Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 5, Episode 1 - Deep Space Slime - full transcript

(Alton Brown)
INVESTIGATING...

MOVING IN...
SOME KIND OF...

CAN'T QUITE TELL --
HANGING FROM THE CEILING --

SOME KIND OF...
I'M GONNA REACH OUT
AND TOUCH ONE.

I'M NOT SURE...
OH! DID YOU SEE THAT, CONTROL?

DEFINITELY SOME KIND OF
BIOLUMINOUS...

MAYBE A DEFENSE SYSTEM,
I DON'T KNOW.

I'M GONNA TRY
TO GET HOLD OF ONE.

OHHH...
DO YOU GET THIS,
DO YOU GET THIS???

(screaming)
AHHHH!!!

("director," through bullhorn)
CUT!



WHAT THE DEVIL
IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE?

(cameraman)
UH, I THINK
IT'S STRAWBERRY, SIR.
ISN'T THAT A BOYSENBERRY?

BLACKBERRY, ACTUALLY.

MR. BROWN,
WHY, PRAY TELL,

ARE THERE BERRIES
IN MY SPACE SLIME?

CONTRAST, FLAVOR,
TEXTURE, ACIDITY...

NOBODY CARES
WHAT IT TASTES LIKE.

IT'S A MONSTER.

SIR, YOU HIRED ME
TO MAKE GELATIN,

AND GELATIN I WILL MAKE.

BUT MARK MY WORDS,
IT'S GONNA TASTE GOOD.

FINE.
WHATEVER.

JUST KEEP YOUR BERRIES
OUT OF MY SLIME MONSTER.

FINE.
(sploosh!)
(falls into slime)



DIRECTORS JUST
DON'T UNDERSTAND.

GELATIN IS PROBABLY
THE MOST MYSTERIOUSLY
VERSATILE FORCE

IN THE ENTIRE
INTERPLANETARY PANTRY.

WHAT OTHER TYPE SUBSTANCE
CAN CONVERT ANY
WATER-TYPE LIQUID

INTO A JIGGLY,
JEWEL-LIKE GEL?

IS IT SPOOKY?
WELL, YEAH, SURE.

IS IT GOOD EATS?
DEFINITELY.

MOST OF US GREW UP
LOVING GELATIN DESSERTS

BECAUSE THEY'RE FUN,
AND HEY, THEY TASTE GREAT.

OH.

OUR MOMS LOVED THEM
BECAUSE THEY COULD
WHIP 'EM UP IN A FLASH.

YEAH, THAT'S GOOD,
THAT'S GOOD.

THE TRUTH IS, YOU CAN DO
SOME PRETTY COOL THINGS

WITH PREMIXED,
FLAVORED GELATINS.

BUT MAKING YOUR OWN
GELATIN MIXES...

THAT'S EVEN MORE FUN, BECAUSE
YOU CAN CONTROL EVERYTHING --

THE SHAPE, SIZE, TEXTURE,
COLOR, AND FLAVOR --

JUST BY CONQUERING
A FEW, SIMPLE FORMULAE.

OF COURSE, IN THE OLD DAYS,
FOLKS HAD TO MAKE

THEIR GELATINS FROM SCRATCH.

THAT WAS A REAL HORROR SHOW.

LIGHTS!

(scary music)

(rrrorrrwww!)
(monster sounds)

(Alton)
IN DAYS OF OLD,
THE GELATIN-MAKER'S TASK

TOOK HIM TO THE BARN,
WHERE HE HAD TO FIND A PIG,

OR BETTER YET,
A CALF.

AFTER DISPATCHING
THE CREATURE,

THE COLLAGEN-RICH
LEGS AND HOOVES

HAD TO BE...
HARVESTED.

THEN THE APPENDAGES
WERE SCRAPED, AND SPLIT,

AND BOILED
FOR UP TO 12 HOURS

SO THAT THE COLLAGEN WOULD
DISSOLVE INTO GELATIN.

AFTER DEFATTING
AND STRAINING,

THE BREW HAD TO BE BOILED
YET AGAIN...

THIS TIME, CLARIFIED
WITH THE WHITES AND SHELLS

OF A DOZEN EGGS.

