Delectable Worlds: Top Creations From Italian Pastry Chef
Just imagine it. Whatever sweet world you dream up, this fanciful chef can create it. That’s not an over-exaggeration! Just look at these miniature worlds. And they’re edible, too!
Matteo Stucchi is an Italian pastry chef who is capturing our imaginations and the international headlines with his beautiful and artistic (also, yummy) creations. Beyond his success in quickly capturing a huge collection of adoring fans from around the world, he’s also inspiring us all to re-think the way we perceive and experience food.
Why Create Miniature Worlds?
It’s not a new concept. You’ve probably seen mini creations in the past. Stucchi’s approach is unique, not only because his worlds are carved out in pastry-form, but also because he moves beyond what you’d think of as your average baked good ideas and quickly arrives at his own visions of the world. So, you’ll see the mini-figures scaling the biscotti, casual characters sitting on benches under cake-pop trees, a priestly figure officiating at the marriage of two strawberries (dressed in the sweetest attire: white-and-dark chocolate tux and wedding dress), tiny river rafters paddling down a stream of chocolate decadence that’s flowing out of a caved-out pastry, and even a crew of miniature climbers scaling the powdered-sugar-topped muffin.
Each of his creations tells a story. And, the combined scene of each pastry captures our imaginations, allowing us to dream up all sorts of possible plotlines and twists. You really could write a novel, or at least a short story, around Stucchi’s marvelously idiosyncratic impressions. For being miniature in size, they sure seem larger than life, with depictions that will carry you away.
Playing with Food
As a kid, you were always told, “Don’t play with your food!” It was the cardinal rule. You remember, right? It was never allowed, and always punishable in the worst way. The whole point of eating was not really about enjoyment but more about satiating your hunger.
Playing with your food might have been entertaining for a few minutes, and may have even helped to delay eating the broccoli and brussels sprouts, but any fun factor quickly disappeared as soon as the punishment was implemented. Was the doom factor worth it?
Now, pastry chefs like Stucchi have thrown those age-old rules of etiquette out the window and dared to challenge us to something more. (The “rules” never were etched in stone, and it’s time to find new ways to enliven and enrich our enjoyment of food!) So, Stucchi has begun to take us on a merry-go-round, with each edible tidbit just waiting there for us to explore.
Imagine the countless possibilities. Who wouldn’t want to play with their food, when you get to experience fantastic landscape scenes like that? It looks wonderful and you can safely bet that it tastes even better! The adventures await if you allow yourself to dream for a few moments. What stories will you tell through your pastry and food creations? What possible reason do you have for NOT playing with your food?
