Glossary: gelatin

An odorless, tasteless and colorless thickening agent, which when dissolved in hot water and then cooled, forms a jelly. It's useful for many purposes such as jelling molded desserts and salads, thickening cold soups and glazing chaud-froid preparations. Gelatin is pure protein derived from bones, cartilage, tendons and other connective tissue of animals. Much of the commercial gelatin today is a by-product of pig skin. Until the advent of commercial gelatin in the late 19th century, jelled dishes were not very popular because housewives had to make their own jelling agent by laboriously boiling calves' feet or knuckles. Their only alternative was to use either the hard-to-obtain isinglass (gelatin from fish air bladders) or carrageen (a dried seaweed product). Granulated gelatin is the most common form of unsweetened commercial gelatin on the market. It's packaged in boxes of 1a

From THE NEW FOOD LOVERS COMPANION, Fourth edition by Sharon Tyler Herbst and Ron Herbst. Copyright © 2007, 2001, 1995, 1990 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc.