The fifties are not often considered the zenith of the American culinary tradition. This is an unsupported claim, but it seems cotton to popular sentiment. Most people would probably choose the eighties or the perhaps the turn of the twentieth century, if asked. However, I would argue that the foods of the fifties embodied the zeitgeist of their era in a more outright way than at any other point in history. Indeed, to the people who were inventing them, engineering them, and eating them, the foods of the fifties were the foods of the future. And of all the foods of the fifties, surely the paragon of them was Jello Salad.
Gelatins and aspics had been eaten as traditional foods in both Europe and America since the fifteenth century, but they were difficult to make and were mostly considered luxuries that could only be enjoyed by the wealthy. It was not until the twentieth century that they took on a far more egalitarian and indeed American identity.
During the Second World War, the US military funneled millions of dollars into research on food technology. Specifically, they needed meals for soldiers on the frontline that were inexpensive to produce, portable, easily prepared, and would last indefinitely. After the war, the advances made in refrigeration, powderization technology, machine packaging, and food preservation would all prove essential to transforming Jello from a food of the rich to the food of all.
Strangely enough, mass-made Jello was actually invented much earlier (in 1881, making it 32 years older than the US Federal Reserve), but it was in the baby boomer cohort that it found its heyday. In the midst of the macabre of the World Wars, many became disillusioned with what was traditional and ‘the way things used to be’, so to speak. What emerged in response was a slingshot effect that shifted the cultural center of gravity––from one with its feet rooted firmly in the past to one that was bounding towards the future at a breakneck pace. The modernist movement had profound impact on American society, and the fifties saw the masses embracing the excitement and freedom of new ways of living, made possible through new technologies in a period of tremendous economic possibilities. Yet simultaneously, Americans felt the need to champion their national brand of domestic capitalism as an Aegis against the radically liberal yet ascetic new Soviet culture. The emergence of Home Economics classes as a standard part of the American high school and collegiate curriculum encouraged young mothers to rely less on the heritage recipes of their parents and grandparents and instead embrace spiffy new convenient foodstuffs.
With its bright new colors and seemingly endless stream of potential uses, Jello seemed like the food of astronauts, of time travelers, of a utopian future (indeed, a popular recipe from this period was called “Salad Utopia,” featuring whipped cream, canned fruit, and cheddar cheese). It didn’t matter if it came from a box, since everything else that was new and cool seemed to come in a can. Artificial was good. Especially in the Midwest, sheltered from the stream of immigrants from South America, Asia, and Africa who brought “ethnic” cuisine to the coasts, Jello represented a novel yet wholly American invention, one that was beloved at potlucks and church suppers.
There were many learning opportunities I encountered while making Jello Salad. Firstly, fruits and vegetables already contain a fair amount of residual water, so it is advisable to slightly reduce the amount of water utilized in preparing the Jello (perhaps a tablespoon less per packet). Secondly, it is important to make sure to peel off the rinds of the orange slices. Thirdly, DO NOT ADD PINEAPPLE TO YOUR JELLO. I did not know this the first time I made this salad, and I ended up with so much lime-flavored soup. People who claim to have anecdotal evidence of making Jello with pineapple are surely lying or have an incorrect memory, as the enzymes in pineapple inexorably prevent gelatin from setting properly. Fourthly, it is extremely important that you cover your jello salad while it is chilling, especially if you are placing it in a communal refrigerator alongside various stinky leftovers. Gelatin is extremely susceptible to absorbing odors from the air, and a rank, warmed-over flavor is not welcome alongside the vegetal and fruity notes of this dish.
For example, a jello salad might have green from a lime-flavored gelatin, brown from nuts or pretzels, white from bits of cottage cheese, and red and orange from fruit cocktail. Therefore, it has a “salad appearance” (small pieces of food) although it is held firm in gelatin (like aspic).
With its bright new colors and seemingly endless stream of potential uses, Jello seemed like the food of astronauts, of time travelers, of a utopian future (indeed, a popular recipe from this period was called “Salad Utopia,” featuring whipped cream, canned fruit, and cheddar cheese). It didn’t matter if it came from a box, since everything else that was new and cool seemed to come in a can. Artificial was good. Especially in the Midwest, sheltered from the stream of immigrants from South America, Asia, and Africa who brought “ethnic” cuisine to the coasts, Jello represented a novel yet wholly American invention, one that was beloved at potlucks and church suppers.
During the Second World War, the US military funneled millions of dollars into research on food technology. Specifically, they needed meals for soldiers on the frontline that were inexpensive to produce, portable, easily prepared, and would last indefinitely. After the war, the advances made in refrigeration, powderization technology, machine packaging, and food preservation would all prove essential to transforming Jello from a food of the rich to the food of all.
Gelatins and aspics had been eaten as traditional foods in both Europe and America since the fifteenth century, but they were difficult to make and were mostly considered luxuries that could only be enjoyed by the wealthy. It was not until the twentieth century that they took on a far more egalitarian and indeed American identity.
