thestar.com

A Jell-O shot is a cocktail you can eat. The generic term is gelatin shot, but no one calls it that. It's made with flavoured gelatin mix, but an alcoholic beverage - often rum, vodka or tequila, sometimes grain alcohol - replaces some of the water. You can mix and match to brew up a rainbow of colours and flavours. Tom Lehrer, an American mathematician and musical satirist, claimed to have invented the Jell-O shot while working for the National Security Agency (a military wing) in the mid-1950s. Alcoholic beverages weren't allowed on base and the Jell-O shot was a way to get around that rule.

So, yes, the Jell-O shot has been spotted at adult parties, too. But if you're past college age, it's best not to admit you want one. A clerk at the LCBO barely hid his amusement when I asked whether the store sold Jell-O shots, ready-made or in mixes. (There are such things, mainly online.) He did note how easy they are to make and directed me to the basic formula. An 85-gram package of flavoured gelatin is usually mixed with a cup each of boiling and cold water. For a Jell-O shot, half the water is replaced by alcohol. I tried this with strawberry gelatin, rum and banana liqueur; it was easy. For firmer and stronger shots, reduce the amount of liquid by one- quarter cup. This formula will net you 20 to 22 standard 1-1/4- ounce shots.