Weekend Diversion: Food that looks like other food

“Camouflage is a game we all like to play, but our secrets are as surely revealed by what we want to seem to be as by what we want to conceal.”
-Russell Lynes

If you’re anything like me, one of the great simple pleasures you’ll find in this life comes from the delicious and varied ways we can enjoy food and drink. There are some who might be able to get by with other pleasures, like The J.B.’s, who sing about givin’ up food for funk.

But for me — as much as I love music — there’s no substitute for mouth-watering deliciousness.

Except, sometimes, what you’re getting is not quite what it seems. The delicious pizza, above, is no pizza at all, but rather a cake! And this theme — food that looks like other food — is something I’m delighted to share with you this weekend.

This is another cake from The Butter End, made to look like Chicken and Waffles, with the drumsticks creatively made out of Rice Krispie treats.

Of course, not all creative food projects involve cake.

This delicious looking sushi is made out of everything from jelly beans for the roe, lemon cake for the tamago, marshmallows, sour straws and gummi worms for the california roll, and various cut up gummi candies for the tuna and salmon nigiri!

Tired of all the sweets? Maybe we should turn that on its head with… a little cake.

No, it just looks like a cake; it’s actually a giant vegan smörgåstårta! With layers of bread, vegetables and other goodies, this is a very creative way to make a sandwich. (There are plenty of non-vegan versions, too.)

For the more macabre among you, you might enjoy this rotting human skull.

This halloween treat is made out of thinly sliced cured meats, with cocktail onions and olives for the eyes! Looks perfect, doesn’t it?

After that halloween nightmare, you might want to wash it down with a… pumpkin, perhaps?

Made with clementines or oranges and a “stem” of celery in the top, these pumpkin impostors look far better to me than any actual pumpkins I’ve ever come across.

And those are some of the most creative foods-that-look-like-other-foods I’ve ever come across! On the flip side, here’s some delicious-looking bacon and eggs that you definitely won’t want to eat.

Because it’s not made out of a different food; it’s made of soap!

So I hope you found these an entertaining and creative addition to your weekend, and I’ll see you back here next week for more wonderful science stories about the Universe!