"Jello" news and stories

We couldn't help but do a double-take when we stumbled upon these edible Jell-O cups over on The Kitchn. "Jelloware" started out as an entry in a Jell-O mold competition and now the ladies behind this clever invention are all over the internet.

The cups come in different flavors -- lemon-basil, ginger-mint, or rosemary-beet -- and are made of a gelatin substitute. They're also an environmentally friendly option to their less-tasty counterpart, the plastic cup.

Continue reading (and for more photos): Jelloware edible cups (P.S. They're vegan!)

Seltzer isn't just for drinking; here, some other ways to use it in the kitchen.

Many creative dishes were served at viewing parties across the land for last night's epic Lost series finale (our friends at TV Squad noshed on "Desmond Hume-mus" and "Jacob and Man in Black & White Cookies"), but we think the best themed dish of the evening came from this blogger, The Jello Mold Mistress of Brooklyn.

Rather than making food inspired by the characters or recreating the castaways' meals, the Mistress served up a jello representation of The Island, complete with different colors (and flavors) to mark the jungle and mountainous terrain, the sandy beach, and the vast, dark blue water.

The pistachio-coconut-blueberry mold is appropriately tropical in honor of The Island itself (the series was taped in Hawaii), and we think it earns bonus points for its ability to better withstand the pool of streaming tears the emotional episode evoked than, say, a plate of cookies.

Happy National Bavarian Cream Pie Day!

For those of you in need of a refresher, Bavarian cream is any chilled dessert consisting of custard, whipped cream, gelatin and a variety of flavorings, from chocolate, to fruit or liqueurs. Although custard and gelatins have become somewhat outdated over time -- gone is the heyday of Jello -- they've remained dulcet comfort foods and potluck classics.

May we remind you of at 1930s ad campaign for Jello, shortly after their chocolate pudding was introduced, a key ingredient in many a Bavarian cream pie:

"Jack: So Mary, why is JELL-O® like a boy just before Christmas?"

"Mary: Because it's twice as good as ever before, Jack!"

And while the novelty of easy gelatin cooking may have worn off, the flavorsome dessert has withstood the test of time.

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In this weekly series, home cook Bruce Watson works his way through a decades-old family cookbook, adapting the best recipes exclusively for Slashfood.

Looking back on my childhood, I can remember few potluck dinners that didn't feature some version of Jell-O. While my mother somehow missed out on this particular 1970s cultural phenomenon, every one of our neighbors and friends had some unique, idiosyncratic method for serving the famous gelled fruit dessert. Moreover, since I didn't get it at home, every bizarre concoction was an exciting culinary thrill for me.

Searching through my family cookbook, I was pleased to find what I am now convinced is the ultimate Jell-O dessert. The creator, Karen Mono Little, wasn't a blood relative, but her close friendship with my Aunt Evie (and amazing kitchen wizardry) gained her a place in our collection of family recipes. Although my updated version of her dessert is more naturally flavored and has much less sugar, I have to admit that it also lacks some of the savage, addictive intensity of the original. After the jump, I've included Karen's recipe as well as my own. Enjoy!