Fanmail* Friday Contest** - Week 4

*"Fanmail" as in that I write, not that I receive. This may be a clarification you did not need.

**This name was one of many that were rejected, but I am living on the edge.

Not sure what's going on? I'm not either, but it might help if you click here. Since I am making some parfait type of dessert thing today with vanilla pudding, I decided to post this letter.

Dear Jell-O,

The magic and yumminess of jell-o gelatin has made me smile for four decades. I remember standing opposite my grandmother in her kitchen as she stirred red jell-o in her metal pan. She would always give me a small juice glass of the warm potion to tide me over until the refrigerator had a chance to do its thing. Watch it wiggle, see it jiggle.

At some point in the seventies, my family was introduced to the phenomenon of orange jell-o, mandarin oranges and Cool Whip all mixed together. No gathering has been complete without that quivering bowl since. Every now and then someone might give a berry jell-o mold of some design a try. I am happy with all of it, as long as nothing crunchy of a vegetable variety finds its way in. Crunchy walnuts in pistachio whip are completely acceptable in a different product line’s story.

Since I have hinted at your pudding products, I should mention their place in our kitchen cabinet as well. I mixed a lot of boxes of instant vanilla pudding during my teenage years. I can still taste it as I sit here, and it is delightfully distracting. Your cook-n-serve chocolate and lemon puddings hold quite the secret to some impressive desserts. I have been given much credit that was due far more to your products and my stand mixer for whipping cream or meringue than to any extraordinary abilities of my own.

I have yet to meet a jell-o flavor I haven’t liked and cannot think of a time I passed on a square of jell-o. I am also pleased to mention that in my adult years I have, on numerous occasions, prepared and drank the entire batch of jell-o.

Making some fun,

Andrea Casarsa

The response? A letter and a coupon for a free box of Jell-o pudding or gelatin. Great!

The problem? I was initially willing to accept the form letter, as I did a happy dance around my kitchen to celebrate my free box of Jell-o. However, I quickly realized that my form letter had not been filled in. See that second paragraph there?

My response? Why another letter, of course, addressed directly to the person who sent mine.

I was so pleased to get your letter in the mail, and to find out that someone had taken the time to read the correspondence I had sent. At least, I was happy until I actually read your enclosed letter, and noticed that you neglected to even fill in the product I had written about.

I understand that the volume of mail received by your department is probably very large, making form letters seem like a necessary evil. However, they are still basically evil, especially when not constructed properly. However, I did appreciate the coupon for a box of Jell-o brand pudding or gelatin.

Have a jiggly day,

Andrea Casarsa

There was no second response, but I will enjoy my {null} just the same!

Add 5 points to my previous 6 for a grand total of 11 points!

Make sure to see who Marianne is sharing the love with this week.