A Different Kind of Modeling

Having been 5’8” in 6^th grade, I was frequently asked if I’d considered modeling. My answer was always no, as I am camera- or in general performance-shy. I don’t like presentations, being on stage, having my picture taken – anything that puts me in the spotlight. Modeling was therefore out of the question, regardless of my height. I take after my dad in preferring to be the one behind the camera and the only way I would attend a fashion show would be as a guest – not that it’s likely – or as a photographer.

Years after denying any desire to model, I found myself fascinated by modeling, but not the fashion kind. My love for baking, and decorating had me reading more and more cookbooks and websites dedicated to the art. Colette’s Cakes: The Art of Cake Decorating by Colette Peters was my gateway into the possibilities of what cake could be, albeit most of her creations were a little too lofty for my abilities. I had known about buttercream piping and was relatively good at it, but had never delved into the wonders of fondant and gum paste.

Here was an opportunity for me to model. Flowers, animals, letters, people – the possibilities of what you can make with fondant and gum paste are endless. Think of this as the baker’s playdough and run with it. While I still believe buttercream tastes miles better than either fondant or gum paste, you simply can’t make everything out of it. I love making 3D flowers and the like and my cousin and I get together regularly to bake and decorate cakes. She has even made a model of a turkey, which survived for two Thanksgivings, before finding its untimely demise under mysterious circumstances that may have involved her golden retriever. Once fondant and gum paste harden, they can last indefinitely, since they are composed of mainly sugar.

The recipes I use are from Wilton. Their rolled fondant recipe is a great basic, though it does have the tendency to dry out rather quickly. The marshmallow fondant, a slightly easier recipe and medium, requires fewer ingredients, doesn’t dry out as quickly, but is a little too elastic for my liking. As far as gum paste goes, I have found it difficult to settle on a recipe, partially due to the difficulty of finding tylose gum in stores. Wilton does have a relatively good mix that I have used in the past when my other attempts have failed.