It would seem Tanker-Builder has touched off a lively discussion on food model kits, so it was just the push I needed to start the spaghetti kit I bought in Japan back in 2016.
The box was promptly exhumed from the shelf:
Contents were examined:
Ummm… Officer, that’s… not mine:
Except for the parsley flakes (yes, officer, they really are parsley flakes!), everything is made of wax. I had assumed the toppings were made from vinyl, but upon closer examination, it was clear another material was being used. What tipped me off was the fat in the bacon slice - it looked like the different colored materials were poured simultaneously. Reviewing the box and instructions, there was a note mentioning that the product was indeed wax. I used my fingernail to scratch the backside of one of the mushrooms, and yep, wax.
And the only disappointing aspect of the kit, the super cheapy paper bowl and flimsy wooden fork:
My wonderful sister gave me a real bowl and fancy chrome plated plastic fork, so fight’s on! The wire with the big clip at the end is meant to hold the fork up, but I am considering substituting a simple wire instead to make it easier to conceal.
Thanks to Phil_H, I found more videos on the faux food kits I bought for my friends. I forwarded the videos to them to get them to build their kits. Will it work? I don’t know. I am a poor motivational speaker.
I posted this in General Modeling, as there is no “Fake Food and Other Weird Models” page. [::DD0]
Talk about hurting a Sicilian’s feelings. Pasta You can’t eat?
Hey I was joking. I actually didn’t know until I saw a " How it’s Made" Episode that there was something as " Model Food". I guess this proves a very old theory of mine. You can make a model of anything I guess! Love the pics and comments, keep them coming. Anyone out there got a Steak and Potatoes dinner yet?
Tanker-Builder, heh heh, a fake steak & potatoes dinner kit just might be out there.
So anyway, here’s the real bowl and the paper one that comes in the kit. I might need to source a smaller bowl, as the pasta supply is limited.
And here is the cheap wood fork and the chrome plated plastic fork:
The “aftermarket” fork looks fabulous. [:D]
And here is the kit stand & base, test fit on the bowl with the pasta. Yeah, I’m gonna need a smaller bowl.
I came across this video showing a guy making tempura coating for a shrimp and a whole cabbage(!) from wax in a warm water bath. It’s all in Japanese, but I think you’ll get the gist. By what he was saying to the little kid, he was giving instructions for the tyke to try it himself.
I realize this fake food stuff is more of a craft rather than a plastic model thing, but it’s a fun diversion from counting rivets and drawing red lines on kit photos.
I wonder if that guy could make a Gamera out of wax? He probably could, but it would look so WRONG lying on a plate with condiments! [:P] A “Monster Island” boxed lunch maybe? The Ebira monster could be a tempura prawn…
Actually, there really is a fake food industry. All of those commercials you see on TV, for Burger King, or McD’s, or IHOP, whatever, show fake food created to make it look delicious. Have you noticed, when you order one of those burgers, they NEVER are as good as the ones they show you on the commercials? Just more fraudulant advertising.
Not fraudulent Cadet Chuck, the need of fakery for media presentation. For example, ice cream cannot stand the bright studio lighting, so they use… mashed potatoes. But I have to agree that most burgers and such on TV look way bigger and juicier than what is actually passed across the counter. But such are the vagaries of advertising.
In Japan, most restaurants have fake food displays in their front window which look exactly like the real thing. From what I have been told, they usually customize the faux dishes to match the menu. A great way for Gringos to order something in a Japanese restaurant is to take a photo of it from the window and show it to the waitress.
I’m not sure how big fake food is in the US, but in Japan it is kind of a pop culture icon, and they have retail stores which sell stuff to the general public. A far cry from the fake vomit and “Oops” spilled drinks I saw on the mainland in the mid-1970s.
Next time I’m in Kappabashi, I should look to see if I can get a steak for Tanker-Builder!
…and a quick lunchtime walk to the downtown Wallymart yielded this find:
A perfectly sized bowl! Nothing to stop me now. Unlike all my other builds, this one will have to happen quick due to the need to heat and integrate everything in one bang.
Rats, I should have gotten bowls for my friends too. And my office is on the edge of Chinatown, so sourcing a ramen bowl should be a breeze.
Quite right. I used to know a woman who was a professional ‘food stylist’ for an advertising photographic studio. Lots of interesting tricks to make food look mouth-watering…most of which you wouldn’t want your tongue within twenty feet of! [:D]
I am intrigued with the idea of wax as a commercial modeling medium. I look forward to seeing how your ‘pasta surprise’ turns out!
I think wax is used because the faux food industry started before modern polymer resins were widely available. The stuff they sell to the tourists might be resin or vinyl; I can’t recall because I never bought any of the pre-made stuff.
I think the majority of Faux Food is now Vinyls etc. The wax is used also. That is more for mainstream advertisers to use in Lite photoshoots. Notice, I said Lite! Wax does NOT hold up well to studio lights anymore than Styrene.
Oh, Hey ! How many of you have seen those Gorgeous cakes in some High End Bakery Windows. 9 Times out of 10 you are looking at Faux Food. There’s no way a three ,four, or five layer cake is gonna stay perfect for maybe a month of say " Wedding Cake Specials"!
I hope you won’t get upset by this comment. I belive the connector system you are using for the fork is I hope a temporary one. I would use a thin lexan rod and epoxy it to the fork and the dish. Don’t forget the Wad of Pascetti on the fork! The Mispelling and intended mis-pronouncing of that word courtesy of my Little Brother. Now not with us. Never got it right even as an adult!
The clip will help bulk up the spaghetti around the fork I think. I am also trying to realign my thought process in building kits, trying to work with what I have versus always being ready to fight and change things.
Okay so with bowl in hand, I glued the stand in:
The base was a little large in diameter to seat in the bowl, so I stacked some sheet plastic to shim the bottom so that the stand support had a solid foundation.
I also got to work on the toppings:
The person in the video used scissors to cut the toppings, but I used a blade from a utility knife, which was just the right length for the job. By letting the pieces sit in some hot water, the wax softens enough to allow the parts to be easily sliced, yet they keep their detail and shape.
The video had a nice tip about curving the bell pepper slices, which worked out well.
The person in the Youtube video might have been using water a little cooler than me, since the toppings made a “snip” sound when cut. When I cut the pieces, it was “just like buttah.”
