On Jello...

As I somewhat jokingly referred to on my local political blog I'm not up to heavy duty discussions or commentary at the moment beyond discussing something as weighty as why I prefer Jello rather than the Kroger brand of gelatin.

There are very few times when I prefer the name brand over the store brand but gelatin is one of them. Instant pudding is another thing I don't really like, to me cooked pudding is better, though the "Thank you" brand of pudding in a can is not bad.

Today however, the dietary choices in the household are between the Kroger brand of pre-made gelatin in these little cups (someone who will remain nameless bought sugar free) and the Royal brand of gelatin which is above the Kroger brand yet still not as flavorful as Jello. Hence the Royal red rasberry gelatin won out because it was tastier, was less rubbery and was not sugar free. When experiencing the joy of a clear diet you really don't have to worry about the calories in your gelatin. The beverage of choice since my usual diet Pepsi is off limits is Canada Dry Ginger Ale. I have been assured that some "real" Jello, preferably Lemon will be made available later. Yes, it is a sure sign of how I am feeling that I am actually looking forward to that.

I learned yesterday thru one of my daughters who works at a Lebanese restaurant that some of the muslims she works with will not eat jello because gelatin can come from pork or beef. In checking the Jello website, their answer to how gelatin is made is kind of iffy:

Gelatin is made from collagen, a protein that comes from animals used for food, like beef or pork. Production of gelatin is under supervision of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). During the manufacturing of gelatin, chemical changes take place so that the final product, the composition, and identity of the original material is completely eliminated. Because of this, gelatin isn't considered a meat by the United States Government.

I do know there are specific brands of gelatin on the market designed for vegetarians but have to admit this makes me curious as to how it can not be considered meat if it is not artifically created....

:-)