Cool Barbecue

Barbecue is popular in the summer, but aren't some days too hot for this warm-weather activity? When you want your barbecue and don't want open flames, the 1963 Joys of Jello has you covered.

Simply use "Barbecue Cubes" to accent your summer salads. (I can't shake the feeling that several people suggested that "Barbecubes" would be a better name for them, but Peggy Hill was in charge of editing and insisted on "Barbecue Cubes." You Propane Maniacs out there know what I mean!)

So how does one make Barbecubes? (I'm overriding Peggy's editorial choice. She shouldn't be associated with these anyway since Hank would never approve of Jello-fied barbecue sauce.)

Lemon gelatin with tomato sauce, vinegar, and any of your favorite barbecue seasonings. Use less water if you want to cut the end product into cubes. I am impressed at the array of potential additional seasonings. Even Tabasco sauce is listed! Some of my old cookbooks remind me why my mom's spice rack consists entirely of a salt shaker and some pepper that she will warn you to go easy on if you actually try to use any of it. No amount of seasonings would make me want to put a congealed hunk of substandard barbecue sauce on a salad, but it's still nice to know it might have a little flavor.

Just when I thought this was the end of the recipe, I looked at the top of the next page. Apparently Barbecubes didn't want to be left out of my sub-theme of scary pies. Check out the last variation:

When I get annoyed by people obsessed with the food trend of the moment, I will try to remind myself that the fad for delicious cheesy pie crusts topped with scary Jello has passed and in 40 years someone else can laugh about gluten-free coconut oil and bacon cake pops.