The dreaded jello mold

Knitting news first. I have finished the front of the Train Track vest. I have to wash and block it to match the back before I sew it together, but it is done. I'm working on the Forbes Forest scarf, as I'd like to finish that next. Then, who knows? The batteries to the camera need charging so no pictures today.

I'm hostessing the Family Thanksgivng Dinner this year and Mom and I have been menu planning and shopping. You know how you always have to have the "traditional" dishes that are family favorites? Well, we're skipping the dreaded jello mold this time. It's a 50's recipe and is made in two layers in a fancy mold. The first layer (which is on top when unmolded) is lime jello with cream cheese beaten into it and canned, pitted black cherries are then added. The second layer (on the bottom when unmolded) is black cherry jello with mixed fruit added. The fruit comes frozen and is of the deluxe variety. It is always tricky deciding when the jello is set "enough" but not too much to add the fruit so that it is suspended in the jello, but Mom has become proficient at that with practice all these years. The "dreaded" part is unmolding the thing. Over the years we have tried varying both the temperature of the water and the number of seconds you dip the mold into the water to loosen the jello for unmolding. We have tried more variations than you would think possible. If you get it just right, the jello holds it shape and graces the buffet beautifully. Unfortunately, more often than not it does not, and breaks, melts or falls apart. Usually AFTER it has been unmolded and the platter containing it placed on the buffet. This quite messy, but it does have the benefit of entertaining the troops, so to speak. We have tried making and serving the jello in a flat glass pan (hey, we're not totally stupid) and cutting it into squares, but this solution meets with disapproval from the purists in the crowd. Anyway, there are no jello-loving children coming this year, and daughter Chris, our staunchest traditionalist, will be in Washington cooking for the in-laws this year. So, Mom and I are crossing the dreaded jello mold off the dinner menu this year. Heh, heh. Of course, the family dinner on Christmas Eve is coming ...