ONCE THE LIQUID
WAS STRAINED AND FLAVORED,

IT HAD TO BE POURED INTO MOLDS
AND REFRIGERATED OVERNIGHT --

A TOUGH TASK, CONSIDERING
THERE WERE NO REFRIGERATORS
AT THE TIME.

THE NEXT DAY,
IF NOTHING HAD GONE WRONG,

THE GELATIN-MAKER
WAS REWARDED

WITH A QUIVERING TOWER
OF JEWEL-LIKE JELLY.

(evil-sound laugh)
AH-HA-HA-HA-HA!

LIGHTS!

AS YOU MAY HAVE DISCERNED,
GELATIN IS LITTLE MORE

THAN A CONCENTRATED
AND CLARIFIED STOCK.

ANYONE WHO HAS MADE
A CHICKEN STOCK AT HOME

WILL TELL YOU THAT
THE ONE WAY TO KNOW
YOU REALLY GOT IT RIGHT

IS TO REFRIGERATE IT
OVERNIGHT

AND SEE THIS
THE NEXT MORNING.

IT GELATES.
WHY?

WELL, IT STARTS LIKE THIS.

YOU SEE, GELATIN
CONTAINS SPECIFIC AMOUNTS

OF 18 DIFFERENT
AMINO ACIDS,

JOINED TOGETHER IN SEQUENCES
TO FORM POLYPEPTIDE CHAINS

SCIENTIFICALLY KNOWN AS
THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE.

NOW THREE OF THESE
POLYPEPTIDE CHAINS
FORMED THIS WAY

JOIN TOGETHER
AS A LEFT-HANDED SPIRAL

TO CREATE
THE SECONDARY STRUCTURE.

IN THE TERTIARY STRUCTURE,

THE SPIRAL WINDS
AND FOLDS ITSELF

INTO A RIGHT-HANDED SPIRAL,

WHICH RESULTS IN
A ROD-SHAPED MOLECULE,

THE SO-CALLED
PROTOFIBRIL.

DO I KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?
NO.

BUT WHAT I DO KNOW
IS THAT GELATIN STRANDS

ARE LONG AND VERY THIN

AND THEY MOVE AROUND
A LOT...

THAT IS, UNTIL THEY DROP
BELOW ABOUT...
OH, 50 DEGREES.

THEN THEY SLOW DOWN
AND START TO TANGLE UP.

THE RESULT?
A MICROSCOPIC MESH

CAPABLE OF HOLDING
A FLAVORFUL LIQUID --

SAY, A MARGARITA --
IN A FIRM GEL.

WHAT'S REALLY COOL IS THAT
THE ELECTROSTATIC BONDS

RESPONSIBLE
FOR HOLDING THIS TOGETHER

ARE RELATIVELY WEAK.

IN FACT,
AS LONG AS THE GELATIN
ISN'T VERY ACIDIC

AND ISN'T EXPOSED TO HEAT
IN EXCESS OF 150 DEGREES,

IT CAN BE MELTED
AND RESET,

AGAIN AND AGAIN
AND AGAIN AND AGAIN...

UNLESS YOU CAN SET ASIDE
A COUPLE OF DAYS

FOR BOILING CALF'S FEET,

YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO
RELY ON PREPARED GELATINS.

NOW SHEET GELATIN
IS PREFERRED

BY FOUR OUT OF FIVE
PASTRY PROFESSIONALS

BECAUSE IT'S...
WELL, EASY TO MEASURE --

A SHEET'S A SHEET --

AND A LOT
OF CLASSICAL RECIPES

ARE FORMULATED TO USE THIS.

THE PROBLEM IS,
UNLESS YOU'VE GOT

A LOCAL
PASTRY-PROS-R-US,

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
A HARD TIME FINDING IT.

POWDERED GELATIN,
ON THE OTHER HAND,

IS READILY AVAILABLE,
EASY TO USE,

ALWAYS COMES IN THE
SAME-SIZE PACKAGE,

AND WHEN PROPERLY HANDLED,
PRODUCES A JEWEL-CLEAR GEL.

NEXT, WE NEED A LIQUID.

