Chill Until Set - or, Aspic For Breakfast!

We've been spending a lot of time with Annette lately, so I thought it was time to come back to Frances' kitchen.  Full disclosure here:  I did not find this recipe in Frances' diary.  This recipe has been in the back of my mind for years - nestled in the family cookbook that I love, but always a bit too weird to try.  Until now.  In honor of Mother's Day, I decided to go for it. 

This recipe is from my mother's mother's mother.  Let's break that down - my mother Guesna, her mother Frances, Frances' mother Guesna - who was the youngest daughter of Frances (whose diary we have been reading).  Apparently, my mother wanted to break the whole Frances-Guesna cycle by naming me Guesna instead of Frances.  Frances didn't write about food much in her diary, but it is not a far leap to guess that her daughter Guesna inherited the recipe.  What is this legendary and slightly terrifying recipe?  Tomato aspic.  Here we go!

Tomato Aspic

1 can (32oz) tomato juice or V-8

1 box gelatin (4 pkgs.)

1/8 cup red vinegar

1/8 cup white vinegar

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. onion salt

1 T. celery salt

4 T. Worcestershire sauce

Optional ingredients:  sliced artichoke hearts;  shrimp; olives

Mix gelatin into heated juice; add remaining ingredients.  Add optional ingredients.  Pour into two well-greased ring molds and chill until set.

First, I gathered the ingredients. I wasn’t sure what ‘red vinegar’ was, so I went with red wine vinegar from my pantry. This was my first time using gelatin, too. More on that later. I chose to make the original recipe first, without adding any optional ingredients.

This Tupperware-brand ring mold belonged to my grandmother Frances. It seemed appropriate that its inaugural (for me) use would be the famous Tomato Aspic. I greased it with butter-flavored Crisco, because I was running low on butter - the horror!

I heated the juice in a sauce pan, then added the gelatin. All at once. Which was a mistake. It clumped up and gelled together, creating a sticky mess. I recommend adding one packet at a time, stirring constantly so it incorporates evenly. That must be one of those tips that gets ‘left out’ of family recipes.

After I worked through the gelatin disaster, I added all the seasonings and poured the mixture into the greased ring mold. I didn’t need two molds - this one worked just fine.

I popped the mold into the fridge (and added the lid later) to chill and set.

Turned out onto a glass plate! There was a bit of sticking. It seems that ‘well-greased’ really meant ‘greased beyond what you think is normal.’

First slices!

For Mother's Day breakfast, I served my former fiancé (now husband!) a lovely slice of tomato aspic.  "So, it's like tomato jello?"  Obviously, he was skeptical - as was I.  After the first bite, we both concluded that it's not nearly as bad as it sounds like it would be.  Overall, it was a bit salty for my taste, so I immediately started thinking about how to adjust the recipe.  Then it hit me.  I know this taste.  The gelatin texture is new, but I am confident that I can modernize tomato aspic.  The next time I am invited to a dinner party or brunch potluck, I am bringing a Bloody Mary Aspic.  Add some chopped celery, pickled green beans or okra, and a good bit of vodka, and you will have a delicious, boozy, throwback dish that no one will expect, but everyone will love!  I'll work out the details and post when I have the amounts worked out.  Apologies to my friends and family - a lot of tomato aspics are coming your way.