"Bush Family Cookbook"

[BubbleheadChef]

Welcome to the site Bubblehead, do you serve aboard a boomer or a Los Angeles class sub?

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My first submarine was a Boomer (USS Kentucky), right now I am on the USS Virginia (first of the Virginia Class) and am transfering to a Los Angeles Class (USS Dallas). I am the the Chief Culinary Specialist (loosely translates to the executive chef of a smaller restaurant). Please feel free to ask me anything.

[tryska]

I'm probably lowering the tone of the discussion by moving it down from the meta-level, but I have a practical question here:

I've never come across Jello salad (whether green or of any other color) with cottage cheese, and I have a hard time imagining it.

So my question is the following one: the cottage cheese is mixed homogeneously into the Jello, or there are lumps of cottage cheese within the Jello?

(Just trying to get a better image here of what it actually is)

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From what i gather - the jello is made but not set. the cottage cheese is added, as well as fruit, and then it's put in the fridge to set.

there was nothing wiggly or jiggly about it. it just looked like vaguely greenish cottage cheese.

[JohnL]

George H.W. Bush grew up in Connecticut and attended Greenwich Country Day, Andover and Yale.  He moved to Texas and lived there for a good part of his adult life, but he's certainly not native stock.

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I will point out that most people who live in Texas for any length of time, from thereon generally refer to themselves as a Texan - deservedly so.

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Ah, see, in New York, we have standards for this sort of thing...

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Most New Yawkas are from someplace else!

but then--everybody gotta be from someplace!

[JohnL]

Welcome to the site Bubblehead, do you serve aboard a boomer or a Los Angeles class sub?

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Stop--I am choking here!

This is the single best retort I have found anywhere on the net!

by the way --to bring things full circle"

isn't this thread dealing with a British response to an American cookbook--and aren't the Brits those wonderful folks who came up with "Jellied EEL"???????????

by the way--I am an Anglophile--I have a complete set of "Carry On" flicks... and I love Fawlty Towers and Benny Hill but I draw the line at Potted Shrimp.

[Shinboners]

Some of the food reminds me of pre-1980's Australia Anglo-food. Things like "Apricot chicken" (can of apricot nectar, pack of dried Cambells french onion soup and pasta).

As a kid I loved this dish and even though it was from tins and packets, the one my grandmother Pickles made tasted better then anybody else's. I haven't eaten it for ~20 years and I wonder if I would like it now, but as part of a family cookbook I would be happy to put it in, right next to the extrodinary, authentic, made from scratch Croatian food of my grandmother Balic and my mother's "Jelly slice" (although not her tuna with cheese and Campbells mushroom soup casserole, topped with cornflakes - shudder). That's what family cookbooks are about surely?

I wonder in 50 years time if various decendents of mine will make comments like "Christ, would you look at this, sumac in everything and recipes that used real animals, not vat-meat" when they look at my recipes?

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Going back to food products of the 1950s and 1960s, I would imagine a tin of Campbells French Onion soup would be significantly different to the contents of today's version.

I wouldn't imagine that the 1950s version would have the flavour enhances, colour enhancers, preservatives, etc. that would be in today's tins. If those soups were made from proper ingredients and then tinned, then the quality of the food (and probably the flavour and texture) would be better than the chemical enhanced versions from today.

It would be interesting to compare the contents of 1950s tinned foods to their modern day counterparts.

[jackal10]

I draw the line at Potted Shrimp.

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Whats wrong with potted shrimps? Just shrimps (prawns) butter and a little nutmeg. A sort of shellfish version of confit, with the same preservation idea.

They are delicious on hot toast.

Remove the thick butter topping and spread the fishy goodness below...

[ludja]

I draw the line at Potted Shrimp.

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Whats wrong with potted shrimps? Just shrimps (prawns) butter and a little nutmeg. A sort of shellfish version of confit, with the same preservation idea.

They are delicious on hot toast.

Remove the thick butter topping and spread the fishy goodness below...

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I agree with Jackal10... yum.