NOW LUCKY FOR US, ALMOST ANY
WATER-BASED FLUID WILL DO,

FROM SODA POP, TO WINE,
TO MIXED DRINKS,

TO FRUIT JUICES...

WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF FRUIT JUICES

TAKEN FROM FRESH FRUITS
SUCH AS PINEAPPLE,

MANGO, PAPAYA, AND KIWI,
OKAY?

ALL OF THESE JUICES CONTAIN
A PROTEIN-MUNCHING ENZYME...

(rrrrr...)
(chattering "teeth")

WHICH LIKES TO EAT GELATIN
FOR LUNCH.

NOW HEAT DEACTIVATES
THIS ENZYME,

SO CANNED AND PASTEURIZED
JUICES ARE OKAY,

AS ARE THE CANNED VERSIONS
OF THE FRUITS THEMSELVES,

BUT THAT'S FOR LATER.

NOW FOR THE NEXT SCENE,
(rrrrr...)
("teeth" chattering)

HERR DIRECTOR
WANTS ME TO TURN

AN UNFORTUNATE
SPACEMAN'S FACE INTO GOO.

IT SOUNDS LIKE
A LOT OF FUN TO ME.

I THINK I'VE GOT
A SURPRISE FOR HIM.

A NICE BOTTLE
OF GINGER ALE...

THE REAL MCCOY,
THE STUFF THAT'LL
PUT A HURTIN' ON YOU,

GINGER ALE.

IT TASTES KIND OF LIKE
IT'S GOT ALCOHOL IN IT,
BUT IT DOESN'T.

NOW I ONLY NEED
ABOUT 1 CUP OF THIS, OKAY?

THIS IS JUST TO GET
THE GELATIN STARTED.

JUST POUR 1 CUP...
8 OUNCES.

NOW ONTO THIS, WE ARE GOING
TO SPRINKLE TWO PACKETS --

THAT'S 4 TEASPOONS --
OF POWDERED GELATIN.

NOW WHY BOTHER
WITH THIS KIND OF STEP?

WELL, BASICALLY,
THIS IS PRIMING,

OR BLOOMING,
THE GELATIN GRANULES, OKAY?

IT'S GONNA MAKE IT DISSOLVE
MUCH MORE EVENLY

ONCE WE PUT
THE HEAT TO IT.

IF YOU WERE TO SKIP
THIS STEP, IN FACT,

YOU'D PROBABLY END UP
WITH CLUMPY, LUMPY,

UNEVEN, OR AT LEAST FOGGY,
GELATIN --

DEFINITELY NOT GOOD EATS.

THREE MINUTES AT LEAST,
FIVE WOULD BE BETTER.

MOST RECIPES
CALL FOR DISSOLVING GELATIN

IN BOILING LIQUID,
WHICH IS KIND OF STRANGE,

BECAUSE THAT KIND OF HEAT
CAN ACTUALLY DAMAGE

THE GELATIN'S ABILITY
TO GEL.

I NEVER GO WITH ANYTHING
MORE THAN 150 DEGREES,

BECAUSE 150 DEGREES
IS ENOUGH,

AND I DO LIKE THE MICROWAVE
FOR THIS JOB.

MICROWAVE THIS ON HIGH
FOR ABOUT THREE MINUTES,

BUT STOP ONCE A MINUTE
TO GIVE IT A GENTLE STIR

AND TAKE ITS TEMPERATURE.

REMEMBER, YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR 150 DEGREES, NO HIGHER.

HMMM.

NOW THAT THE GELATIN
IS COMPLETELY DISSOLVED,

WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ADD
THE REMAINDER OF THE LIQUID.

(pop!)
(cork popping)
A CUP OF CHAMPAGNE...

IS GONNA ADD
A CERTAIN YEASTINESS,

IT'S GONNA TEMPER
THE SWEETNESS OF THE GINGER,

AND OF COURSE, IT'S
GONNA COOL THINGS DOWN

SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS INTO
THE REFRIGERATOR FASTER.

NOW IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT YOU POUR THE COLD
INTO THE WARM,

AND THAT YOU DO IT
VERY, VERY SLOWLY.

