With the pandemic outbreak, social distancing and at-home quarantine have become necessary preventive measures and many countries have opted to be under lockdown. As a result, most industries are currently struggling. But, interestingly, this virus has inspired some unique food items (well, modern problems require modern solutions).
Cue coronavirus-themed food items. Yep, you read it right. Chefs and bakers from around the world have created dishes in honour of the virus. While these dishes may look a little suspect at first, they tend to lighten and brighten the mood of most people.
Easter egg
French pastry chef Jean-François Pre made Easter eggs that resemble the virus in order to lighten the mood. These delicious treats were created at his shop at Landivisiau in north-western France. The shell is made of milk chocolate, which is then given a black colour. Chef Pre uses red-coloured almonds to act as the “spikes” of the virus. Ironically, Chef Pre’s shop is located on Rue Louis Pasteur, a street named after the famous
microbiologist!
Burger
If you’re scared of something, you should eat it. This saying led Chef Hoang Tung and his team at Pizza Home takeaway shop in Hanoi to make a coronavirus-themed burger. The burger buns are stained green using green tea. The spikes are made of the bun dough. In an interview, Chef Tung said, “That’s why the coronavirus isn’t scary anymore, after you eat a burger in the shape of the virus itself. That way of thinking spreads joy to others during this pandemic.”
Toilet paper cake
Many people have started to stockpile essential items during the COVID-19 outbreak. One of the most common panic buys is toilet paper, for obvious reasons. And this has led to another trend – toilet paper cake – being produced by bakers around the world.
Schurener Backparadies, a bakery in Dortmund, Germany, is making 200 “roll cakes” a day to keep up with this unusual demand. The owner, Tim, said, “We’ve had to stop doing a lot of things here – no more wedding cakes, no more sandwiches for events. That’s when the idea of the toilet paper cake came up. The customers are totally crazy about it. Most people just like it as it adds some fun to these times.” And oh, this bakery has also started making biscuits that have face masks on them.
A bakery in Chicago, TipsySpace, has taken this one step further. When someone orders a toiler paper cake, they get a roll of real toilet paper along with it! The bakery offers both takeaway and delivery service for celebrating birthdays and anniversaries on a humorous note. Who said home quarantine can’t be fun?
Stay Home, Stay Safe cake
Most countries are encouraging everyone to stay at home while COVID-19 rages. With self-isolation and home quarantine being the prescribed norm, bakeries are trying to spread the same message through their cakes and pastries. In Hong Kong, Baking Maniac’s Stay Home, Stay Safe cake was created by founder Ankrish Gidwani to encourage people to stay home and enjoy family time.
Cocktail
Who doesn’t like a cool cocktail? It’s fun to experiment with different drinks and explore something new. Razvedka Bar in Moscow decided to make things really interesting with its “coronavirus cocktail”. The best part? The way it’s served! The cocktail is garnished with two syringes filled with bright red and green liquids. Unfortunately, Anton Zagariya, the bar’s manager, has declined to speak about the ingredients used in the tipple. According to reports, Zagariya said, “The idea of this cocktail came suddenly, just like the virus itself. We decided to try and lower the level of tension and panic, which is our worst enemy in this situation.”
Face mask cake
Krutika Rajay Kandade of Kandy’s Cakes in Bombay wanted to do something different. In an interview, she shared how the face mask cake idea came into being, explaining, “I usually ask my customers what colour, flavour and design they want, and then I sketch a rough one and share it with them. So, inspired by the precautionary advertisements due to the pandemic, I came up with this idea, and the customer was very happy to see one.”
Dr Fauci doughnut
While we are in the comfort of our homes, doctors and the medical community are on the front lines battling the virus. To thank them, a doughnut shop in Rochester, New York, has created a doughnut dedicated to infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci. Dr Fauci has won people’s hearts in the USA and around the world owing to his straight-talking approach, so Donuts Delite decided to literally make him the face of a doughnut, explaining, ”We wanted to find a way to cheer up the people in our neighbourhood. We loved his message and how thorough he was and how he kept everyone informed during the crisis, so we wanted to give back and say thanks.” Incredibly, thousands of this doughnut have been sold. The owner said, “We had no idea it was going to blow up this big. We didn’t know everyone else felt the same way we did.”
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