I also think that Shinboners brings up a good point re the potential difference between, say, canned soups then and now. While there may have been 'advances' that help preserve the taste or freshness of a canned ingredient, I would tend to think that financial incentives would have won out in the long run, and not to the benefit of the resulting flavor or nutrition of the final product.

Edited November 30, 2005 by ludja (log)

[TPO]

George H.W. Bush grew up in Connecticut and attended Greenwich Country Day, Andover and Yale.  He moved to Texas and lived there for a good part of his adult life, but he's certainly not native stock.

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I will point out that most people who live in Texas for any length of time, from thereon generally refer to themselves as a Texan - deservedly so.

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Ah, see, in New York, we have standards for this sort of thing...

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Here in Maine, you could move here the day after you are born and live here 80 years, but you won't be a Mainer.

Since George HW Bush splits his time between Maine and Texas, by default he has to consider himself a Texan because he can't call himself a Mainer.

IF DISLIKING FISHY JELLO IS WRONG, I DON'T WANNA BE RIGHT.

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Everytime I see "fish jello" on this thread, I think of lutefisk. And how thankful I am that my Norwegian husband doesn't eat it.

Edited December 1, 2005 by TPO (log)

[Bux]

Escoffier, in his Christmas menu for 1906 lists

Gelee de Pommes de Amour aux Ecrivisses

(tomato jelly with shrimp)

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. . . .

The difference between aspic and Jell-o is clear to me. It's in the flavor. There's nothing wrong with coating cold food with gelatin or suspending quality ingredients in aspic. There is something repugnant about the artificial flavor of the Jell-o I've had. Other tastes may vary and some may rhapsodize over the combination or red and yellow flavors that make orange Jell-o.

. . . .

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It's not the gelatin that offends. Jellied eels, tripe terrine, soft boiled eggs set in an aspic made from clarified consomme are all wonderful. I love savory aspics--aslong as they're not made with sugared and artificially flavored gelatin. I supsect the reverse may be true for many others. I wonder if there's a case to be made that those who love Jello molds, have the strongest dislikes for aspics. I suppose it's a culture thing. I had a wonderful salad at Blue Hill the other night. Among the variety of textures offered by cooked, raw and pickled vegetables, there were nuts and seeds and bits of intense mushroom jelly (aspic).

[Megan Blocker]

George H.W. Bush grew up in Connecticut and attended Greenwich Country Day, Andover and Yale.  He moved to Texas and lived there for a good part of his adult life, but he's certainly not native stock.

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I will point out that most people who live in Texas for any length of time, from thereon generally refer to themselves as a Texan - deservedly so.

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Ah, see, in New York, we have standards for this sort of thing...

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Most New Yawkas are from someplace else!

but then--everybody gotta be from someplace!

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But, then, a native New Yorker may never concede that anyone else is a true New Yorker...sort of like what TPO says about Maine!

[Megan Blocker]

Escoffier, in his Christmas menu for 1906 lists

Gelee de Pommes de Amour aux Ecrivisses

(tomato jelly with shrimp)

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. . . .

The difference between aspic and Jell-o is clear to me. It's in the flavor. There's nothing wrong with coating cold food with gelatin or suspending quality ingredients in aspic. There is something repugnant about the artificial flavor of the Jell-o I've had. Other tastes may vary and some may rhapsodize over the combination or red and yellow flavors that make orange Jell-o.

. . . .

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It's not the gelatin that offends. Jellied eels, tripe terrine, soft boiled eggs set in an aspic made from clarified consomme are all wonderful. I love savory aspics--aslong as they're not made with sugared and artificially flavored gelatin. I supsect the reverse may be true for many others. I wonder if there's a case to be made that those who love Jello molds, have the strongest dislikes for aspics. I suppose it's a culture thing. I had a wonderful salad at Blue Hill the other night. Among the variety of textures offered by cooked, raw and pickled vegetables, there were nuts and seeds and bits of intense mushroom jelly (aspic).

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Here, here! Aspic and Jello are two completely different animals. While I can enjoy the artificial flavor of Jello on some days, I don't want it tainting perfectly good fruit!

