Jello?

[Brownginger]

I wonder how many people know that gelatin is made from calves' hooves. Even though I have been a vegetarian for many years, I used to eat my fair share of Jello, until I got a hint about its origins from some cooking magazine. Then I was reading the list of ingredients on my "gelcaps," and was intrigued about what the "gel" in that meant. So, while just window shopping in the diet supplements section of a Whole Foods store, I asked the clerk about this, and she confirmed my worst fears. Today, I was watching "Cooks' Country" on PBS, and heard (but did not continue watching thereafter) they were going to show how gelatin is made. Gross and again

I do have a somewhat serious question about all this: If gelatin originates from calves' hooves, how egregious is it to dine on Jello during Fridays, especially those of Lent? I know that when I was growing up, it was a staple at meals on Fridays; and it seems so innocent!

[puzzleannie]

in general the rule now is condiments made from meat or animal sources such as boullion, gravy, butter etc. are allowed on days of abstinence, so that would cover gelatin as well. It is the stuff that holds the cells of hard parts of the skin together, which is hooves, (and nails in humans). when the animal is rendered one layer of the gelatin that accumulates becomes the food product, and it is in the basis of many processed foods so read labels (and medications as you have seen). another layer becomes glue, yup, Elmer's glue, which makes it pretty gruesome that they have him advertising the product made by boiling his dead relatives. woosh makes me think about becoming vegan. In fact before there was a processed product called jello people would render the gelatin at butchering time, because chilled it became calves-foot jelly, supposedly very nutritious.

[Brownginger]

I've been thinking about other things that seem so innocent (vis-a-vis innocent animals) and that actually are not. As children, we become accustomed to hearing about and referring to various things that are common to our daily lives without actually dissecting (no pun intended) their meanings. Some of these are "pigskin," "horsehide," "catgut," and "rabbit's foot." I used to have a rabbit handmuff and could never understand why my mother wasn't exactly crazy about it How do they get enough catgut for all the rackets the pros throw around at tournaments? Please, if you know and it's gruesome, don't post it. I am disturbed enough just with the word

[the phoenix]

This is interesting to know, as I've been wondering the same as Brownginger ...

[Catholic90]

From Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catgut
Catgut is a type of cord[1] that is prepared from the natural fiber in the walls of animal intestines.[2] Usually sheep or goat intestines are used, but it is occasionally made from the intestines of a hog, horse, mule, pig or donkey. The name neither implies nor derives from any association with cats.
The word catgut may have been an abbreviation of the word "cattlegut". Alternatively, it may have derived by folk etymology from kitgut or kitstring -- the word kit, meaning fiddle, having at some point been confused with the word kit for little cat. According to legend, string makers of the 17th century deliberately misled people to believe that the strings were made of cat intestines in order to protect their industry, as any association with cats was superstitiously believed to be extremely bad luck, and to be avoided at all cost. [3]

http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com...come-from-cats
The tough, dried, twisted string used today in making violin strings, tennis racket strings, strings to thread looms, and thread for surgical stitches is NOT made from a cat’s guts and never has been.
Most catgut is made from the intestines of sheep and hogs. These intestines are cut into long ribbons, then cleaned and dried. Next they are spun into string and then polished.
Catgut is also used in the mechanisms of clocks and typewriters!

[Catholic90]

I like Jello. Jello is good! I probably don't make it enough. My kids like it, too. I usually think of it AS I am making dinner - not before. I might go make some NOW for later. Red jello is the best! My grandma used to make jello with grated carrots in it...not so good. I do like Jello with fruit, though.

Animals are good to eat. I have kangaroo pelts and rabbit pelts. I would like to get a sheep pelt or 2 someday to put on my sofa. A friend of mine had these, and they were sooo comfortable.

[bkayw]

I knew about the animal parts being used to make gelatin, but when I saw how gelatin is broken down and extracted on "How It's Made", Oh no!

So disgusting the acids that are used to reduce bone to gelatin.

Simply disgusting to think that humans are eating that.

[Catholic90]

Originally Posted by bkayw

I knew about the animal parts being used to make gelatin, but when I saw how gelatin is broken down and extracted on "How It's Made", Oh no!

So disgusting the acids that are used to reduce bone to gelatin.

Simply disgusting to think that humans are eating that.

meh - does not bother me.

Ever seen lutefisk being made? It is fish soaked in lye, then eaten. MN staple food.

My grandparents used to make duck blood sausage when butchering ducks.

Eating cow tongue and sweetbreads is common in my German extended family. (Sweetbreads are NOT made with flour, sugar and yeast! ).

[Barbkw]

...and Rocky Mountain Oysters, aren't oysters!

[Zooey]

Originally Posted by Catholic90

From Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catgut
Catgut is a type of cord[1] that is prepared from the natural fiber in the walls of animal intestines.[2] Usually sheep or goat intestines are used, but it is occasionally made from the intestines of a hog, horse, mule, pig or donkey. The name neither implies nor derives from any association with cats.
The word catgut may have been an abbreviation of the word "cattlegut". Alternatively, it may have derived by folk etymology from kitgut or kitstring -- the word kit, meaning fiddle, having at some point been confused with the word kit for little cat. According to legend, string makers of the 17th century deliberately misled people to believe that the strings were made of cat intestines in order to protect their industry, as any association with cats was superstitiously believed to be extremely bad luck, and to be avoided at all cost. [3]

http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com...come-from-cats
The tough, dried, twisted string used today in making violin strings, tennis racket strings, strings to thread looms, and thread for surgical stitches is NOT made from a cat’s guts and never has been.
Most catgut is made from the intestines of sheep and hogs. These intestines are cut into long ribbons, then cleaned and dried. Next they are spun into string and then polished.
Catgut is also used in the mechanisms of clocks and typewriters!

I knew that it wasn't made from cats.

Originally Posted by bkayw

I knew about the animal parts being used to make gelatin, but when I saw how gelatin is broken down and extracted on "How It's Made", Oh no!

So disgusting the acids that are used to reduce bone to gelatin.

Simply disgusting to think that humans are eating that.

Do you eat canned tomatoes? They take off the skins by dipping the tomatoes into lye.

[Tonaw]

MMMMM MMMMM!!! All this talk about Jello and Meat is gettin' me hungry!

Old School Jews never had this problem, they were told they had to eat that sacrificial meat from the "innocent" animal they slaughtered. Cept for pigs... if anything I would be more disgusted at pigs then cow hooves. But I luuuuuv BACON! Thank you God for telling Peter what is up! and how we could eat bacon after you ascended! It took 3 dreams but you finally got to Peter! You rock Jesus! ^_^ Thank you Lord for bacon and ham and... porkgrinds... and um... MEAT! But for sure I'll give up this great privilege on fast days... You know what else is good? SPAM! Spiced Hammy Goodness!

But anyways back on subject. Jello is pretty good but I'd rather eat Alligator! MMMM MMMM!!!

[puzzleannie]

you really want to be disgusted enough to turn vegetarian participate in cleaning and frying chitlins, or making Slovenian rice and blood sausage.

[Spencerian]

The old saying: Never witness sausage being made or Congress making law.

The topic reminds me of another joke: If olive oil comes from olives, and peanut oil from peanuts, and corn oil from corn...where does baby oil come from?