Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten-Free- Theme For May

I am thrilled to be hosting this month's Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten-Free. It's a monthly blog carnival started by Naomi of Straight into Bed Cakefree and Dried. Each month has a different host with a different theme, but all recipes are gluten-free. This month's theme is:

You Say Jelly, I Say Jello

I have adored jello since childhood, which is a good thing with my southern heritage and a few years spent in Utah. Utah is considered the "Jello-Belt", and during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, there were even souvenir jello pins available. Here in the south, jello salads are a staple at summertime family gatherings. Although I was in my 30's before I knew how versatile jello can really be.

North Americans tend to think of it with fruit cocktail or mooking about the local cafeteria cubed with a dollop of rubbery whipped cream. Gelatin, however, has an intriguing double life with an international flair. The Japanese and Italians are known for using coffee in gelatin desserts. Panna Cotta is a gelatin made with cream. Blancmange, made from meat and almonds in medieval times, evolved into an almond dessert in England, and then became popular in colonial America. There is an Asian version called Annin Tofu. In Asia they also serve coconut gelatin desserts. In South America, Trembleque is a coconut milk pudding, sometimes made with gelatin. There are even jellos made with tea or wine.

Gelatin can also be a savory dish too. Tomato aspic had it's heyday in the 1950's and 1960's, as well as many other jelled appetizers. In Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Cookbook(published in 1961, illustrated by Andrew Warhol), she writes "There is no more popular jellied salad than this one (Tomato Aspic Ring) made with tomato juice". Her book contains over a dozen cold salads with gelatin including Ham Mousse, Avocado Ring Salad and Salmon Salad Mold.

The real fun with gelatin is that it you can be creative with molds, parfait glasses, terrines, etc. Use the fancy crystal bowls or the "you can't hide redneck" margarine tubs. The possibilities are endless!

So break out those lovely molds, wine goblets, or your favorite recycled margarine bowl and start jellin'. Send me a picture and the link to your recipe to innerterrain@gmail.com by May 27. Your gelatin recipe has to be gluten-free, but you don't have to be a gluten-free blogger. If you do not have a blog, email the picture and the recipe and I can post it for you. Then check back at the end of the month for the Grand Finale!

For those of you who don't already have a gelatin dish in mind, here's a list of links for inspiration.

Tips For Making Jello Salad

Tomato Aspic Ring

Jellied Fruit Terrine from Joy of Baking

Strawberry Panna Cotta from Chocolate & Zucchini

Berry and Banana Terrine from Simply Recipes

Cafe Gelatin from Uma's Kitchen

Eggnog Molded Salad from Taste of Home

Annin Tofu Recipe - Japanese Creamy Almond Gelatin Dessert from Associated Content

Maple Blancmange with Almond Praline from Food Network

1876: New Jersey Blanc Mange from the New York Times

Coconut Blancmange with Mango, Blueberries & Passion Fruit from Essentially Healthy Food

Goat Cheese and Honey Blancmange from Self Magazine

Chai Tea Gelatin from AllRecipes

Earl Grey Panna Cotta at Foodista

Gelatin Coconut from Sun Hing Foods

And just for fun Qwigglegel Realistic Body Parts Gelatin Molds at Yankee Halloween