[Jaymes]

I'm probably lowering the tone of the discussion by moving it down from the meta-level, but I have a practical question here:

I've never come across Jello salad (whether green or of any other color) with cottage cheese, and I have a hard time imagining it.

So my question is the following one: the cottage cheese is mixed homogeneously into the Jello, or there are lumps of cottage cheese within the Jello?

(Just trying to get a better image here of what it actually is)

From what i gather - the jello is made but not set. the cottage cheese is added, as well as fruit, and then it's put in the fridge to set.

there was nothing wiggly or jiggly about it. it just looked like vaguely greenish cottage cheese.

Ah yes, the venerable Seafoam Salad.

Lime jello, cottage cheese, crushed pineapple, mayo.

Not bad. Kinda tasty. I make it for my 89-year-old mother all the time. She loves it, and it's easy to chew.

[annecros]

It's not the gelatin that offends. Jellied eels, tripe terrine, soft boiled eggs set in an aspic made from clarified consomme are all wonderful. I love savory aspics--aslong as they're not made with sugared and artificially flavored gelatin. I supsect the reverse may be true for many others. I wonder if there's a case to be made that those who love Jello molds, have the strongest dislikes for aspics. I suppose it's a culture thing. I had a wonderful salad at Blue Hill the other night. Among the variety of textures offered by cooked, raw and pickled vegetables, there were nuts and seeds and bits of intense mushroom jelly (aspic).

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Well, I like them both, sometimes. Not always on the same day, even. It depends. Sincerely.

I think I was more open minded towards aspics, because of the savory "jello molds" I had experienced over my childhood. It was easy for me to think of something as appetizing, even though it was suspended in a cold, semi-solid medium.

After all, gelatin is simply protein.

I think that anyone that has an aversion to "congealed", just simply has an aversion to congealed. It is just not for everybody. Some get it, and some most decidely do not. I have an aversion to saurbraten, but I love some other "saured" dishes. Same mehtod, different ingredient, but very different effect on my taste buds. Go figure.

But, that is only my opinion. Drawn from personal experience and observation.

Annie

[MGLloyd]

I have to go back to the beginning of this thread. White Castle stuffing? I Googled for a recipe, and are we really talking about a stuffing made with White Castle hamburgers? We have no White Castles in the Pacific NW, although you can buy the hamburgers frozen.

[Megan Blocker]

We have no White Castles in the Pacific NW, although you can buy the hamburgers frozen.

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You can? When did this happen? I feel so out of the loop!

[jgm]

Thanks a lot, Grandma Pierce's savory jello mold salad thingy, dressed with seafood, has sent me cowering under the bed with the ferrets and a bottle of gin again. I left Kansas to get AWAY from crap like that!

K

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Well, I'm still in Kansas*, and we still eat all kinds of stuff like this.

In fact, one of our family's favorite holiday dishes is a salad that starts with orange jello, and has spiced grapes, pecans, pineapple, celery and other stuff, including a topping made of whipped cream and pineapple juice, and a sprinkling of cheese (I think it's Velveeta! ) on top. My sister and I fight over the leftovers. Blood was not drawn this year, but only because Mom intervened and portioned out the remainder of the salad herself. It's not made in a mold (it's made in a 9 x 13 pan), but the rectangular blocks cut from the pan and placed on the plate might as well be, since they hold their shape until devoured.

Keep in mind that we don't eat this way all the time. But some of these old recipes, like skeletons in the closet, just won't go away. They're part of us, our memories, and our shared experiences. We are no more willing to discontinue their use, just because they're no longer fashionable, than we are to burn our old photo albums. They ain't classy, but they are comfortable. And our particular jello sin is really very good. But you can't take it everywhere.

*No offense taken. I whine about being in Kansas all the time.

[Pontormo]

I've never come across Jello salad (whether green or of any other color) with cottage cheese, and I have a hard time imagining it.

So my question is the following one: the cottage cheese is mixed homogeneously into the Jello, or there are lumps of cottage cheese within the Jello?

