Just when we thought the toast trend was done — that every possible avocado trend, health trend, even toast sans bread trend was left in 2016, it’s back, baby. This time, it’s the colors that count. The new mermaid toast indulges your eyes and your fantasies. Using some science and a little bit of magic, a famous food stylist was able to give this toast a mermaid-like feel. The pastel blue colors help create an under the sea vibe and the gold flecks take it to true mermaid level.
But, this toast and other similar, aesthetically pleasing food creations are getting backlash for being impractical and too pretty to eat. Some people feel like these trends are derailing the world of cooking from it’s original purpose, creating food that tastes good.
Fantasy Food
Mermaid toast was created by the uber creative Florida-based food stylist, Adeline Waugh. However, this toast isn’t what’s made her Instagram famous. Waugh is also accredited with creating unicorn toast. So, she’s used to casually turning everyone’s fantasies into edible realities. Waugh posted her mermaid toast to Instagram with a caption explaining the mystery behind the magic writing, “I used a variety of blue green algae powders and liquids mixed with almond milk cream cheese to create this ocean inspired toast.” It sounds like the toast might be more pleasant to look at than to eat, but isn’t that what Instagram food is for?
The Backlash
After coming out with this beauty of a toast, Waugh started to receive some backlash. Many people were confused as to why she would spend time making this artistic creation. If you ask me, people need to stop asking questions and just accept that beautiful toast is here to stay. But, Waugh had an answer of her own.
In another Instagram post showing off the oceanic toast, Waugh stated, “There are so many people hating on it…I am just having fun! I am a food stylist and I like to create beautiful things using food…with everything going on in the world today, sometimes I just want to look at some colorful food.”
I don’t know who could argue with that sentiment. As far as Instagram goes, food styling is the norm and while people might be upset about the impracticality of cooking with algae, most Instagram food stylists aren’t working to create usable recipes, but instead to create fun food art.
If you’re into mermaid toast, but don’t have access to edible algae of varying colors (because who does)? Follow @vibrantandpure on Instagram to live vicariously through her creations. Or, hit up Spoon for some easier to make toast that will still dazzle your followers in your next Instagram post.
To the credit of the haters, some food stylists are working far outside the realm of edible food, adding lipstick to strawberries and paint stripper to cheese. But, if you’re on Instagram to see pictures of beautiful food, I’m not sure how fair it is to be complaining about practicality. Whatever your feelings about it are, you can’t argue that this toast is beautiful.