TRY TO STIR OR SWIRL
THE WHOLE TIME.

NOW IF YOU DO THIS
THE OTHER WAY AROUND,

YOU'RE GONNA END UP
WITH NASTY GEL

THAT'S GONNA HAVE A BUNCH

OF CLUMPY LITTLE NASTY,
WORMY THINGS IN IT --

AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT
THE GOOD KIND, EITHER.

NOW THIS COULD GO
STRAIGHT INTO A MOLD,

BUT I WANT TIME TO CONSIDER
OTHER MODIFICATIONS.

I'M GONNA REFRIGERATE THIS
FOR ABOUT AN HOUR,

UNTIL IT REACHES
THE CONSISTENCY

OF RAW EGG WHITES.

SPEAKING OF MOLDS...

SHE'S BACK THERE,
ISN'T SHE.

YOU'RE LATE!
IF YOU HAD
ANY IMAGINATION,

YOU WOULDN'T NEED
A MOLD.

ANYTHING CAN BE
A GELATIN MOLD.

OH, YEAH?
A TENNIS RACKET?

ANY CLEAN, NONPOROUS,
AIRTIGHT FORM.

WELL, THAT PRETTY MUCH
RULES OUT ANYTHING, DOESN'T IT?

TODAY, MOST MOLDS ARE MADE
FROM SPUN OR EXTRUDED
ALUMINUM,
ALUMINUM.

SO THEY CAN DOUBLE
AS CAKE PANS.
CAKE PAN...

THIS DESIGN WAS TAKEN
FROM A VICTORIAN MOLD,

ORIGINALLY MADE FROM COPPER,
IRON, OR PEWTER.

WELL, YOU KNOW,
I'M THE FIRST TO ADMIT

THAT VICTORIANA
IS REALLY CREEPY,

BUT I THINK
I NEED SOMETHING

A LITTLE MORE INTENSE.
MM.

THEN WE HAVE THE NEWER,
LESS TRADITIONAL MOLDS,

VACUUM-FORMED
FROM FOOD-GRADE PLASTIC.

HERE YOU GO,
TIN MAN.

WOW, A HEART...

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT
YOU HAD ONE OF THESE?

AND WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT
YOU WOULD HAVE HAD
ONE OF THESE.

AH, WHAT'S
THE GRAY MATTER, DON'T
YOU LIKE ME ANYMORE?

YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE,
BUT WHAT THE DIRECTOR
REALLY WANTS IS...

A HUMAN HEAD, WOW.

OLD BOYFRIEND?

OLD BOSS.

OKAY.

(spooky music
and machines beeping)

W'S FACE MOLD
WAS A SIX-CUPPER,

SO I HAD TO MAKE
FOUR MORE CUPS

OF MY CHAMPAGNE-GINGER
GELATIN, AND I ADDED...

A FEW EXTRAS.

("director")
CUT...
PASSABLE.

GET READY
FOR THE HEART SURGERY SCENE.

NOTHING'S GONNA
BREAK YOUR HEART QUICKER

THAN SHOWING UP TO FILL YOUR
BRAND-NEW, HUMAN-HEART MOLD

WITH CINNAMON GELATIN
AND FIGURING OUT

THAT YOU DON'T
HAVE ENOUGH GELATIN,

SO DO YOURSELF A FAVOR.

EVERY TIME
YOU GET A NEW MOLD,

FILL IT RIGHT UP TO THE TOP
WITH TAP WATER,

AND THEN POUR THAT OFF
INTO A MEASURING CUP

AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS
YOU'RE DEALING WITH.

TWO CUPS...
PERFECT.

IT JUST SO HAPPENS I'VE GOT
2 CUPS OF THIS STUFF.

OH, BY THE WAY,
I'M GONNA WRITE A BIG "2"

ON THE SIDE OF THIS
SO I'LL NEVER FORGET.

REMEMBER, ALWAYS BRING
THE MOLD ALL THE WAY
TO THE REFRIGERATOR

BEFORE YOU POUR IN
THE GELATIN.

IF YOU WONDER WHY,
TRY THIS EXPERIMENT.

