the name for a clear savoury jelly used for holding together or garnishing cold meat or fish dishes, has an uncertain derivation and dates back only to the late 18th century, when it meant the whole dish not just the jelly element.
Aspic is properly made, as its great proponent Carême would have insisted, from knuckle of veal or calf's foot, but ready-to-use powdered aspic is widely used.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
