Sweet, light, and creamy, seafoam salad was initially only available at Woolworth lunch counters. Founded in 1878, the successful five-and-dime stores popularized this “dessert salad” during Woolworth’s booming growth during the 1900s. American cafeterias and buffets soon offered it as well. When “Jell-O” was patented in 1897, instant gelatin recipes flourished and dessert salads like this became accessible to home cooks. Jello salads reigned in 20th century America, climbing in popularity though the early decades and reaching their peak in the 1950s. Now seen as retro revivals or symbols of a bygone era, jello salads remain classically American.
Recipe Servings: 8
+ 2 hours 20 minutes resting
Ingredients
- 2 cans (15 oz each) pear halves in natural juice, with juice reserved
- 1 package (3 oz) lime Jell-O
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip (or other whipped topping), thawed
Directions
- Heat 1 cup reserved pear liquid to a boil in saucepan.
- Place the lime Jell-O mix into a small bowl and pour the heated pear juice over top. Stir until the gelatin powder dissolves. Set aside.
- Beat cream cheese with milk in a large bowl until smooth. Blend into Jell-O mixture.
- Chill in refrigerator until partly thickened, about 20–30 minutes.
- Mash pears until smooth in a small bowl. Fold into Jell-O mixture along with the Cool Whip.
- Pour mixture into a mold or serving dish.
- Chill until set, about 2–3 hours.
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