Food-based writing prompts that gel.

I've never been a picky eater. Not really.

This is Jell-O Week and it reminds me of one of my favorite holiday treats when I was a girl ... my grandmother's jello, served with the meal, not after. She mixed fruit in with the jello, layered it with whipped cream, and served it in a parfait dish that was undeniably festive ... layer upon layer of jello and whipped cream visible through the clear glass sides of the parfait bowl.

Having a dessert-like dish served with the meal seemed so decadent ... even on a holiday.

My first experience with anything other than fruit as jello mix-in was with a gelatin meat mold that was served at a dinner where I was a guest. Pieces of carrots and sliced beef floating in the congealed gelatin. I'd never seen such a thing, and wasn't sure I liked what I was seeing.

But we were visiting and when it was passed around the table, to be polite, I placed a small spoonful on my plate.

One bite and I was done. Nope, not going there.

A more recent, and pleasantly surprising, gelatin dish I've discovered is coffee "jelly." Simple and refreshing.

Friday is National Cabbage Day and a friend has tried again and again to convince me that lime jello with cabbage is good. I'll take her word for it.

Would you or wouldn't you ... or have you tried lime and cabbage jello, whipped up a batch of coffee jelly, or served a savory gelatin dish? Share your story in a letter, an essay, or a conversation and see what gels.

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