Manhattan Salad

“This is an especially fine salad.”

Jell-O, America’s Most Famous Dessert

Manhattan Salad
1 ¾ cups boiling water
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup sugar (scant)
1 cup granny smith apples
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup celery
lettuce (optional)

1. Combine gelatin with ¼ cup water. Let sit for five minutes.
2. Heat remaining water until boiling and add gelatin. Stir until dissolved.
3. Add lemon juice and refrigerate until viscous.
4. Mix in apples, pecans, and celery. Stir to combine and pour into a single or individual molds.
5. If desired, serve on lettuce leaves.

Original Recipe                  
JELL-O America’s Most Famous Dessert, c. 1920

Dissolve one package of Lemon Jell-O in a pint of boiling water. While it is cooling, chop one cup tart apples, one cup English walnuts, one cup celery, and season with salt. Mix these ingredients and pour over them the Jell-O. Cool in individual moulds, and serve on crisp lettuce leaves with mayonnaise dressing. This is an especially fine salad.

Lemon Jelly
Charles B. Knox Gelatine Co.’s Dainty Desserts for Dainty People, c. 1920

2 envelopes Knox Sparkling Gelatine.
1 ½ cups sugar.
2 cups cold water.
3 cups boiling water.
1 pint lemon juice.

Soak the gelatine in the cold water five minutes and dissolve with the boiling water; add the sugar and stir until dissolved and cooled; then add the lemon juice and strain through a cheese cloth into molds.

Comments: Oh, glorious Manhattan! Known for its museums, theaters, parks and…gelatin salad? Eh, perhaps not. This salad, though not especially fine, is a pleasant addition to a family meal.

I made a few changes to the original recipe. After replacing the lemon Jell-O packet with lemon juice and a reduced amount of sugar, I decide to omit the salt. I also substituted pecans for the walnuts to eliminate the chalky texture that my tasters dislike. If pecans are not available to you, toasting the walnuts would also enhance the texture and flavor in a favorable way.

I also chose to serve the salad without the mayonnaise; though it’s an unnecessary addition, it would add a tangy bite for those who prefer a dressing on their gelatin.

This salad is easy to make and easy to enjoy.