By The kitchen is in full summer mode. The oven at 375 (always 375), the crockpot on the counter, the pantry stocked with jars from last August's canning — the evidence of a woman who preserves summer against winter and loss against forgetting and food against everything.
The recipe this week: watermelon feta salad. Standing at the stove, Marlene's wooden spoon in my hand (the cracked one, the one that will outlast us all), the recipe either from the card box or from my own expanding collection, both equally real, both equally mine. The kitchen holds all of it — the old recipes and the new ones, the teacher's food and the student's food, the grief and the joy and the cinnamon. All of it. Always.
Canning approaches. August. The ritual that marks the turn from growing to preserving, from garden to pantry, from the sun to the jar. The pressure canner — Marlene's mother's, weight jiggly, gauge lying, handle replaced twice — waiting in the closet like a veteran reporting for duty. The heirloom equipment for the heirloom work.
All that canning energy — the pressure canner, the jars, the ritual of preservation — deserves a counterbalance, something cool and unhurried that can wait in the refrigerator while you tend to the serious work. I found myself reaching for this Pina Colada Molded Salad for exactly that reason: it asks almost nothing of you, it sets up quietly on its own, and when the kitchen finally goes still, it’s right there, sweet and tropical and a little festive, like a small reward for all the summer labor.
Pina Colada Molded Salad
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes (includes chilling) | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 package (3 oz) pineapple-flavored gelatin
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
- 1/2 cup cream of coconut
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1 teaspoon rum extract (optional)
- 1 cup whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
- 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut, plus more for garnish
- Maraschino cherries, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Dissolve the gelatin. In a large mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over the pineapple gelatin. Stir for at least 2 minutes until the gelatin is fully dissolved.
- Add the pineapple and coconut. Stir in the crushed pineapple with its juice, the cream of coconut, the cold water, and the rum extract if using. Mix until combined.
- Chill until partially set. Refrigerate the gelatin mixture for about 1 hour, or until it is thickened to the consistency of unbeaten egg whites but not fully set.
- Fold in the whipped topping and coconut. Gently fold the thawed whipped topping and shredded coconut into the partially set gelatin until no streaks remain. Work carefully to keep the mixture light and airy.
- Pour into mold. Lightly oil a 4-cup ring mold, bundt pan, or individual serving dishes. Pour the gelatin mixture in evenly. Smooth the top.
- Chill until firm. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight, until fully set and firm.
- Unmold and garnish. To unmold, briefly dip the bottom of the mold in warm water for 10–15 seconds, then invert onto a serving plate. Garnish with additional shredded coconut and maraschino cherries if desired. Serve chilled.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 155 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 55mg