Food-shaped candles are latest dinner party trend
If you see some half-melted strawberry tarts or unsavoury-looking fried chicken strewn across the table when you arrive at your next dinner party, don't be alarmed.
Your host has not forgotten to clear up their last meal. They are trying to impress you with the latest middle-class homeware trend: food-shaped candles.
Selfridges reports that food-shaped candles are now its fastest-selling table decoration and it has had to treble its range to meet demand.
A triple layer cake candle weighing more than 2kg is one of the offerings at Selfridges
SELFRIDGES
The department store said candles in the form of a lemon, a fried egg and red grapes are among its top sellers. Candles that resemble a string of sausages, a slice of Gruyere, a baguette or a strawberry tart are also in strong demand. Prices range from £17 to £95.
Leading the unusual trend is Laila Gohar, an Egyptian artist known for transforming ordinary food into striking sculptural and interactive installations, such as a rope of braided mozzarella and a swan made of artichoke leaves.
One of Gohar's most popular food candles resembles, quite convincingly, a tin of biscuits. She also sells a set of strawberry candles, although none of her creations come cheap.
Her set of four fried chicken candles, thankfully unscented, will set buyers back £38, significantly more than a bucket of the real thing from KFC.
Fried chicken candles from Gohar World
SELFRIDGES
The striking creations have taken social media by storm and the hashtag #foodcandle has had tens of millions of views on TikTok.
Some enterprising food influencers have even crossed the line into making edible candles. Erin Dittmer's video on how to make a 'butter candle' has been viewed more nearly 14 million times.
This involves pouring melted butter and herbs into a paper cup containing an edible wick and then freezing it.
Once solid, the paper cup is torn away, the lump of butter placed in a hole torn out of a farmhouse loaf and the wick set alight. The butter slowly melts down the bread, creating a delicious if messy snack.
Erin Dittmer's butter candle in her video on TikTok
The latest additions to the Selfridges food candle range come from the Italian firm Introna, which has been making candles since 1840. These include a 'pink pudding' candle at £45, a banana candle at £18 and green apple candle at £18.
Selfridges said the strong interest in the candles is part of a wider trend for 'foodie decorations'. Last Christmas, for example, the store doubled its range of food and drink shaped baubles to meet demand.
Gregory Krum, buying manager at Selfridges, said: 'If you want to bring a fun talking point to your dinner table, now is the time to think beyond the traditional candle.'
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