In case you haven't noticed, Jell-O is having a moment.
Looking for a healthy makeover for a vintage Jell-O recipe or embarking on a Jell-O-based, retro-food revival? Look no further than the internet.
Trending on socials with its own Facebook page(s), starring in easy-to-outrageous creations on TikTok and offering a plethora of follow-along kitchen moments on YouTube, Jell-O — or more accurately, gelatin — is this summer's new culinary plaything.
As chefs once again embrace aspics in fine-dining kitchens, Jell-O salads are showing up on summertime potluck tables everywhere. Home cooks are reviving retro dishes like their mothers served (Orange Jell-O and Cool Whip with mandarin orange slices, anyone?), while others are taking the trend to new heights with unexpected flavors (matcha, chili crisp); crunchy ingredients (pretzels, caviar or cracker crumbs); or fun shapes made in custom-designed molds.
In his latest book, "The Great Gelatin Revival," author and food historian Ken Albala demonstrates that although gelatin has a pedigreed past, the ingredient is thriving amid today's quirky and energetic culinary innovators.
Appearing in inventive desserts (mosaic Jell-O molds) to avant-garde savory dishes (Ouefs en Gelee), gelatin is reclaiming its place on our dinner tables while carving a path into the culinary future.
Bouncing through history
Before the likes of Jell-O brand gelatin, there was … just gelatin. One of the first recorded recipes for aspic (gelatin’s savory cousin), appeared in the French cookbook “Le Viandier," from the 1300s, alongside this description:
"Gelatin is derived from the structural protein collagen, which is found in the skins and bones of animals like pigs and cows, chicken feet and fish. The animal parts are boiled for up to two days until collagen is released from the bones and — when cooled — forms into a gelatinous substance called calf's feet jelly."
Because it took so long to prepare, gelatin was used in dishes reserved for the community of elites, or served at highly ceremonial events, ornately decorated to show the best of the hosting home, restaurant or chef.
“Serving a gelatin based savory course or dessert, was a statement, just the way buying a Porsche or a Rolex watch would be today, people would know you were rich,†explained Carolyn Wyman, the author of “Jell-O: A Biography.â€
Yes! Jell-O has a biography. Wyman has gathered an interesting and entertaining historical picture of Jell-O's place throughout time:
- LeRoy, New York, 1897: Pearle Wait, entrepreneurial partner to his wife, May, unsuccessfully tried to start a cough-syrup business in their home kitchen. Years of failure pushed them to try something they knew more about: food — in particular, making sweet syrups from local fruits and berries. Once combined with gelatin and turned into a powder, the concoction was a quick-and-easy start to an inexpensive dessert (and finally — a lucrative business idea).
- A little-known fact was that their Jell-O didn’t need refrigeration (which wasn’t available in the late 19th century); you just stirred the powder and water together and let it stand for a while.
- Toward its peak of popularity in the mid-1950s and '60s, it's estimated that the average American household consumed 16 packages of Jell-O every year.
Revival — nostalgic or practical?
For some, the aspic/Jell-O/gelatin revival is as practical as it is nostalgic.
Chefs across the world see it as practical because the jelly-like substance uses inexpensive, collagen-rich cuts that would otherwise go to waste in creating the gelatinous base used for both sweet and savory dishes.
As Millennials and Gen X embrace “grandma foods†that evoke memories of church potlucks or family get-togethers, Jell-O-based recipes are also seeing more interest.
As Albala notes, gelatin is fun to play with.
“With most food, there’s only so much you can do with it. Jell-O lends itself to extraordinary experimentation. With its unique jiggly texture, bright colors, fun shapes and ability to suspend different ingredients, Jell-O recipes are a user-friendly way home cooks can get creative and the finished products look great on camera!"
Jell-O in my kitchen
I have experimented with a few Jell-O-based creations, and to date, my favorite is the Strawberry Pretzel Jell-O Pie.
This no-bake pie recipe delivers: It's sweet, it's salty and it's loaded with fresh fruit and flavor.
Perfect for potlucks, picnics or any gathering under the warm summer sun, it travels well and holds up to packing and toting. Interestingly, this is made in a 9-inch, cheesecake-style springform pan — not what I would consider a pie pan — but is delightfully fruity no matter what kind of pan you make it in.
Feeling a bit nostalgic or want to try your hand at your Auntie's best Jell-O creation? Feel free to peruse the store shelves for the newest line of Jell-O-related products. Most are lower in sugar and free of synthetic colors and artificial sweeteners, colored with fruit juice, vegetable juice or turmeric, making them more attractive to today's health-conscious consumers.
Make your next summer dessert a taste of times past and maybe of times to come. Put your spin on Mom's worn recipe for Lime Jell-O Pie, and take your shot at this summer's new culinary plaything.
As always, thank you for reading — and bon appétit, y’all!