POUR JUST ABOUT 1 TABLESPOON
OF LIQUID GELATIN

ON THE BOTTOM
OF YOUR REFRIGERATOR,

WAIT 30 SECONDS, THEN COME BACK
AND TRY TO CLEAN IT UP.

YOU'LL GET THE POINT
REALLY FAST.

NOW AT THIS POINT, WE'VE GOT
A FEW CHOICES TO MAKE.

IF WE WERE TO JUST POUR IN
A GELATIN FRESHLY MIXED,

IT WOULD SET UP
NICE AND CLEAR,

KIND OF LIKE THIS,
JEWEL-CLEAR AND SOLID.

IF WE WAITED UNTIL IT REACHED
AN EGG-WHITE CONSISTENCY,

WHICH IS ABOUT
WHAT WE HAVE HERE,

WE'D HAVE MORE OPTIONS.

FOR INSTANCE, WE COULD
PUT THIS INSIDE A BLENDER,

ALONG WITH, SAY,
1 OR 2 TABLESPOONS

OF SOUR CREAM
OR WHIPPED CREAM,
TURN IT ON,

AND IT WOULD
LITERALLY HOLD
ALL THAT IN SUSPENSION,

ALONG WITH ZILLIONS
AND ZILLIONS
OF LITTLE-BITTY BUBBLES.

SO IT WOULD BE
COMPLETELY OPAQUE,

ONCE THE MOLD SET.

NOW IF YOU WANNA SUSPEND
BIG CHUNKS INTO GELATIN

BUT YOU WANT THE GELATIN ITSELF
TO BE CLEAR, THEN...

YOU WANNA WAIT
UNTIL IT SETS

TO WHAT'S CALLED
SLIGHTLY THICKENED.

NOW SLIGHTLY THICKENED GELATIN
WILL SUPPORT A PLASTIC KNIFE,

BUT WHEN YOU PULL OUT
SAID IMPLEMENT,

YOU'LL NOTICE THE HOLE
COMPLETELY CLOSES UP.

AT THIS POINT,
YOU COULD USE A WHISK

AND BEAT IN LARGE BUBBLES,

OR YOU COULD SUSPEND
PIECES OF FRUIT,

LIKE BLUEBERRIES
OR ANYTHING

THAT DIDN'T CONTAIN
THOSE ENZYMES THAT
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

AT THIS POINT,
I THINK I'M GOING TO GO

WITH A LIGHT
AND FROTHY HEART.

SO THE SET IS HERE...

AND POUR IT IN,

AND THE LAST THING YOU DO IS
MAKE SURE THAT IT IS LEVEL.

BY USING THE ALUMINUM FOIL,
YOU CAN MAKE SMALL ADJUSTMENTS.

PUSH THIS INTO THE BACK
OF THE REFRIGERATOR --

YOU WANT IT AS FAR AWAY
FROM THE DOOR AS POSSIBLE.

THAT IS WHAT I CALL
A DANDY SET.

INDEED, YOU COULD BOUNCE
A QUARTER ON IT.

OF COURSE, NOW WE'VE
GOTTA GET IT OUT OF THERE.

TO DO THAT,
I LIKE TO GIVE THIS

A QUICK DIP
IN HOT WATER.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE HOT WATER
IS NOT SUCH A GOOD IDEA.

AFTER ALL, IT WOULD DISSOLVE
SOME OF THE FINE DETAIL

WHICH YOU OFTEN FIND
ON THIS KIND OF MOLD.

AND OF COURSE,
SINCE THIS IS PLASTIC,

IT'S FLEXIBLE, SO MAYBE
WE CAN GET AWAY WITHOUT IT.

GENERALLY, WHAT I LIKE TO DO
IS, USING A CLEAN HAND,

PUT IT RIGHT ON TOP
OF THE MOLD AND KIND OF
WIGGLE IT AROUND

SO YOU PULL THE MOLD
AWAY FROM THE SIDES
OF THE PLASTIC.

THEN START LETTING GRAVITY
DO SOME OF THE WORK FOR YOU.

LET IT PULL OUT
HALF ONE WAY,

TURN IT AROUND,
AND REPEAT.

NOW I'M BETTING THAT WILL
POP RIGHT OUT OF THERE.

