Have you ever eaten Perfection Salad? It is one of my favorites. Back in the day, you would see at least one at every potluck on the end of the table among the several macaroni salads. It is one of those dishes they say we are tired of. Not so. If I should be fortunate enough to spy one at a potluck, I wIll plop a good-sized spoonful on my plate and probably go back for more.

Yesteryear, there were only a few flavored gelatins available. We used unflavored gelatin to get the desired results: a nice shimmering chilled mountain of perfection. It is hard to find a salad that I don't like; maybe one with a lot of eggs. There are no eggs in this one, just some of my favorite veggies peeking out of a quivering pile of goodness.

Try this salad. If you have never had one, you are in for a treat. It will become a go-to recipe when you need a pretty salad. Keep unflavored gelatin on hand. You always have cabbage, celery and canned pimiento, so get with it. Make a Perfection Salad.

PERFECTION SALAD

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup vinegar
3/4 cup finely shredded cabbage
1 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced green pepper or red pimiento

Mix gelatin, sugar and salt together in saucepan. Stir in 1/2 cup cold water. Place over medium heat. Stir constantly until gelatin and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining water and vinegar. Chill until mixture is the consistency of unbeaten egg whites. Fold in cabbage, celery and green pepper or pimiento. Rinse a 6 cup salad mold with cold water. Pour mixture into mold. Chill until firm. If desired, unmold on salad greens. Serve with mayonnaise. Makes 6 servings.

Shredded carrots may be substituted for part of the cabbage. Diced cucumber may be added as well. I like this recipe as it is. If you add up the liquid in this recipe, it will come to 2 cups. So you could prepare a 3-oz package of lemon Jello as directed on the package, using 1 3/4 cups liquid. Add the 1/4 cup vinegar. Omit the 1/4 cup of sugar, but don't forget the salt. It is necessary to season the veggies and cut the sweetness of the sugar.

If you don't have a salad bowl, just prepare this recipe in a big bowl, maybe a glass one, and chill. It will taste just as good.