noun
aspic
AS-pik/ˈæspɪk/
Savory jelly used to encase food.
Pieces of chicken and vegetables are suspended in the clear aspic.
Etymology
The French sauce name apparently refers to an asp, though lavender seasoning is another possibility. The jelly seems to have developed when meat cooked in the sauce released gelatin, allowing the liquid to set when cold.
More examples
- She chilled the aspic until it set.
- A savory aspic surrounded the sliced meat.
- The cook unmolded the aspic onto a platter.
Forms
aspic
Similar words
- gelatin
- Gelatin is the setting substance; aspic is a savory food jelly made with it.
- jelly
- Jelly is the broader category; aspic specifically has a savory rather than sweet role.