Foodietecture || Blog Post 8 || The Presentation

The final presentation to tutors has seen the event present their dishes on specially made presentation plates to replicate and signify the architectural styles explored by all.

Foodietecture || Blog Post 7 || The Presentation 'Plate'

Relating back to the Ancient Mayan architectural style, here we've created a simplistic levelled Ancient Mayan Temple. With the outer edges providing as the basis for the presentation of the 'Poc Chic', the Dark Chocolate-Chilli sauce can be poured over the top and will be able to flow its way down the stepped features to the bottom - the idea of the flow to therefore represent the flowing of blood from the human sacrifice rituals carried out at the top of the Ancient Mayan Temples. The inside of the model acts as a chamber for smoke to be poured into. The smoke will then rise to the top and out of the model through loose gaps on the sides of the walls - thus adding to the overall effect of presentation.

Foodietecture || Blog Post 6 || The Nest

Having created a number of layers, the nests were left to harden in the fridges in order for their form to harden. Once taken out, the balloons were carefully popped and slowly deflated in order to remove it from the now hardened chocolate. The result can be seen in the photograph with the differing layers of white, milk and dark chocolate creating an abstract vessel ready for the containment of a blue milkshake.

Foodietecture || Blog Post 5 || Drizzling a Trio of Chocolate over a Balloon

In order to be able to create the best, and create a volume capable of containing a liquid, we had to drizzle the melted chocolate over a small inflated ballon. The shape of the balloon would therefore act as the basis for the volume of the nest with the chocolate able to take its form, and harden once left in the fridges to set. The process was repeated to create a number of differing layers.

Foodietecture || Blog Post 4 || Becoming a Chocolatier

Having now had a clear idea for the main meal, it was time to think about a second dish and so we chose to explore a desert. The idea behind it was based on a chocolate nest and the Mayans love of their sport that was in essence similar to football. With the nests acting as a decorative and elaborate representation of the ball used in said sport, it could provide as an edible shell for the containment of a liquid drink.

Foodietecture || Blog Post 3 || Marinating Over a Period of Days

Having decided to re-cook the 'Poc Chuc' dish, we decided to leave everything just that little but longer when it came to timings. As a consequence, the pork was left to marinate in its sea salt and orange juice marinade for a number of days in the fridges. The result after cooking them in the oven was tasty and provided new levels of interaction with the food through thr smell, and crunchy exterior texture of the pork.

Foodietecture || Blog Post 2 || 'Poc Chuc' and a Chilli-Dark Chocolate Sauce

Having explored the Ancient Mayan civiliasation through it's simple architecture, we further continued our exploration into the civilasation's food culture. Having found recipes for 'Classic Ancient Mayan' dishes, we began to cook one of said recipes in the culinary facilities at MMUs Hollings Faculty.

With the recipe being known as 'Poc Chuc', we cooked strips of pork belly, sprinkled with salt and marinated in a fresh orange juice. The sauce to accompany it was a concoction of fresh tomatoes, sprinklings of chilli flakes, dark cocoa, with raisins and toasted sesame seeds.

After a first trial attempt at cooking this ancient dish, it became clear that the sauce would need refining. The potential though for architectural relation was apparent, and could be further duly exploited through our presentation of the dish.

Foodietecture || Blog Post 1 || Exploring an Architectural Style

A garishly simple photomontage to understand and provide a brief overview of the Ancient Mayan civilisation. It's architecture is the only current existence of its past presence and provided the basis for the cultural hub of the Ancient Mayan cities as well as a solid platform for the ritual of human sacrifice.