Play With Your Food

These butterflies are carved from carrots and white radishes. One of the new, exciting trends in the culinary and entertainment world is the art of fruit and vegetable carving. This ancient art turns simple produce into beautiful masterpieces.

The Food Network has had several fruit and vegetable carving challenges in the past, where participants have turned carved produce into amazing, five- foot-high centerpieces.

You can learn how to make these masterpieces for yourself at Midlands

white radishes.

Technical College. MTC's fruit and vegetable carving course will introduce you to the special tools and simple techniques of this ancient Thai art.

The course includes lectures, demonstrations, and hands- on practice in an assortment of carving techniques that are simple, easy- to- learn and practical. At the completion of the course, you will be able to create a beautiful centerpiece with a variety of fruit and vegetable flowers and butterflies.

The instructor, Wanworawan Wongpaiboon, a graduate of USC's School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, started learning fruit and vegetable carving, or Kae- Sa- Luk, at the age of six in Thailand. She

These daffodils are carved from white radishes and are then painted with food coloring. has been practicing this ancient art for 25 years and has done many show pieces for weddings and festivals.

"We have students who take the program for professional development who are using their skills in their own businesses as caterers, chefs, event planners, and restaurant owners. But, we also have a number of students who simply want to develop a new talent, and this is such a wonderful way for students to express their creativity and love for entertaining," Wongpaiboon said.

Almost anyone can

learn to decorate colorful fruits and vegetables through artistic carving; to get started, all that's required is patience, concentration, a steady hand, and practice.

The program is $99 plus $40 for the cost of the course materials, which include a book and tools. Students are also encouraged to bring a kitchen knife, a peeler and a variety of produce to class.

The next course takes place July 7 through July 30 and is offered Monday and Wednesday nights from 6- 8 pm on the Harbison Campus. Course ID: CEART-529-05.

To register for these and many other courses, visit mtctraining.com or call (803) 732-0432. For questions, contact Patsy Towery at (803) 732-5256 or toweryp@ midlandstech.edu.