because gelatin is so good at collecting smells from the air, a strong, reheated flavor is not a good fit for this dish's vegetal and fruity undertones.
Read Also: Delicious Variations of Green Jello Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Make Jello as directed on the package (but skip the tablespoon of cold water each time). Let cool in a basin for a short while.
-
Fill a fluted bundt pan or specialty gelatin mold halfway full with fruit and veggie medley; pour in Jello.
-
Once set, cover and chill for four hours.
-
Take the Jello out of the fridge, and let the mold sit in a bigger dish of warm water for a little while to loosen the salad from the mold—about 30 to 40 seconds.
-
In the same way that you would make a tortilla de papas, flip the Jello onto a platter and top with the marshmallows and lettuce. I recommend using a bundt pan with a tubed middle if you are a creative person. This is the ideal location to add a hefty dollop of cottage cheese to your salad.
Mercado Wolski
It's not common knowledge that the American culinary heritage peaked in the 1950s. Although this assertion is unproven, it seems to align with public opinion. If asked, the majority of people would probably select the 1980s or possibly the beginning of the 20th century. But I contend that more than at any other time in history, the cuisine of the 1950s typified the mood of their day. The foods of the 1950s were, in fact, the foods of the future for those who were creating, designing, and consuming them. And Jello Salad was without a doubt the epitome of 1950s cuisine.
Since the fifteenth century, aspics and gelatins have been traditional dishes in both Europe and America, but they were regarded luxuries primarily enjoyed by the wealthy due to their difficulty in preparation. They did not adopt a much more egalitarian and truly American identity until the twentieth century.
The US military invested millions of dollars in food technology research during World War II. They specifically needed to provide troops on the front lines with meals that were low-cost to prepare, readily transported, and would endure indefinitely. Jello's transformation from a luxury product to a universal favorite would depend on advancements in machine packaging, refrigeration, powderization technology, and food preservation after the war.
Surprisingly, mass-produced Jello was originally developed 32 years before the US Federal Reserve, in 1881, but its prime was achieved during the baby boomer generation. Many people lost faith in tradition and "the way things used to be," as it were, during the horrifically violent World Wars. In reaction, there was a slingshot effect that caused the cultural center of gravity to change from one that had its feet firmly planted in the past to one that was rapidly moving towards the future. The 1950s saw the people embrace the excitement and freedom of new ways of living, made available by new technologies in a time of enormous economic opportunities. The modernist movement had a significant impact on American society. However, Americans also felt compelled to defend their form of domestic capitalism as a shield against the new, ascetic, and radical liberal Soviet society. As home economics classes became a required component of the curricula of American high schools and colleges, young moms were urged to embrace trendy, easy cuisine rather than relying on the family recipes of their parents and grandparents.
Now for the Jello Salad.
Jello appeared to be the food of astronauts, time travelers, and utopians with its vibrant new colors and seemingly limitless applications (in fact, a famous recipe from this era was dubbed "Salad Utopia," combining whipped cream, canned fruit, and cheddar cheese). Since everything else that was new and cool seemed to come in a can, it didn't really matter if it came from a box. Artificial was excellent. Potlucks and church suppers embraced Jello, a new but uniquely American invention, especially in the Midwest, shielded from the flood of immigrants from South America, Asia, and Africa who brought "ethnic" cuisine to the coasts.
While preparing Jello Salad, I had numerous opportunity to learn. First off, there's already a good quantity of water left over from fruits and veggies, so cut back on the water used to prepare the Jello (maybe a tablespoon or two less per packet). Secondly, it is imperative to ensure that the orange slices' rinds are peeled off. Third, if you're making jelly, don't include pineapple. When I cooked this salad for the first time, I was unaware of this and ended up with a lot of soup that tasted like lime. The enzymes in pineapple relentlessly prevent gelatin from setting correctly, therefore anyone claiming to have anecdotal evidence of creating Jello with pineapple is either lying or has a bad memory. Fourth, if you are putting your jello salad in a community refrigerator with other odorous leftovers, it is imperative that you cover it while it is chilling. Because gelatin is so good at collecting smells from the air, a strong, reheated flavor is not a good fit for this dish's vegetal and fruity undertones.
Read Also: Delicious Variations of Green Jello Salad
Ingredients
Six cups of produce
Two Jello packets (lime, please)
Cottage Cheese
Margaritas and large lettuce leaves as garnish
Instructions
Make Jello as directed on the package (but skip the tablespoon of cold water each time). Let cool in a basin for a short while.
Fill a fluted bundt pan or specialty gelatin mold halfway full with fruit and veggie medley; pour in Jello.
Once set, cover and chill for four hours.
Take the Jello out of the fridge, and let the mold sit in a bigger dish of warm water for a little while to loosen the salad from the mold—about 30 to 40 seconds.
In the same way that you would make a tortilla de papas, flip the Jello onto a platter and top with the marshmallows and lettuce. I recommend using a bundt pan with a tubed middle if you are a creative person. This is the ideal location to add a hefty dollop of cottage cheese to your salad.