vegetarian jello

[PepperElf]

kinda
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agar

i was looking up Fondant at wikipedia and noticed a link to Agar as well.

Most jello is made from regular Gelatin, which comes from your friendly dead cow.


what i didn't realize was that people still eat agar... i knew it was used for microbiology and growing stuff in petri dishes...


apparently it's also used to make gelatin that strict vegetarians/vegans can eat. =)
like if a recipe calls for powered jello, just use powdered agar

cool.

[JLRodgers]

Kind of similar (actually I saw a plant that uses chicken for it....). It can set up on the counter, set with fresh pineapple in it...

And I wouldn't recommend people who like gelatin to go reading or watching how they make it -- kind of like baloney or even some vegan foods (the process is just disgusting).


The only thing it can't be used for easily is marshmallows -- as far as I know there's only two vegan marshmallow places on the planet -- and it took them years to get it right.

[Anriana]

kinda
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agar

i was looking up Fondant at wikipedia and noticed a link to Agar as well.

Most jello is made from regular Gelatin, which comes from your friendly dead cow.

And pigs.

Don't forget gelatin is also found/used in pills/vitamins, Fanta, marshmallows, frosted miniwheats, frosted pop tarts, flavored yogurt, junior mints, gummy candy, and other fun foods.

[PepperElf]

well technically the marshmallows you're use to aren't "right".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshmallow

Stems of marsh mallow were peeled to reveal the soft and spongy pith with a texture similar to manufactured marshmallow. This pith was boiled in sugar syrup and dried to produced a soft, chewy confection.

though i've been told they don't taste the same

[AccountingDrone]

Agar is actually a seaweed, not an animal - and why wouldn't people eat it? I have been using it for about 30 years now ... I am sure that wiki has a page on it.

I used t be a chef, and I have made gelatin out of a number of different critters, though my favorite is a combination of chicken and veal bones. A very delicate flavor. Used as an aspic enrobement for chilled poached salmon +)

[PepperElf]

i know, that's why it's used for vegetarian gelatin. thought it was cool
(actually the link i provided was the wiki)


i just didn't realize it was still being used for cooking.
my only experiences with it were when i took microbiology

[tropicsgoddess]

Pretty interesting.