THE THING ABOUT THE PLATE...

LET'S CONSIDER
THE LANDING ZONE.

YOU KNOW, ONCE THIS GELATIN
HITS THE PLATE,

IT'S NOT GONNA WANNA
MOVE AROUND BECAUSE...

THINGS KIND OF DON'T LIKE TO
MOVE AROUND ON PLATES.

SO JUST SO YOU'VE GOT
A LITTLE ADJUSTABILITY,

GIVE IT A QUICK SPRITZ
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF WATER.

THAT'LL CHANGE THE TRACTION,
SO TO SPEAK.

OKAY...

PLATE ON TOP,
AND FLIP THE MOLD...

AND JUST SLOWLY
PEEL IF OFF.

AH.

THERE, SEE,
IF YOU WANNA MOVE IT AROUND,

YOU CAN MOVE IT AROUND
ALL DAY LONG.

(voice over walkie-talkie)
DIRECTOR NEEDS A HEART ON THE
SET, RIGHT AWAY!

DON'T HAVE A CORONARY,
I'M ON THE WAY!

CORONARY...
HA.

(organ music, woman screaming)

LET'S SAY YOU WANTED
A YUMMY DESSERT

THAT ACTUALLY RESEMBLED
A HUMAN BRAIN,

AND HEY, WHO WOULDN'T?

WELL, YOU NEED SOMETHING
OPAQUE, AND THAT REMINDS ME

OF A FAVORITE DESSERT
OF MINE, PANACOTTA.

THAT'S ITALY-SPEAK
FOR COOKED CREAM,

WHICH MAY NOT SOUND
VERY CREEPY TO YOU,

BUT REMEMBER,
IT'S TRADITIONALLY GELLED

WITH COLLA DI PESCE --
THAT'S GELATIN EXTRACTED

FROM THE AIR BLADDERS
OF STURGEON...
MMM.

FIRST, WE NEED TO BLOOM,

AND THAT'S GOING TO
REQUIRE LIQUID.

NOW SINCE OUR RECIPE
CALLS FOR EVAPORATED MILK,

I DON'T SEE ANY REASON
NOT TO BLOOM IN IT,

SO, A 12-OUNCE CAN.

NOW AS FOR THE AMOUNT
OF GELATIN,

OUR BRAIN'S GOT A VOLUME
OF SIX CUPS --

A LITTLE SKIMPY, IF I REMEMBER
MY MEDICAL SCHOOL DAYS.

ANYWAY, WE WOULD NORMALLY
USE A PACKET PER CUP

FOR A NICE, FIRM SET.

BUT PANACOTTA NEEDS
TO BE SOFTER AND CREAMIER,

SO I'M GONNA GO
WITH JUST FOUR PACKAGES.

THAT'S A TOTAL
OF 8 TEASPOONS.

JUST KIND OF
JIGGLE THAT ON,
AND LEAVE THAT TO SOAK.

IN THE MEANTIME...

COMBINE 3/4 CUP OF SUGAR

AND 1/2 A VANILLA BEAN,
SPLIT.

NOW YOU CAN SCRAPE THIS
IF YOU WANT,

BUT I RARELY BOTHER.

ANOTHER TWO 12-OUNCE CANS
OF EVAPORATED MILK --

NOT CONDENSED,
THAT'S ANOTHER SHOW --

AND 1 1/2 CUPS
OF HEAVY CREAM.

A BLOOD PRESSURE CUFF.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE
YOU'RE GONNA BE EATING

A PANACOTTA BRAIN
EVERY DAY.

AND IF YOU LIKE,
A JIGGER OF BOURBON...

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

ANYWAY, BRING THIS
TO A BARE SIMMER
OVER MEDIUM HEAT,

STIRRING TO DISTRIBUTE
THE VANILLA AND MELT THE SUGAR.

OH, BY THE WAY, THAT'S A REALLY
GREAT CARRIER OF FLAVORS,

SO YOU COULD ADD
A CRUSHED SPRIG OF MINT,

OR BASIL, OR BOTH,
AND IT WOULD BE
A VERY NICE THING INDEED.

