Fresh Raspberry Bavarian Cream

In my last post I wrote that I was going to try a whipped Bavarian cream, so I did. This recipe is yet another from my trusty 1936 booklet, What you can do with Jell-O. My younger brothers stayed at my place for the weekend, which gave me an excuse to make a dessert that … Continue reading Fresh Raspberry Bavarian Cream

Banana Bavarian Cream, 1936

For fun, I decided to let my 8 year-old son and his friend choose the next recipe. I gave them a bunch of delicious options like cottage cheese, molded shrimp and Carrot and Cabbage, but they ended up going with Banana Bavarian Cream. I don't know why they would choose that over shrimp. This creamed … Continue reading Banana Bavarian Cream, 1936

Strawberry Jello Whip, 1936

I recently acquired this great book - more of a pamphlet, really - called What You Can Do With Jell-O. It was published by General Foods Corporation in 1936. What's great about this little book is it goes through the step-by-step process of 6 types of jello creations, as well as how to garnish, make … Continue reading Strawberry Jello Whip, 1936

Date Bavarian Cream, 1929

Today's molded gelatin is a bit off the beaten path, but a perfect example of "the recipes that time forgot." Honestly, this is why I do what I do. I came across this little gem of a cookbook the other day while looking for something unusual and historic to do with dates. Dates are among … Continue reading Date Bavarian Cream, 1929

Lime Pineapple Salad

Here is another old recipe from my grandma's files. This one was difficult to date, but I am leaning toward 1940's or possibly 1950's. If it were up to me, which it kind of is, I would rename this Lime Pineapple Grapefruit Salad. Grapefruit turned out to be the dominant flavor here. Grapefruit was especially … Continue reading Lime Pineapple Salad

Strawberry Romanoff Jel-low

Between 1940 and 1962, Hollywood movie stars and celebrities frequented a popular Beverly Hills restaurant called Romanoff's. This is where Not-a-Real-Prince "Prince" Michael Romanoff popularized a dessert called Strawberries Americaine Style, originally created by the Carlton Hotel's Chef Auguste Escoffier in the 1920's, and boldly renamed it Strawberries Romanoff. A twist on the classic strawberries … Continue reading Strawberry Romanoff Jel-low

Rice Ring Chantilly, 1967

This molded rice custard from 1967 is surprisingly delicious.

Orange Delight Dessert, 1968

I picked up a vintage cookbook the other day at the local antique store, as well as an unopened roll of 60's vinyl kitchen contact paper. Of the gelatin recipes this one was the most orange. A perfect visual companion to the vinyl. Orange Delight Dessert From Hello Neighbor: 1968 Cookbook by KOA Radio 85. … Continue reading Orange Delight Dessert, 1968

Early Jell-O recipes, 1905

Gelatin has been around for centuries, but not in the powder form we use today. Making gelatin was a lengthy and labor-intensive process that didn't appeal much to the average housewife. Not many home cooks wanted to boil bones, hooves and tendons for hours on end. Unflavored pre-granulated gelatine came about in 1894 when Charles … Continue reading Early Jell-O recipes, 1905

Hallowe’en Salad, a Retro Gelatin Treat

A Dollop of History

To celebrate Halloween, I thought I’d do something a bit more modern. This recipe is most likely from the 1930’s or 1940’s, though the image source (chronicallyvintage.com) suggests the possibility of it being even later. There are a few clues that indicate 1940’s or earlier: the font, ingredients, and the spelling of the word Hallowe’en.

halloweensalad Fun fact: Spelling Halloween with the apostrophe is actually grammatically correct and was how children learned how to spell it in school. It is a shortened version of Hallows Eve. Over time, a grammatical error actually became the norm and now it is rare (and a little strange) to see it spelled with an apostrophe.