Why people are finding nostalgic escapism in jelly
REPORT
24 Dec 2020
Why people are finding nostalgic escapism in jelly

While sourdough starters and ‘quarantinis’ have been among the biggest food and drink crazes of the COVID-19 pandemic, jelly has witnessed a quiet renaissance. How have social media platforms and a desire for nostalgic escapism helped add cultural cachet to this once-reviled foodstuff?

Sam Bompas

Sam Bompas is one half of the experimental design house Bompas & Parr, globally recognised as the leading experts in multi-sensory experience design. He has worked for 13 years on jelly innovation and events, most notably with star chefs Heston Blumenthall and Yotam Ottolenghi. In winter 2020, Bompas & Parr launched the world’s first super-premiumised jelly product, Benham & Froud.

Freddie Mason

Dr.Freddie Mason received his doctorate from the Royal College of Art in 2019, where he researched the history and futures of viscosity and viscous materiality. The fruits of this work formed a book, The Viscous: Slime, Stickiness, Fondling, Mixtures (New York: Punctum Books 2020). He regularly gives talks, teaches, writes and makes films on matters related and unrelated to his material specialisms. He is currently working on a new book about the history of texture in food and art.