immobilized in place and bond to each other
quickly and randomly, so the bonds and the
structure of the network are relatively weak.
When allowed to set slowly at room
temperature, the gelatin molecules have time
to move around and form more regular helix
junctions, so once it forms, the network is
more firm and stable. In practice, jellies
should be set in the refrigerator to minimize
the growth of bacteria. Gelatin bonds continue
to form slowly in the solid jelly, so snap-
chilled jellies become as firm as slow-chilled
jellies after a few days.
Jellies from Meat
and Fish: Aspics
Meat and fish jellies go back to the Middle
Ages (p. 584), and are still delightful
showpieces. They’re made much as
consommé is, ideally from a flavorful meat
stock — often cooked with a veal foot to