College Educated: Cauliflower!

I had some serious doubts that this post was going to happen.  There are times when writers have an idea and then simply can't come up with a good hook.  Well, that's why I have a serious collection of food reference books!  I knew I would find something...anything, to connect this recipe with something unusual and vintage and after much page flipping found this,

"In Mark Twain's words, 'cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.' The name of this elegant member of the cabbage family comes from the Latin caulis (stalk) and floris (flower).  Cauliflower comes in three basic colors: white (the most popular and readily available), green and purple (a vibrant violet that turns pale green when cooked).  The entire floret portion (called the 'curd') is edible.  Choose a firm cauliflower with compact florets; the leaves should be crisp and green with no sign of yellowing.  The size of the head doesn't affect the quality."

I found the above information and Twain quote in 'The Food Lover's Companion' by Sharon Tyler Herbst and Ron Herbst.  An incredible resource!  As we have a recent college graduate - I thought it was appropriate.  My son is the young man in the middle of the other journalism graduates from Central Connecticut State University.  I think Mark Twain would be proud of their bravery for majoring in journalism at this particular time in history. 

I've had this newspaper clipping for a 'low-cal' vegetable salad mold that uses cauliflowerets and claims that there are only 45 calories per serving - hmmm.  I'm not sure about that but judge for yourself.  As always, these recipes are provided purely for entertainment.  This one actually requires an overnight marinade of vegetables and dealing with 'unmolding'.  These salad molds were very popular in the late 60's and early 70's when bizarre and funky foods were the standard fare and women had plenty of time to fret over the 'setting of the mold'!  Without further ado...

Vegetable Salad Mold Italiano

1 small cucumber, diced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup diced green pepper
1 cup small cauliflowerets
1/2 cup bottled low calorie Italian dressing
2 envelopes unflavored gelatine
2 cups cold water

In large bowl, toss vegetables with low calorie Italian dressing; marinate in refrigerator overnight.  In medium saucepan, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over 1/2 cup water; let stand until gelatin is moistened.  Place over low heat; stir constantly until gelatin dissolves, about five minutes.*  Remove from heat, stir in remaining one and one-half cups water.  Stir gelatin into vegetable mixture; turn into six-cup mold and chill until firm.  Makes eight servings.

*I'm sorry.  Just the idea of standing over gelatin and stirring it for five minutes straight is enough to make me run from the kitchen. 

Now.  Read these directions for unmolding this 'salad'.

Gelatin dishes are simple to unmold when you know how.  Dip the mold in warm (not hot) water to the depth of  its contents.  Loosen around the edge with the tip of a paring knife.  Place a serving dish tightly on top of the mold and turn it upside down.  Shake, holding the serving dish to the mold.  If gelatin does not readily slip out, repeat the procedure.


You've got to be kidding me.  No wonder women were so anxious to get back into the workforce.  I'm just imagining how many times gelatin salad molds ended up decorating the kitchen floor instead of a dining room table!  You know it had to happen!!  To read more about gelatine check out this Wikipedia link.  Here's another link from www.foodtimeline.org about all things gelatine.  Now you'll know why any form of vegeterian won't eat jell-o or anything with gelatine!   I left the 'e' on that last spelling of gelatine.  It seems that the word has been spelled with the e and without over the years.  Also, unmold can be found spelled as 'unmould'.  Take your pick - I'm pretty sure the spellings of both words can be found to be historically correct!