(Just trying to get a better image here of what it actually is)

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Sources available online suggest there are all sorts of way to make this delicious salad.

Perhaps the most vivid image can be provided first by a souvenir pin from Salt Lake City rather than a photograph. Go down to the third row, first object on the far left.

Note the white chunks suspended in the green cubes.

Next, Kraft has another suggestion for ways to eat your fruited gelatin and cottage cheese as a dessert instead of a salad.

Finally, I am not sure the questions about the dish were inspired by the cookbook about the Bush family meals, or if we were all just talking about the kind of recipe this represents. If you're curious and wish to make it yourself, it takes less effort and fewer ingredients than that chili recipe that inspired an amusing thread earlier in the fall. Here's a recipe from a different source.

[jackal10]

4. Chill Jell-O mixture until it has consistency of egg whites

5. Beat until foamy and fold in remaining ingredients

I can just see lime jello foam as the must-have garnish in the next generation of up-scale Midwest or Washington restaurants

Note: Don't try this with fresh pineapple or juice. The bromelin attacts the gelatine and stops it setting. You have to use canned or otherwise cooked pineapple.

[Jason Perlow]

I have to go back to the beginning of this thread.  White Castle stuffing?  I Googled for a recipe, and are we really talking about a stuffing made with White Castle hamburgers?  We have no White Castles in the Pacific NW, although you can buy the hamburgers frozen.

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Yes, we are really talking about a stuffing made out of chopped up White Castle hamburgers. And you can use the frozen versions, or the fresh ones (without pickle or ketchup). I used frozen ones for the one made above.

[tryska]

you know....on review of the recipe - maybe i misunderstood the fishy jello.

looking at the recipe it doesn't mentioned flavored jello being used - jsut gelatin.

maybe it would be so bad. I mean what was really tweaking me was the idea of artificial fruit flavor mixed with fish. that just seems wrong. unless that artificial flavor is lemon and it is unsweetened.

[JohnL]

I have to go back to the beginning of this thread.  White Castle stuffing?  I Googled for a recipe, and are we really talking about a stuffing made with White Castle hamburgers?  We have no White Castles in the Pacific NW, although you can buy the hamburgers frozen.

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Yes, we are really talking about a stuffing made out of chopped up White Castle hamburgers. And you can use the frozen versions, or the fresh ones (without pickle or ketchup). I used frozen ones for the one made above.

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Arten't White castle burgers basically made of onions, beef, cereal?

and aren't a lot of stuffing recipes comprised of--meat, cereal or grain of some sort and onions?

and isn't Jello similar to aspic?

are we really that far from 'gourmet" cooking here?

[Adam Balic]

Eh, a Shetland pony and a Thoroughbred are both horse, which one would you bet on in a 100 yard dash?

edit: I have no opinion of whitecastle stuffing, I just don't follow the logic of the argument.

Edited December 1, 2005 by Adam Balic (log)

[Pontormo]

you know....on review of the recipe - maybe i misunderstood the fishy jello.

looking at the recipe it doesn't mentioned flavored jello being used - jsut gelatin.

maybe it would be so bad.   I mean what was really tweaking me was the idea of artificial fruit flavor mixed with fish.  that just seems wrong.  unless that artificial flavor is lemon and it is unsweetened.

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Maybe someone other than a shiksa should be replying, but in case you didn't know, fish gelatin is substituted for gelatin made from the customary animals for kosher products; they are generally accepted as pareve if not by all.

Marshmallows from Israel containing fish gelatin are found in greater frequency in natural food stores and supermarkets because there are vegetarians who consume fish...and shoppers who like the nice short list of natural ingredients on the packaging.

Edited December 1, 2005 by Pontormo (log)

[Adam Balic]

Isinglass - which is derived from fish swimbladders was considered the best type of gelatin in the past. Jelly made from it doesn't taste fishy.

[JohnL]

Isinglass - which is derived from fish swimbladders was considered the best type of gelatin in the past. Jelly made from it doesn't taste fishy.

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Isinglass has also long been used as a fining agent by fine wine makers.