Celery and Tomato Flavored Jello

Yuck.

Even if taste wasn't a factor, I can not imagine taking a big bite of jello with my salad.

Brian

I con cur with brian- even fruit wasn't meant to be cold, jiggly, and slimey; but the thought of tomatoes being more gross than they already are makes me want to say no to ketchup forever.

Am I the only one who can think of a ton of uses for savory Jello?

The tomato Jello sounds like an interesting version of gazpacho soup.

Great find!

And I have to agree with the consensus so far...

Ewwwwwwww.

Wrong....just wrong

This doesn't surprise me at all. US cuisine went through a period during which everything had to be coated by or concealed within a thick layer of some sort of gel. There was your fish in aspic and your gelled salads. How gross can you get?

Heh. That's pretty disgusting but I can see them trying that back in the 60's, when every proper housewife was just looking for something new to serve up with dinner. I love reading stuff like this, hope you'll post more like it.

By the way, I've added you to my blogroll. In fact, you're the first one, since it's a new blog. Good job here.

my grandmother used to make lime jello with tuna in it, I never tried it but my sister says its actually good.

My mother in law makes tomato aspic (basically it's tomato-flavored jello). I think she probably would have been one of the people that bought this stuff when they made it. Now she makes it with tomato soup, diced tomatoes, various herbs, and unflavored Knox gelatin. It's not terrible, but you have to get used to it.

The tomato and celery jello were actually very good. We use to make a salad with them cutting up celery onions, and cherry tomatoes. Then my grandmother would add a bit of pepper and a shake of worsthesire sauce....Served on a letttuce leaf with a small dallop of miracle whip mixed with lemon juice. It was something everyone loved, and I wish they were still on the market.

Older recipe books have instructions for making these from scratch. "Tomato aspic" was a favorite of my grandmother's. Imagine a tomato juice base, seasoned with savory herbs, combined with Knox gelatine, and chilled. It was the perfect base for a mound of homemade chicken or shrimp salad or a tossed salad. In lieu of fruit, she added olives, tiny baby shrimp, chopped celery, or other savory bits to the mixture before chilling. Tomato aspic can be very tasty if you season the juice carefully and correctly--and it's not a bit slimy. It's thicker and cloudier than actual jello. Grandmother had special individual ring molds she used just for this dish. As for calories, a serving would have about the same number as an equivalent serving of tomato juice--plus any add-ins. Look for it in mid-Fifties cookbooks--Fanny Farmer, Good Housekeeping, etc.

I can remember some jello dishes in my house with floating pieces of celery and what not. I think I was okay with it as a child; it was a fun way to eat veggies I wasn't wild about at the time. It's funny to be reminded of it.

I actually quite like tomato aspic, though obviously its fallen out of favor judging from most of the comments above. You can also do the same thing with broth -- beef broth is most common, with some sliced vegetables in it. This I'm not such a fan of, but its worth trying if you like the tomato.

I'm curious what "Italian Salad Flavor" is though

Even if it was meant for salads, it would still be weird considering that most salad lovers don't include jello in their salad.

gross.

Weird flavors for a gelatin. Why use gelatin in a salad when it's better to have fresh fruits?

Yuck. I can see why those flavors didn't last long.

Good find though. I've never heard of salad jello until now.

Jelly should NOT appear in any dish containing innocent fruits and vegetables. The only legitimate use for Jello that I can think of is...uh, you know when you have to fast before surgery but can eat Jello? Or when kids are puking and the only thing they can handle is Jello? There you go.

I really don't think it's a bad idea. I've tried a wide variety of different cultural foods. Veggies in jello is probably not a bad idea at all...

Icky!

I remember these vegetable flavored jello's. I know they don't sound tasty, but they made terrific summer salads in those days when you didn't have air conditioning and were looking for ANYTHING to help cool off. The celery flavor was especially delicious with grated carrots in it. And we made the mixed vegetable flavor with finely chopped celery and cabbage (sort of a slaw/aspic). They really were pretty good!

I found this discussion *looking* for savory jello (aspic) receipes to make. :) In the late '80s I was served a green savory Jello on crackers at a yard sale in an affluent neighborhood. Strange to think about but I know the whole thing wasn't a dream 'cause I bought gorgeous receiving blankets that I used with all my babies. Anyway - It was delish! But I was shortsighted and didn't get the recipe.

Also, while not entirely savory, I'd like to update the pear/cheddar-cheese/miracle whip salad my Mom served. I like the flavor (now, not then) but not the texture of canned pears and thought maybe pureed in a gelatin with bits of cheese suspended. But the mayo should be there somewhere. ??

Anthony Bourdain (on No Reservations) mentioned the American palate is not accustomed to foods of this texture. Judging by the seemingly reflex responses here, he appears correct.

That jello is gross and sort of beautiful at the same time. Does anyone know what diet pills in the 1960's looked like? Colors? Any idea where I can find a picture?
Ruby

No but I would like to know what they looked like. My mother took them I think.

Back in the 60's I used the celery jello to make a cold "casserole" for my family in the summer when it was really hot. It included bananas and cooked chicken. It sounds gross, but it was really good and my kids liked it. I usually had sliced tomatoes and bell peppers as a salad on the side.
I wish I could find the recipe. I'd like to make it again.

loved the aspec salads when I got older bought the tomato in a can just like cranberry sauce also beet aspec would like to find them again

Joyce

I remembered that my grandmother had made tomato jello. It really was very good and love it. I do not have her recepit, I wish to have hers. She deceased 1965. I would like to have recepit in any cookbooks. Please let me knew. Thank you, Joyce Aregi

I still have a box of the celery jello. Found it at my Grandma's house after she died.

i have a box of the celery jello anyone want to buy it lol

LOVED MY AUNT'S TOMATO ASPIC JELLO SALAD...SHE MADE HER'S WITH LEMON JELLO AND TOMATO JUICE...ADDED CHOPPED CELERY & ONION HEATED IN THE TOMATO JUICE..IT WAS REALLY GOOD...FOUND A GLORIETTA BRAND IN A CAN THAT'S REALLY TASTEY...EAT IT WITH COTTAGE CHEESE AND RANCH DRESSING .... YUMMY

I had celery Jello as a kid, and liked it as much as their other flavors. It was very mild. Celery jello is still available in Canada, and I picked a couple boxes up when I was in BC about ten years ago. For those who can't justify driving to Canada for Jello, you can make a close facsimile by using Knox gelatin and adding Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray celery soda in lieu or half the water. Cel-Ray is owned by Canada Dry, so your favorite grocer should be able to order it via their local distributor. Specialty food stores sell it too. I guess it is big in Jewish centers like New York and Florida (aka Jewish Champagne), but you can also find it at select spots in Portland, Oregon.