Tomato Aspic

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Here's an odd one from Lynne Janbergs:

A gentleman from London was visiting a small farm near Dinas Mawddwy,
and during his visit he watched while the farmer fed his pigs in a most
extraordinary manner. The farmer would lift a pig up to a nearby apple
tree, and the pig would eat the apples off the tree directly. The farmer
would move the pig from one apple to another until the pig was
satisfied, then he would start over again with another pig.

The city gent watched this activity for a while, not believing what his
eyes told him was happening. Finally, he could not resist saying
something to the farmer. "This is the most inefficient method of feeding
pigs that I can imagine," he said. "Just think of the time that could be
saved if you simply shook the apples off the tree and let the pigs eat
them from the ground!"

The farmer looked puzzled and replied, "Why be concerned? What's time to a pig?"

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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Food snobs might turn up their noses at this recipe, considering it a
relic from a bygone age, but a good tomato aspic is still an unusual,
tasty, healthy, and refreshing dish. Maybe it's time for a comeback.

Tomato Aspic

4 cups (1 L) cored and quartered fresh tomatoes
1 cup (250 ml) water
2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
1 bay (laurel) leaf
10 whole black peppercorns
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped onion
2 Tbs (30 ml) lemon juice
1 Tbs (15 ml) sugar
1 Tbs (15 ml) salt
2 Tbs (30 ml) unflavored gelatin dissolved in
1/2 cup (125 ml) cold water
2 Tbs (30 ml) dry sherry or Marsala wine (optional)
Optional ingredients:
Crumbled blue or feta cheese
Small cooked shrimp
Sliced avocado
Sliced olives
Chopped celery
Sliced hard-cooked eggs
Chopped dill pickles

Combine the tomatoes, water, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns, onion, lemon
juice, sugar, and salt in a pot and bring to a boil over moderate heat.
Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Strain the mixture
through a fine sieve (or several layers of cheesecloth for a clearer
aspic) and discard the solids, reserving the liquid. Stir the gelatin
mixture and the optional sherry into the liquid while still hot and add
enough water to make 4 cups (1 L). Ladle into a decorative mold or
individual custard cups or ramekins. Chill until set, about 2 hours. If
desired, you may add optional ingredients by filling the mold or cups
about 1/3 full. Chill until firm and add the optional ingredients of
your choice, followed by the remaining liquid and a second chilling.
Unmold by dipping the mold into warm water before inverting on a serving plate.
Serves 6 to 8.
Received on Wed May 20 18:34:17 2009