@bright-opal that is a beautiful post. It’s it wonderful when we love and appreciate who we really are? We all hopefully will realize this before we transition to another place. Keep growing and glowing. Your light shines through your words. Sending you love and light Thanks for your story. Blessings to Jeanne for this amazing, peaceful, teaching place. I know it’s a balm for me. So grateful for everyone ❤️☮️
@polarberry I've never heard of congealed salad. It sounds like a really bad thing that is in fact a really good thing?
It's basically Jell-O with stuff (fruits and/or vegetables) suspended or stirred into it. Pineapple, buttermilk, whipped cream. Lots of people love it, I guess, but I hate Jello-O! Mom would make it sometimes.
Celery permanently immobilized in orange gelatin is what I'd get for dessert in Hell!
If you google it you'll pull up all kinds of delightful images and recipes.
@jeanne-mayell My mother and older ladies in the southern branch of my family made Jello concoctions all the time. My great-aunt had a recipe called "Sunshine Salad " which consisted of shredded carrots and orange slices in orange jello, served on a bed of lettuce. I never thought much of it but for some reason it was a big thing on special occasions. And I remember some fancy creation that involved layering cream cheese with lime jello. Weird.
Congealed salads can be served with a meal as a "salad" or , if you shoot some whipped cream on top, as a dessert. (Frankly I think they are a poor excuse for either one.)
Jello with coconut inside is super gross.
Extended family from Ohio sent us a community recipe book from their church a few years ago, and there were a number of “ambrosia-of-(fill in the blank)” desserts that sounded like lazy, awful-tasting concoctions from the 1950s and 60s. I’ve heard of their equally suspect jell-o and aspic counterparts, but never thought of them as being distinctly Southern. I think jell-o salads belong to a whole class of American dishes born at the dawn of the refrigerator era that we can forget about.
Separately, I think Southern comfort food will be our national cuisine pretty soon as plant hardiness zones and people migrate northward in response to global warming. I don’t mind that shift (as long as there’s no jello involved).
I'm wondering if you're talking about a recipe from the 1950's called Under-The-Sea-Salad. It had pears, lime Jell-O and cream cheese. The lime jello was like a green skating rink on top. ?
Lawdy, I am enjoying this thread. I'm a mid-century reincarnate when it comes to food and decor
Since we're on the subject of food, I just wanted to say I have really, really enjoyed my time here in Kentucky. The food is top notch! Here's a picture of me just after breakfast this morning after a week of southern cooking!
I'm really enjoying this food conversation. @jeanne-mayell, I laughed out loud when you said "I've never heard of congealed salad. It sounds like a really bad thing, that is in fact a really good thing?" I've seen, and unfortunately tasted, many of the "salad" concoctions you all have described. Whenever I would hear that aspic was on the menu, I would run in the opposite direction.
@polarberry @ana, thankfully the "Under the Sea" salad doesn't contain fish.
@dannyboy, I choked on my coffee when I saw your post! Thank you for that.