Asian 'jello' gets a refreshing new shape and purpose

The Way We See The World, a New York City-based product design consultancy firm, has envisioned a new use for agar, Asia's 'jello' made with red seaweed and water, by giving it a dual-purpose green life as a plant nurturer and tasty edible drinking glass with Jelloware.

Monica Bhatia, a partner with The Way We See The World, explained to Relaxnews on July 20 Jelloware's life cycle: "[it] is quite simple: the cups are cast in a two-part silicone mold out of agar agar: a gelatin made of seaweed extract and water. To dispose of, the cups can be eaten or thrown onto any plant because agar agar actually nurtures the growth of plants."

Jelloware was first introduced during the GSS Jell-O Mold Design Competition on June 26 in Brooklyn, New York when it was awarded Runner Up for Structural/Sculptural Integrity. See highlights from the competition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHsMmUk4GMs

Presently "Jelloware is in its conceptual stage but we do have plans to produce them for use in the hospitality industry: restaurants, bars, caterers, and special events could all benefit from using Jelloware cups," explained Bhatia.

Jelloware can be made in a variety of flavors including lemon-basil, ginger-mint, and rosemary-beet to enhance the tastiness of your drinks and provide vibrant colors to the cups.

You should be "able to use the cups for three hours on a very hot day without any melting, leaking, or stickiness. The ... cups are to be used temporarily and should be refrigerated prior to use."

If you prefer a more decadent edible cup, try Dobla's Dark Belgian Chocolate Cordial & Toasting Cups (12(15ml) cups for $11.95/€9.30). http://www.dobla.com/IProductGroup.aspx?category=cups