There were many learning opportunities I encountered while making Jello Salad. Firstly, fruits and vegetables already contain a fair amount of residual water, so it is advisable to slightly reduce the amount of water utilized in preparing the Jello (perhaps a tablespoon less per packet). Secondly, it is important to make sure to peel off the rinds of the orange slices. Thirdly, DO NOT ADD PINEAPPLE TO YOUR JELLO. I did not know this the first time I made this salad, and I ended up with so much lime-flavored soup. People who claim to have anecdotal evidence of making Jello with pineapple are surely lying or have an incorrect memory, as the enzymes in pineapple inexorably prevent gelatin from setting properly. Fourthly, it is extremely important that you cover your jello salad while it is chilling, especially if you are placing it in a communal refrigerator alongside various stinky leftovers. Gelatin is extremely susceptible to absorbing odors from the air, and a rank, warmed-over flavor is not welcome alongside the vegetal and fruity notes of this dish.
Strangely enough, mass-made Jello was actually invented much earlier (in 1881, making it 32 years older than the US Federal Reserve), but it was in the baby boomer cohort that it found its heyday. In the midst of the macabre of the World Wars, many became disillusioned with what was traditional and ‘the way things used to be’, so to speak. What emerged in response was a slingshot effect that shifted the cultural center of gravity––from one with its feet rooted firmly in the past to one that was bounding towards the future at a breakneck pace. The modernist movement had profound impact on American society, and the fifties saw the masses embracing the excitement and freedom of new ways of living, made possible through new technologies in a period of tremendous economic possibilities. Yet simultaneously, Americans felt the need to champion their national brand of domestic capitalism as an Aegis against the radically liberal yet ascetic new Soviet culture. The emergence of Home Economics classes as a standard part of the American high school and collegiate curriculum encouraged young mothers to rely less on the heritage recipes of their parents and grandparents and instead embrace spiffy new convenient foodstuffs.
Although Jell-O salad may seem to be an antiquated dish of the 1950s, in some ways, it remains with us. You can find the makings of a Jell-O salad at many buffet-style restaurants. Cubes of gelatin are sometimes placed next to creamy potato salad and an array of salad vinaigrettes. HuffPost states that in the 1950s and 1960s, Jell-O salads were frequently savory. Today, some still dare to serve the sweet variant, adorned with syrupy fruits and mounds of Cool Whip.
The first popular Jell-O salad was Perfection Salad, invented in 1904 by Mrs. John E. Cook of Pennsylvania (via Recipe Curio). While Mrs. Cooks recipe came in third in a contest, her recipe remained a mainstay in American households for decades. Perfection Salad is as close to a salad as a Jell-O-based dish can get: Shredded cabbage, bell peppers, celery, pimiento, and olives are mixed into vinegar and lime gelatin. Then, the solidified Jell-O is cubed and served with a mayonnaise dressing, giving it a creamy contrast.
This unique recipe became a popular dish due to its and a couple of socio-historical factors. After World War II, American women were both housewives and employees (via New-York Historical Society). The answer to their busy lifestyles was easy-prep goods like instant coffee, Spam, and instant gelatin. However, Serious Eats notes that the trend of preparing cheap and quick meals was frowned upon as lazy and even unloving. To combat this sentiment, women put time and effort into dressing up these so-called “lazy” dishes. Cookbooks contained dozens of complex recipes that utilized instant ingredients — one being instant Jell-O. Thus began the heyday of Jell-O salad: A difficult dish that utilized a convenient product. Jell-O salads arent as trendy as they used to be, but we can see odes to this dish in todays fruit salads and Jell-O treats.
Why was Jell-O salad so popular back in the day? One could point to the French culinary staple, aspic, which is what Jell-O aspired to be. Aspic is a solidified meat broth that French cooks used to make savory jellies. According to The Travel, these fanciful, chilled dishes would contain suspended pieces of fish, meats, and hard-boiled eggs. At the time, the finishing dish seemed stunning. The meats looked as if they were being displayed in glass. But Jell-O salad has its own complex history in the United States. With the advent of instant gelatin in the mid-1800s, Jell-O dishes became the equivalent of an easy chilled casserole, per the HuffPost.
The History of Jell-O Salad
FAQ
Why is Jell-O no longer popular?
What is the meaning of gelatin salad?
Do people still eat jello salad?
What is the John E Cook Jello salad?
What is a jello salad?
Jello salad is an American salad made with flavored gelatin, fruit, and sometimes grated carrots or (more rarely) other vegetables. Other ingredients may include cottage cheese, cream cheese, marshmallows, nuts, or pretzels. Jello salads were popular in the 1960s and are now considered retro.
Who invented Jell-O salad?
Perfection Salad and domesticity Aleron Val/Shutterstock The first popular Jell-O salad was Perfection Salad, invented in 1904 by Mrs. John E. Cook of Pennsylvania (via Recipe Curio). While Mrs. Cook’s recipe came in third in a contest, her recipe remained a mainstay in American households for decades.
Why is Jell-O salad so popular?
But Jell-O salad has its own complex history in the United States. With the advent of instant gelatin in the mid-1800s, Jell-Odishes became the equivalent of an easy chilled casserole, per the HuffPost. Perfection Salad and domesticity Aleron Val/Shutterstock
Why was jello salad popular in the 1960s?
Jello salad was popular in the 1960s because people were looking for ways to serve salads and other types of food without making a mess. Since gelatin holds all the ingredients together, serving and eating a wide variety of molded food became neater and more preferable, especially for wives and the cooks of the house.