by Kevin Coupe
The Washington Post reports that “edible glitter” is “shaping up to be one of 2018’s biggest and most controversial trends: decorating everything from cookies to pizza with a sprinkling of shiny sparkles.”
According to the story, “Edible glitter has been popping up on more and more food items lately — a natural extension of the childlike rainbow and unicorn trends that have overtaken social media. At first, it was mostly a cake-decorating thing — wedding cakes, frosted cookies and special occasion treats. But last year, it made the jump to coffee, adding an emphatic shimmer to latte art. It showed up in prosecco, which is already sort of sparkly to begin with.”
Recently, the Post writes, “glitter has made a somewhat disturbing leap into savory foods. Glitter bagels are a thing. One London pub made glitter gravy — its sparkles an odd contrast to the brown, meaty sauce — to cheer up a basic roast. A rainbow glitter pizza from Santa Monica, Calif., got some buzz on Instagram … It’s only a matter of time before people take it one step further. Imagine glitter ramen, glitter burgers, glitter coq au vin — this is our dystopian future.”
Dystopian is right.
I don’t have a problem with glitter on cookies and cakes. I wouldn’t choose it, but it does seem sort of appropriate.
But on hamburgers, in coffee? I don’t think so, but I’m not sure I would go as far as describing this as being dystopian in nature.
What I do object to - on moral, ethical, gastronomic and aesthetic grounds, and any other grounds you can come up with - is the trend described in this sentence from the Post story:
“ Several brewers have put it in beer.”
I’m sorry. That’s a bridge too far. That’s not a dystopian future. That’s Armageddon.
Except that … according to the Post, the Sasquatch Brewery in my home-away-from-home - Portland, Oregon - made a glitter beer called Gold Dust Woman, and it sold out in less than a week.
That’s an Eye-Opener. I guess. Though it really makes me want to roll mine.
The Washington Post reports that “edible glitter” is “shaping up to be one of 2018’s biggest and most controversial trends: decorating everything from cookies to pizza with a sprinkling of shiny sparkles.”
According to the story, “Edible glitter has been popping up on more and more food items lately — a natural extension of the childlike rainbow and unicorn trends that have overtaken social media. At first, it was mostly a cake-decorating thing — wedding cakes, frosted cookies and special occasion treats. But last year, it made the jump to coffee, adding an emphatic shimmer to latte art. It showed up in prosecco, which is already sort of sparkly to begin with.”
Recently, the Post writes, “glitter has made a somewhat disturbing leap into savory foods. Glitter bagels are a thing. One London pub made glitter gravy — its sparkles an odd contrast to the brown, meaty sauce — to cheer up a basic roast. A rainbow glitter pizza from Santa Monica, Calif., got some buzz on Instagram … It’s only a matter of time before people take it one step further. Imagine glitter ramen, glitter burgers, glitter coq au vin — this is our dystopian future.”
Dystopian is right.
I don’t have a problem with glitter on cookies and cakes. I wouldn’t choose it, but it does seem sort of appropriate.
But on hamburgers, in coffee? I don’t think so, but I’m not sure I would go as far as describing this as being dystopian in nature.
What I do object to - on moral, ethical, gastronomic and aesthetic grounds, and any other grounds you can come up with - is the trend described in this sentence from the Post story:
“ Several brewers have put it in beer.”
I’m sorry. That’s a bridge too far. That’s not a dystopian future. That’s Armageddon.
Except that … according to the Post, the Sasquatch Brewery in my home-away-from-home - Portland, Oregon - made a glitter beer called Gold Dust Woman, and it sold out in less than a week.
That’s an Eye-Opener. I guess. Though it really makes me want to roll mine.
- KC's View:
