Friday 25 June 2010

Time For A Wobble?



What is it about jelly? The shape of it? The taste of it? Its texture or just simply the way it wobbles? Whatever it is it never fails to bring on a case of the giggles whenever it is served at this house. Not that it is served that often and maybe that's something I should remedy because a serious fit of the giggles is never to be sneezed at!
I heard the other day somebody mention that they were going to make a special supper for their eldest child after an exam and that there would be jelly. Big Sister who was at that time, just embarking on the long and intense timetable of GCSEs that lay before her, needed cheering up. What a brilliant idea, nothing better, she's loved jelly since she was tiny.



What could be easier than making a jelly. I've made and eaten dozens of them, I could say I could make them blindfolded but that's the point, I almost did... Never, ever make your jelly without your glasses on. The oh so simple task of adding hot water to the contents of a packet is deceptively tricky if you can't read the measurements on your measuring jug. There was I gaily adding water and stirring and pouring contents into mould after mould, wondering why a) my jelly seemed to be resembling the everlasting porridge pot and b) questioning the thermostat on the fridge as the jelly just remained as liquid as the day it was born... Several hours and watery jelly moulds later I found my glasses, emptied the bin to retrieve the jelly instructions and realised my mistake. Poor old Big Sister came home in such a mood that I daren't even tell her the story of the jelly that might have been...



Last weekend I not only remembered to buy some more jelly but set to make them with glasses and magnifying glass at hand. Do you know what? This time the jelly only filled one mould! How simple was that? Not that simple, because basking in my reflective glory and smugness I forgot to get the jelly out of the fridge and give it to anyone. It was only the next day that it was found wobbling in all its glory.


Sunday night we had our jelly. Shimmering, jewel like, resplendent in its wobbliness it sat on our table. And then the laughter began... the first little wobble, the first squelch, the sight of the little domes... need I say more?



The exams are now over here, thank goodness. I don't think I have ever seen my daughter work so hard and feel so tired. She asked me the other day if I was proud of her - I couldn't begin to say just how much. It's not the marks that matter, it's the fact that she got through it with more smiles and maturity than we ever imagined, the fact that for hours she sat revising subjects that she neither really understood nor liked and, sorry huge proud mummy moment here, that whenever I look at her I am filled with the deepest pride and love. I only wish there had been a jelly and some of her little sister's mischievous giggles to greet her after every exam.


(We have a selection of jelly moulds in our Scullery

So now the exams are all over, the summer lies ahead and I for one am stockpiling the jelly and waiting for the jelly jokes... you don't need to have an exam to have a wobble!

21 comments:

dottycookie said...

Nothing much beats jelly and ice cream ... Congrats to Big Sister for finishing her exams - hope she has a fantastic summer!

JuicyFig said...

Wonderful post - I too ended up making a 500 gallon watery vimto jelly for my baby brothers birthdays last month...

Have you ever made Fizzy Jelly? if you melt the cubes with the smallest amount of hot water you can, then top up with fizzy water - it usually keeps the fiz - similar to champagne jelly (I say that like it's something one has every day!)

Kath
x

Unknown said...

What a fabulously fun posting. I remember dipping my finger in this stuff when a competive swimmer for energy before a race. Nothing like those colored fingers. I've also made mine with 7-up, Sprite.... That's it, I know what is for dessert here tonight. Oh, so easy.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Kate xoxoxoxo

Sian said...

Great story! We've made fizzy jelly with lemonade. Brilliant fun.

bellaboo said...

Loved this post! I wouldn't want to be sitting exams these days..they are under so much pressure.Well done to your BS,she can now have a well earned holiday!

Bellaboo ;0)

Anonymous said...

I remember my Mom making Jelly (Jello for me here though) and she had all those differnt molds. I like the kind with fruit and cream mixed in too. I just don't like it with vegetables.

I love your blog!!!

Lisa said...

Congrats to Big Sister for getting to the end of that journey!
Enjoy all your jelly moments.
Lisa x

Lululiz said...

OMG, jelly, I love it! Thank for the very timely reminder, I really need to make some jelly as well. And scoff it. With icecream. YUM.

A Bookish Space said...

Thank you for sharing - this is a lovely post. Congratulations to BS for getting through her GCSEs.

Scented Sweetpeas said...

No matter how old you are jelly always makes you smile :-) Wow I love your moulds - they are fab! Good luck with the results, I still remember feeling ill waiting for mine to drop through the door.

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

Oh there's nothing like a wibble wobble to raise a smile.
So pleased Miss Rose's exams are all behind her now and a rosy future lies ahead for her.
Mstr Custard was making his own jellies this week.. but not one's you would approve of.. me neither!

Dot xx

Country Cottage Chic said...

Hehe...that made me laugh!
Master Cottage has also just finished his GCSE's - they all work so hard & deserve a nice jelly!
Did they turn out easily?

Jayne

hanmade said...

wibble~wobble wibble~wobble jelly on a plate! :-)
i love jelly & after seeing your bright coloured jelly in all those lovely molds has given me a sudden urge to make some for myself! like juicyfig has suggested fizzy jelly sounds fun! my niece has also just finished her exams this week so maybe a celebratory jelly is in order x

Garden Girl said...

huge sighs of relief all round that the exams are over-hope Big Sister can kick back and relax and enjoy the lovely long summer holidays now x

Serenata said...

I saw a jelly mould like this in our local CS yesterday...silly really I should have bought it, but was contemplating...do I, don't I? Wishing I had now seeing that lovely jelly a wibbling and a wobbling.

Pipany said...

Kim you have made me want to get my moulds out! I haven't used them for years and it is well overdue. Lovely post x

Ali said...

I adore jelly - you've given me the wanties!

silverpebble said...

Many congratualtions to the Roses household for getting through all that hard work.

jelly is the perfect reward and incentive - it's so cheerful!

melanie said...

Jelly......love it!!!! :) xxxx

Louise said...

Well done Kim, what a great post, and a novel way to bring lots of colour to a blog! It has been so funny to read all about your jelly wobbles. We went out for a meal the other evening and what did my OH choose for his dessert, jelly! Jelly I ask you, when you can easily have that at home! Only yesterday did he declare it was the best jelly he had ever had. Makes me think maybe I've been making it wrong too, or maybe it's because I've always left out the champagne! x

Amanda said...

Oh I ADORE jelly, although we never had it made in moulds, simply in bowls when I was little - I feel I missed out on something big there!! I would be right over to your scullery to buy some moulds, except Tim doesn't like jelly (I know, shocking right...how could anyone not like jelly?!) I think I need to work on him a bit before I can get away with spending his hard-earned cash on jelly moulds ;o)