Editor’s note: Christa and I work tandem on the food column these days. She writes the stories and I take the photos.
I love Christa’s yummy un-jello Jello recipe this week. But, my family is totally not down with melon – of any kind. So, you’ll see that the photo doesn’t really look like an apple juice and melon Kanten.
That’s because it isn’t.
Recipes are all about substitution, especially when it comes to meeting your family’s needs or dealing with allergies. Kanten is the perfect treat because you can, literally, do anything you want with it in terms of flavours and fruits.
We used pomegranate juice, cherries and raspberries in the Kanten that is pictured, as cantaloupe induces a rash at our house. I am confident the melon version is just as spectacularly delish. We gobbled our Jello mold full of goodness in about 20 minutes.
As a child of the 80’s and early 90’s, I’ve often felt as though I missed out on something in the 1970’s.
It’s not any one thing in particular; so much as it is a general esthetic and vibe.
When I see the bell-bottomed childhood photos of friends who can remember watching Happy Days and The Brady Bunch before they were dated repeats, I feel a teeny pinch of injustice that I was not born early enough to enjoy one of the kitschiest decades ever.
In place of a 70’s childhood, I have a love for all things kitschy and before my time.
This is especially true in our kitchen, which houses an ever growing collection of vintage goodies, from salt and pepper shakers and magnets, to an assortment of cookbooks handed down from my grandmothers.
Photos featured in these dated cookbooks take me back to a time when everything was deliciously simple. Where there was dessert every night, hams were topped with pineapple and maraschino cherries, and the calorie counting wasn’t- judging by the cookbook content- really happening yet.
Finding inspiration in nostalgic treats comes naturally in the Summer- the season where so many kitschy traditions- camping, barbeques, picnics- still live.
These days, however, the nostalgic recipes need a face lift, in light of what we know about healthy eating.
In an effort to recreate the nostalgic feel of Jello or jellied salad, today I have a new, health conscious summertime potluck staple, free of neon food dyes, canned fruit and animal collagen.
Kanten (also known as agar agar- a vegetable based gelatin), gives this Watermelon & Cantaloupe Kanten its jiggle, while real juice and fresh fruit replace the chemical unknowns of traditional Jello powder and ingredients such as mini marshmallows and whipped topping. This benefits not only the health of the kids in the long run, but of course spares you the turbo kiddo sugar high resulting from the classic dish.
Be sure to leave the simmering of hot liquids to an adult while the kids have a blast experimenting with the melon baller, and scooping out portions of wiggly summer fun once it’s set in the fridge.
Watermelon & Cantaloupe Kanten, adapted from Body & Soul Magazine
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
1 cantaloupe (about 3 pounds), halved and seeded
1 wedge seedless watermelon (about 2 pounds)
3 cups apple cider or apple juice
1 cup water
1/3 cup Kanten or agar agar flakes
1/4 cup honey
Directions:
1. Scoop out cantaloupe and watermelon with a melon baller (yields about 8 cups total) and put in a 9-by-5-inch (8 cup) loaf pan; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring cider, water, and Kanten to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the kanten is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
3. Turn off heat and stir in honey until dissolved; cool to room temperature.
4. Pour cooled liquid over the melon and set aside at room temperature until set, about 3 hours.
5. Invert the Kanten onto a platter. Slice into individual portions and serve. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to two days.
