A Gelatin By Any Other Name…

Most regular readers are well aware of the recurring, wiggling, jiggling, and sometimes frightening gelatin recipes that appear on our blog.  Last summer, we featured a 1960 publication from Knox Gelatine, Inc. But, given the long history of the company, that was actually a more recent publication. This week, we’re taking a look back at some our early publications (1910s-1940s) from the previous incarnations of the company, first established as the Charles B. Knox Co. in 1891, and later known as the Charles B. Knox Gelatine Co. and Knox Gelatine, Inc. (The company was eventually purchased and now owned by Kraft, Inc.) Two of these pamphlets are brand new and all come from Ms2011-002, our Culinary Pamphlet Collection

Below, you’ll find salads, main dishes, and desserts that use everything from hot asparagus juice to prunes, from macerated berries to boiling tomato juice, from canned fish to canned juice, and from macaroon crumbs to mayo mixed with cream cheese. Shapes range from rings and “melons” (aka the “bicycle helmet”) to multi-faceted art deco structures and sea creatures. Oh, and plenty of loaves…

Samples recipes (1). Even in the 1910s, gelatine was making its way into every course throughout the day!

Samples recipes (2)

Sample recipes (3)

Front cover

Sample recipes (1)

Sample recipes (2). Spoiler alert: The “Watermelon Dessert” doesn’t contain watermelon, even if it designed to resemble one!

Front cover

Sample recipes (1)

Sample recipes (2). You might do a double-take before you realize the images and the recipes on these pages don’t go together…

Images

Front and back covers

Flavors and sample recipes

Sample recipes. If this spread does anything, it does remind us of the versatility of gelatine!

Front cover

Ad and sample recipe

Sample recipes

Diet tips! A later pamphlet, published in the 1960s, was dedicated exclusively to using Knox Gelatine as a diet plan.

Front cover

Sample recipe (and yes, that middle layer is mayonnaise and cream cheese!)

Sample recipes (images)