AS SOON AS YOU SEE BUBBLES,

TIME TO EVACUATE THE HEAT.

JUST TAKE THIS STRAIGHT OVER
AND STRAIN IT

INTO THE BLOOMING GELATIN
MIXTURE.

NOW SINCE WE BLOOMED THIS,

IT IS PROBABLY
GOING TO DISSOLVE

VERY, VERY QUICKLY
AND EASILY.

BUT JUST TO BE
ON THE SAFE SIDE

ONCE WE'VE GOT THIS IN,

I'M GONNA GIVE IT
A LITTLE BIT OF A STIR

JUST TO MAKE SURE

THAT EVERYTHING
IS TAKEN CARE OF.

IT'S GONNA LOOK A LITTLE
LUMPY, BUT DON'T WORRY,

THAT'S GONNA GO AWAY
VERY, VERY QUICKLY.

I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE
THAT THIS LOOKS

JUST A LITTLE BIT WHITE,
AND BRAINS AREN'T.

NO PROBLEM --
WE'VE GOT SCIENCE.

WE ALSO HAVE FOOD COLORING.

I'M GOING TO GO WITH MAYBE
TWO DROPS OF RED FOOD COLORING,

AND WHAT DO YOU SAY,
MAYBE THREE OF GREEN?

ONE, TWO, THREE,

AND WE'LL SEE
HOW THAT LOOKS.

HMM...

ONE MORE OF GREEN,
JUST TO BE SAFE.

AH.

NOW IF THAT'S NOT
DELICIOUS GRAY,

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.

LET THIS SIT
FOR ABOUT AN HOUR UNTIL
IT COOLS TO ROOM TEMPERATURE,

AND THEN STRAIGHT
INTO THE REFRIGERATOR...

IN THE MOLD, OF COURSE.

("werewolf" howling)

MMM...
BRAINY, YES,

BUT LACKING IN ICK,
WOULDN'T YOU SAY?

NO PROBLEM.

(verbally giving directions)

DARKEN WITH A LITTLE
BLUE FOOD COLORING

AND COOL
TO ROOM TEMPERATURE.

BRAIN'S UP!

("director")
YOU IDIOT,
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE
EIGHT FEET ACROSS,

NOT EIGHT INCHES --
YOU'RE FIRED!

GREAT...
COME AND GET IT, FELLOWS.

THIS SHOW BUSINESS
DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE,

BUT LUCKILY, GELATIN DOES.

LET'S REVIEW, SHALL WE?

FOR A FIRM GEL,
GO WITH 1 PACKET
OF DRY POWDERED GELATIN --

THAT'S 2 TEASPOONS --
PER CUP OF FLAVORFUL LIQUID.

IF YOU WANT A SOFTER SET,
GO WITH ONE TEASPOON
PER CUP.

AND REMEMBER, THERE ARE
FOUR DEGREES OF GEL SET.

THERE'S EGG WHITE
CONSISTENCY,

GOOD FOR ADDING
TO LAYERED MOLDS,

BEATING INTO OPAQUE GELS,
OR FOR ADDING MAYO OR CREAM.

THERE'S THICKENED, WHICH
WILL SUPPORT A PLASTIC KNIFE,

AS WELL AS FRUIT --
SAY, BERRIES --
IN SUSPENSION.

SOFT-SET IS PERFECT
FOR BUILDING LAYERS ONTO,

AND THEN, OF COURSE,
THERE'S FIRM SET,

WHICH IS READY
FOR UNMOLDING.

BY THE WAY,
SPEAKING OF LAYERS...

ROLL IT!

WANT THE LAYERED LOOK?
HERE'S HOW.

I'M GONNA GO WITH
THIS VICTORIAN MOLD.

I KNOW IT'S KIND OF
SPOOKY-LOOKING,

BUT I STILL KIND OF LIKE IT.

IT HOLDS SIX CUPS, AND I'D
LIKE TO HAVE SIX LAYERS,

SO I'M GONNA MAKE
A LITTLE MORE THAN A CUP
OF EACH FLAVOR.

NOW I LIKE TO START
WITH LIGHT COLORS FIRST.

