Art Using Food as a Medium

By presenting food in a visually engaging way, the tastes, smells, and textures of edible goods are enhanced. This is because people interpret their senses syncretically—the stimuli of sights, smells, tastes, textures, and sounds interact with each other in our minds to become meaningful. To exploit this reality, foods are often cast or carved with great skill. Chocolatiers and bakers make their delicacies in numerous visual forms, and cooks form butter into beautiful shapes. Vegetables and fruits can be transformed into fantastic garnishes. Even the arrangement of conventional foods on plates can be done with aesthetic consideration. Table sculptures were historically created for banqueting in Western Europe, such as fountains filled with wine—the precursor to the melted chocolate fountains that became popular at the turn ...