Just before this cold snap hit, we got all salady one night. Charlie said, “You know what I haven’t had for a long time? Do you remember salads made out of Jell-O with cottage cheese in them?” Well, EVERYBODY who lived in the American Midwest during the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s remembers Jell-O and cottage cheese salad. So he wanted some, so I made some.
Jell-O Salad
Yes, it was good. It always was. It’s good, no matter what you put in it. It’s just good, that’s all. This one was lemon Jell-O, mandarin oranges, large curd cottage cheese, a touch of mayonnaise, and pecans. Hit the spot. NOT VEGETARIAN, because: Jell-O. You can probably make it with fruit juice and agar powder, instead.
While I was on the kick, I made pea salad, another of Charlie’s favorites. Again, it’s pretty flexible.
Pea Salad
This one had a base of lettuce, then frozen peas, mushrooms, celery, hard-boiled eggs, and a topping of mayonnaise mixed with about four kinds of cheese. I put pepper on mine, after serving.
The thought of cold salad makes me shudder today, but that was then.
A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: What food was typical in your main character’s childhood? Did they love it or hate it? What do they think of it now?
MA
Christine Campbell
November 19, 2014 at 10:44amThese look lovely salads for the warmer weather, and I like your writing prompt.
I have been doing a series of blogposts on Food in Fiction, Marian, and am ready to do a round up post to finish it off. One of the things I was going to suggest was using foodie writing prompts in our own fiction, and I thought I’d like to point my readers to your blog, where you usually have just such a prompt. Is that okay with you? And please could you give me the proper link to do that. Thanks, Marian.
Christine
cicampbellblog.wordpress.com
Marian Allen
November 19, 2014 at 2:12pmI’ve been enjoying your Food in Fiction posts, Christine! My first thought was THREE MEN IN A BOAT, in which food plays a big part, all three young men having hearty appetites and thirsts. 🙂
The link to this salad post is http://marianallen.com/2014/11/night-of-the-salad-food/
The link to all my food posts is http://marianallen.com/category/food-2/
Thanks for visiting! 🙂
Damyanti
November 19, 2014 at 8:21pmNever heard of a Jell-o salad!
I might try out the pea salad though– it’s perpetually warm weather in Singapore
Marian Allen
November 19, 2014 at 9:25pmThere are more kinds of Jell-O salad than you could shake a stick at. Mix fruit in, mix chopped veg in, mix whipped cream in, sprinkle the powder over fruit…. The American Midwest went CRAZY over Jell-O.
Jane
November 20, 2014 at 10:14amOK. So…I’m thinking Ambrosia Salad.
It has a base of Jell-O, with tine marshmallows (?), pecans, lots of ream Whip (Hate, just add whipped cream), pineapple bits (careful,; they can cause the Jelll-O not to set up), and, er…I’m not sure what all else, but it was usually densely creamy!
GOOD!
Marian Allen
November 20, 2014 at 10:28amYES! I think it had coconut in it, too. At our church pitch-ins, we always have a good variety of Jell-O salads. I think it’s, like, a Commandment or something. 🙂