By the early 60s, Gel-Cookery had fallen into a rut. It seemed as if everything that could be done had been done. Molds? Yes. Tomato aspics? Yes. Molds? Um, yes. But then someone got a bright idea: what if we frame all the steps of the Gel-Cookery process in the shape of a cathode ray tube? Might this not give our product new credibility, vault it into the modern age of Telstar, of Dumont, of J. Fred Muggs?

And so this completely new guide to Gel-Cookery was born. Every page features step-by-step recipes illustrated with tiny television screens. The point, it seems, was to prove that if such a dish could be created under the harsh unblinking gaze of the camera, it could surely be done in one's own kitchen, away from the lights and commotion of a studio. Such was the trust of an age that believed the phrase "As Seen on TV!" conferred some sort of legitimacy on a product.

But what is Gel-Cookery, exactly? You'll find another example from the early 50s in the Misc section; that might explain. Although it probably will not. Simply put, Gel-Cookery was a process wherein simple foods were suspended in a chilled solution of horse-hoof powder. Imagine meaty Jell-O as the main course, and you get the picture. Best of all, it built strong fingernails, and it was good for dieting women who yearned for that Twiggy-skinny look.

Continue on to learn more.