Judy Haffner wrote:
> Julie Bove wrote:
>
>> And I don't know *anyone* who likes the
>> stuff. If it was so good you'd still be
>> seeing it in restaurants, wouldn't you? It
>> was commonly seen in dessert cases
>> when I was a kid. It's not any more.
>
> Now to me NOT liking it is VERY strange to me, or considering it a
> "sick food" is even more stranger, except that before certain tests,
> a dr. will recommend a person eat Jell-O and broth, but I've never
> eaten it just because I'm sick...very odd to me.

Well it might be odd to you but I am not the only one who mentioned this.
In our house when we were sick, Jell-O was one of the first foods we were
given during recovery. And it and broth are the first foods given in a
hospital following the recovery from an operation or some other illnesses
where the person hasn't been able to eat normally. From there we would move
on to something like plain mashed potatoes, maybe some broth with rice in
it, or Saltines. It is eaten to provide some calories and it won't tax your
digestive system to eat it. Yes, you could do the same thing with Ginger
Ale or even sugar water. But because it has some texture to it and you sort
of have to chew it, it gives you the illusion that you are actually eating
something. Which is why perhaps it is recommended.

As a kid, I would make Jell-O once in a while because it was cheap and easy
to make. My mom didn't mind my making it because I didn't usually make a
mess while making it although I can certainly see the potential for that.
It kept me busy for a while and I particularly liked stirring the ice cubes
in and watching it thicken. But much like the cakes that I also liked to
bake, nobody wanted to eat it! So she didn't let me make it very often.

I used to make it frequently for my MIL when I was cooking for her. Because
of her medical conditions, she could only eat soft foods. So I would
usually put bananas in there for additional calories. But then her health
deteriorated more to the point where she couldn't really chew well any more
and a banana posed a choking hazard. She would for whatever reason, put
something in her mouth and in an instant it would seem to get sucked into
her throat and then she'd start choking. So she is on a super special diet
now. Mainly liquids that have been thickened because is the liquid is not
thickened somewhat she will also choke on it. I would think (but am not
sure) that something like Jell-O would fit the bill there, although not
providing real nutrtion.
>
> Jell-O is popular at all brunches around here..in small individual
> bowls on the dessert table with a dab of whipped cream on top, or
> right on the salad table and then is mixed with fruit. I go to LOTS
> of potluck meals where I have yet to attend and not have at least one
> Jell-O type salad...they are always popular and usually delicious.

I have not seen it here since I was a kid. Not even at a potluck! And I
can't even remember the last time I went to a potluck either. Those seem to
be more churchy type things and we don't do church. Also popular with
military wives who live in military housing because in many places they are
somewhat isolated where they live and there isn't a heck of a lot to do
there. Or at work for various holidays but I am not employed now. They did
do potlucks when my husband was in the military but they asked that no
sweets or junk food be brought in. So I usually sent in a veggie platter or
a big pasta salad with lots of veggies in it.

As for Jell-O being delicous, I would think you could see based on the
responses that you got here, you are in the minority on that. I do remember
going to this steak house quite a lot when I was a kid. It was the one
where I won the free birthday party. They had a case of chilled desserts
and one was cubes of Jell-O. My brother always got the orange one and I got
the red one. We never ate them and merely played with them. I thought the
Jell-O was pretty and we'd turn the stemmed glasses this way and that,
watching how the sunlight played through it. Or jiggling it around. And
then my parents would get annoyed with us and tell us that we were never
going to be allowed to order it again because we wouldn't eat it. And then
of course they'd forget that they said that and we'd get it again and do it
all over again.

That steak house closed down over 30 years ago and I don't think I have seen
it in any restaurant since. Perhaps they have it at some of those buffet
type places. But if they do, I didn't pay any attention to it because I
don't eat the stuff. I think I do remember seeing it in cafeterias when I
was a kid. But the cafeteria that we had where I worked never had it. And
I don't recall seeing it recently in any hospital cafeterias. Here you can
get the pre-made stuff in little cups. And some stores will have some sort
of larger portion of something that appears to be whipped up with something.
I don't know what because I have never bought it.

We also had it served to us at school. Usually red and cut in a little
square. The thing there was to do as many disgusting things as you could
with it, without actually eating much of it. The kids would suck it through
their straw and pretty much clog it, then try to suck milk through the same
straw and squeal at how it made the milk taste bad. And the boys often blew
it out of their straws at each other. In those days I believe the straws
were still made of paper and the ones we had in school were quite thin so
not ideal for doing this stuff and they didn't last very long once we
started messing with it like that. And then of course there was flipping
the Jell-O from the spoon to see how far it would fly. Ah, those were the
days.

The way I see it, Jell-O is one of those novelty foods and for most of us
the appeal has long worn off.
>
> Jell-O doesn't have to be served plain, there are zillions of ways to
> turn it into a delicious dessert, or salad....it's wonderful stuff,
> IMO, as is, or used as a ingredient for something else, but of
> course, you probably never had it as a kid and would turn your nose
> up at it now, and eat a bowl of beans instead, but each to his own, I

Again, I think you are in the minority here with that opinion. I made it in
many ways as a kid and again when I was pregnant because for some reason
they use a lot of the sugar free stuff in diabetic recipes for salads and
desserts. And while some of them were edible, they were not overly
thilling. And rather than putting my chopped carrots, celery and walnuts in
lemon Jell-O, I'd rather just eat them as is.

I think you've had two people so far respond that they actually like Jell-O
and one say that he actually still eats it. And a few others who didn't
really say bad things about it. But most of your responses haven't been so
cheery about it.