THAT WAY, WHEN THE MOLD
IS TURNED OUT,

PROSPECTIVE DINERS
CAN GAZE LONGINGLY DOWN

THROUGH THE MOLD
BEFORE THEY DIG INTO IT.

I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE
THAT THIS TOP LAYER

IS JEWEL-CLEAR, OKAY?

SO I AM GOING TO POUR IT IN
WHILE THE MIXTURE

IS STILL RELATIVELY WARM.

WARM MEANS LOOSE,
AND LOOSE MEANS NO BUBBLES.

THOSE WILL CLEAR UP BEFORE
I GET TO THE REFRIGERATOR.

NOW AS SOON AS THIS LAYER
STARTS TO SET,

WE'LL START WORKING
ON THE NEXT ONE.

HAVE A LOOK AT THIS.

IT LOOKS SET, BUT WHEN YOU
TOUCH THE SURFACE,

YOU CAN SEE THAT IT
STICKS TO YOUR FINGERS.

AND IF IT STICKS
TO YOUR FINGERS,

YOU KNOW THAT IT WILL STICK
TO OTHER THINGS, TOO.

THIS IS CALLED
SOFT-SET CONSISTENCY,

AND NOW IS THE TIME
TO ADD OTHER THINGS.

WHAT KIND OF THINGS?

WELL, LET'S SAY LAYERS
OF FRUIT, FOR INSTANCE.

JUST TAKE PIECES OF, SAY,
APPLE, WHICH I HAVE HERE,

AND JUST LAY THEM
RIGHT ON THE SURFACE
OF THE GELATIN.

THE ONLY THING
THAT YOU'VE GOTTA DO

IS MAKE SURE THAT
THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM OPEN

AROUND THE FRUIT PIECES,
SO THE NEXT LAYER OF GELATIN

CAN GET IN THERE AND STICK.

IF YOU DON'T DO THAT,
YOU'RE GOING TO END UP
WITH A SANDWICH

THAT'S GOING TO
FALL APART ON YOU
WHEN YOU TRY TO UNMOLD.

THERE...
NOW SPEAKING OF
THE NEXT LAYER OF GELATIN,

IT'S GOT TO BE
EGG-WHITE CONSISTENCY.

OF COURSE, I GUESS THAT'S
MORE MOTOR-OIL CONSISTENCY.

BUT THE POINT IS THAT
IT CAN'T BE HOT, OBVIOUSLY,

OR IT'S JUST GOING TO MELT
THE LAYER BENEATH IT.

IF IT'S TOO COLD, IT'S JUST
GOING TO FALL OUT IN CLUMPS.

SO WHEN YOU FIRST POUR IT,
BE KIND OF CAREFUL

THAT YOU DON'T DISLODGE
ANY OF YOUR FRUIT.

ONCE IT'S COVERED,
YOU CAN BE A LITTLE
MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH IT.

NOW YOU CAN REPEAT THIS
AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT.

YOU CAN MAKE AS MANY LAYERS
INTO A SINGLE MOLD
AS YOU WANT,

BUT YOU'VE GOT
TO BE REALLY CAREFUL
AND REMEMBER TO CHECK THEM.

THE THINNER THE LAYER IS,
THE FASTER IT IS GOING TO SET,

AND IF IT SETS ALL THE WAY,
IT'S NOT GOING TO STICK
TO ANYTHING.

WHEN IT COMES TO UNMOLDING,
PLASTIC MOLDS CAN BE MANHANDLED,

BUT METAL MOLDS NEED
A LITTLE COERCING.

SKIP THE TRADITIONAL
HOT-WATER ROUTINE

AND SIMPLY TURN YOUR MOLD OVER,
PLACE IT ON THE TARGET PLATTER,

AND HIT IT
WITH A HAIR DRYER.

AS LONG AS YOU'VE LEFT
1/4-INCH OF HEADROOM

AT THE TOP OF THE MOLD,
IT'S GONNA FALL RIGHT OUT.

WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE
ANY WAY YOU CUT IT,

HOMEMADE GELATIN
IS DEFINITELY GOOD EATS.

SPEAKING OF CUTTING...

CUT!
(sound of film slowing to stop)

Captioned by
Scripps Networks, Inc.