Successful incorporation of wine in gelatin

[wondersofwine]

Last night I took a cherry gelatin salad/dessert to our Maundy Thursday meal at church. It's simple to make and very tasty. One large package (6 oz.) of cherry jello. Place in bowl and pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over the jello and stir to dissolve (one recipe called for 2 cups water and one for 1 cup so I met in the middle with 12 oz. of water). Add 1 can of Lite Cherry Pie Filling. Add 1 20-oz. can of crushed pineapple, drained. Add 1 1/2 cups red wine (supposed to be sweet but I used Saintsbury Garnet Pinot Noir and it turned out fine.) Optional, but recommended, 1 cup of pecan pieces or chips. Refrigerate until hardened. Makes about 12 servings.

[wdonovan]

Could an unknowing taster pick out the wine or did the flavor wind up being one of those undiscernable "what's in that" phenomena?

[wondersofwine]

I think most people would not have suspected wine in the gelatin if I hadn't acknowledge its presence, but I could taste a flavor difference. Others who would normally not be very enthusiastic about cherry jello came up to me and said "That's delicious!" We laughed about getting drunk at the meal because another lady brought matzoh wafers and a chicken spread made with cognac.

[TheEngineer]

Hmmm... an alternative to the overplayed jello shots (with Vodka)...this one sounds nice...gonna have to try this on a hot sumemr day.

[TheEngineer]

Hmmm... an alternative to the overplayed jello shots (with Vodka)...this one sounds nice...gonna have to try this on a hot sumemr day.

[wondersofwine]

Be careful in wine selection. A wine with too much oak influence would not do and a really tart wine might not work well. I figured that Saintsbury Garnet would work or maybe a Beaujolais Villages in a vintage with fruity flavors.

[wdonovan]

I'm thinking a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (Zacagnini) that is a little light, not too tannic and I always have about a case of it. What thinks you about using an Amarone? In trying to imagine the flavor, I get caught in the "not too heavy on the tannins" camp. I think that a real muddy Bordeaux for instance could get ugly. Thoughts?

[wondersofwine]

I agree about softer tannins. A fruity Italian or Spanish wine might work but not a meant-to-be-aged Bordeaux (and you don't want to use an expensive wine either). I saved the rest of the bottle of Garnet Pinot Noir for drinking with dinner over a couple nights.