I know. You were expecting JOY. But don't you know, Joy and Jello are practically synonymous?
As a child of the '70s and '80s, jello was kind of a big deal. I can remember the first jello salad I was allowed to concot, on my own, probably around the age of 10 or 11. It was quite the responsibility. I think I went for blueberry, with blueberries IN it, and a whipped cream outline around the base. I fretted over getting the jello out of the green plastic ring. Remember these:
Yes, items from my childhood are now being sold as vintage on Etsy. Sigh.
Anyway, once I moved past that first blueberry salad-cum-dessert, I am sure I created a few dozen more during my teen years. I always focused on a good flavor-texture combo, unlike one of my grandmothers, who was notorious for her shredded carrot and orange jello salad or her lime-celery-nut jello salad. But she was aiming for a smidge of health (let's disguise the vegetables with jello)... I, on the other hand, was not.
During my college and post-college years, I sadly turned my back on jello as not chic enough to make or serve. Yes, I was one of those silly people. (And no, I didn't do jello shooters. Just wasn't my thing.)
But somewhere along the way, I let go of the "not chic enough" and went back to the "how fun!" Having a kid and watching him be just as fascinated as I was with the wiggly and wobbly pieces, maneuvering them into his mouth as a toddler surely must have influenced that. And what's not to love about the colors! I hadn't considered the whole layered thing growing up, and rarely have the patience for it now, but I still think it makes for great sport.
I sense that the jello Easter egg molds will be on my shopping list for next spring... And how fun, the sky-cloud comb!
What's your favorite jello flavor? Combination?
What's this A-Z business about? Check out my kick-off post. And stay tuned for the random joy and nonsense I concoct during the month of April!
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Wow beautiful but way beyond my level of patience. They don't sell jello in Denmark, I bought some here from Australia, the bonus kids loved everything about it except eating it :) if you google 'australian jelly slice recipe' images you will see my favourite jelly dessert, (even Danish kids like it)
ReplyDeleteI spent time in Australia in the late '80s, about a year total. What I remember about the jello are the different flavors of they had there. I think I even brought some passion fruit jello back with me. Thanks for the blast from the past...
DeleteJust googled the jelly slice--that looks pretty good! Yum.
DeleteI don't know this joy thing, but jello I can get behind :) The cloud jello looks like so much fun.
ReplyDeletehttp://intoabarrel.blogspot.com/
Funny, Kathy. Thanks for coming by. I think the cloud jello looks fun, not sure I could eat a whole parfait glass of it though--I think the white is Cool Whip. That's too much Cool Whip for me!
DeleteI am not a jello fan. Mostly because it's kind of a cultural Mormon icon. Green jello and raisins, or green jello and (gag!) carrots. Seriously, that's some messed up shiz. ;)
ReplyDeleteCome on up for a jello outing, and I will change your mind! ;) Ha. OK, we can stay with the breakfast plan, I'm cool with that. xo
DeleteI've never been a huge fan of jello, but one time I had a really terrible throat infection and it was literally the only thing I could eat for days. You can bet I devoured it then!
ReplyDeleteAshlee / Ramblings of a Silly Girl
I had some friends whose mom would make them jello when they were sick as kids... it made me a little jealous, as my mom was pretty anti-sugar when I got sick. Jello while tucked into bed? How awesome. Ha.
DeleteSorry I have not been able to comment on all your blogs... you are just one blog-aholic!
ReplyDeletei have read them all... but this jello thing is too good not to respond to.
I just split laughing about grandmas jello disguises.
Keep on having fun with this.
It has been a lot of fun, Pa. Thanks for commenting on jello! I have great memories of Grandma G's jello salads...
DeleteSafe travels! xo
Jello never was a big thing in Sweden but I've seen it. It just looks so....loaded with chemicals. But probably not worse than whatever candy that is available out there.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you're right, Susanne--the dyes are probably the biggest part of the chemicals, but sugar isn't generally a great thing either. So, I'll have it once a year and be happy with the wiggly woggly on my tongue! :)
DeleteHa! I even still have that jello mold, although I don't remember the last time I used it. Someone else did a post on jello, and I was telling her that I don't know of anyone who eats it much anymore, but I did come across a fantastic book called the Joys of Jello, which I bought, for $2.50 and just for nostalgia purposes. The pictures are fab, similar to the ones you posted. Stopping by from the A-Z and I'm your newest follower.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by, Cathy. Sometimes I don't think many people make Jello either, but then I see all those pictures on Pinterest and it seems maybe there are more than one would imagine. Probably mostly people with toddlers!
DeleteThanks for coming by!
I am still laughing about your jello posting...what a hoot!!!
ReplyDeleteI actually like Grandma G's jello salad...I quit making them because she was such an expert and I felt I would get all I needed just hanging around her.
Keep on, keeping on, dear girl.
Cloudjello looks cool!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter can't say 'jello' - she calls it jelly :)
Jelly is what they call it in the UK and Australia, so your daughter would be right at home there! I like the look of cloud jello, but I'm not really into Cool Whip... I'll have to figure out an alternative.
DeleteJ: Vegetables in Jell-O are so, so wrong.
ReplyDeleteI remember way back in the fall of 1986 that you and I made dinner for a coupla boys we were trying to impress, and our dessert was some kind of Jell-O dish made with 7-Up instead of water. I don't remember anything else about the evening (that I care to share), but a few years later Jell-O had an ad campaign suggesting a delightful treat could be had by using 7-Up in the place of water. I was all WHAAAAT? I've been doing that ever since Sherilee gave me the idea when we were mere CHILDREN. You should totally get the credit for that one. ;)
Yes, trendsetter that I am in the Jello arena... That memory is making me laugh, Jen! (Now, sadly, I can't remember who the boys were... wow. Old.)
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