Aspic

In America, aspic is the chilled coating applied to various cold meats and fish. For example, one might say that a food is “coated with aspic.” In France, an “aspic” refers to the whole dish. For example, one would consider a “fish aspic” an entire course at a dinner. While aspic’s original purpose was to reinforce and provide delicate nuances to cold dishes, this vision was largely lost and aspics became merely decorative. A classic aspic is clarified gelatinous bouillon, chilled and allowed to set.