Morristown Food Corner: Jell-O is good, but is it a baked good?
Posted by Career Network on February 13, 2012 · Leave a Comment
By Beth Kujan
New crisis: Is it right to make Jell-O for bake sales and tournament snacks?
On the
one hand, it’s a snack that slakes the thirst. If you skip the step of adding the cold water, you can cut the Jell-O into blocks.
These little jewels can be picked up with two fingers and popped right into your mouth. Back when I was a kid, solid Jell-O was called “Knox Blox” and they had a cream cheese layer between two fruit-flavored layers.
Lime Jell-O with shredded carrots and celery used to be considered a vegetable. I shudder to think what Michelle Obama would say about that now. Then again, with pizza as a vegetable, crunchy green Jell-O doesn’t seem that bad.
There’s nothing faster and cheaper to make or deliver than Jell-O made with half the water. The sugar-free flavors are quite good–indistinguishable from the sugar versions in taste tests using undiscerning teenagers.
I understand that Jell-O is not locally sourced — it comes from the “U.S. and Canada.” Even so, I contend that it supports the local economy. International Flavors and Fragrances is headquartered in Northern Jersey. In fact, most of the secretive flavor industry is right in our backyard.
On the other hand, my husband says “some things just aren’t done.” Like picking up Jell-O with your fingers. He’s not a guy with a terribly broad view of the word “bake.” A bake sale involves baked goods. Jell-O is not baked. And besides, anyone who panders to teens’ tastes like this should be suspect. It’s artificial. It’s cheap and easy. What if everyone did this?
To shore up my bake sale offering, I made a different old-timey favorite — the Jell-O parfait with lots of sliced grapes and oranges. It works as a tart-winter-fruit delivery vehicle.
The parfaits sold at the bake sale for $1. Same as brownies. Brownies were more popular, yet all the parfaits sold. Not every cookie did. Nice to watch the triumph of fruit over fat- and sugar bombs. Even if it is coasting on the novelty factor.
Still, I believe there’s a place for super cheap, easy and pandering desserts.
The first time we delivered Jell-o squares to a high school fencing match, a senior was picking up a piece with her hands, and said, “You know, this is awesome in a gross sort-of way.” My daughter, a freshman beamed. So did I when I realized we’re retro-cool.
