@CalamityJane,
Cj, you've fallen for the Madison Avenue brainwashing.
It isn't mouthwatering, juicy or even edible most of the time. It is food styling. Want some examples of what is done to create those photographs and commercials that make people drool? You'll never look at them the same way again.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_photography
Styling techniques
In addition to choosing, preparing and composing plated food, food stylists use numerous techniques to make appear the food as attractive as possible. These may include:
* creating steam with cool air nebulizers or a combination of chemicals that give off smoke that gives the appearance of steam;
* spraying food with water or mixtures of water, corn syrup, or other liquids to keep food looking fresh;
* making a mixture of solid shortening, corn syrup, and powdered sugar (essentially a very stiff frosting) that can be scooped to simulate real ice cream;
* using a variety of browning agents (usually mixtures used to brown gravies or sometimes heat activated liquids used in commercial bakeries) to enhance the color/brownness of cooked meats and poultry;
* using heavy cream instead of milk in bowls of cereal to prevent flakes from becoming soggy too quickly. The use of white glue is generally discouraged, and is not usually encountered. (as most cereal companies prohibit this practice).
* blanching green vegetables to just bring up their bright color, rather than cooking them completely. Other vegetables and foods may be cooked just to color, so they do not brown or become wrinkled if they must stand under the camera for a while.
* adding water to beverages so light will filter through better and add sparkle to the drink.
Cold beverages
To create the effect of a thin layer of condensation forming on the outside of glasses containing cold liquid, dulling spray may be applied,[10] with paper or masking tape protecting the non-"frosted" areas. More pronounced condensation and dew drops are imitated by spraying the glass with corn syrup or glycerin.[11]
Ice cubes used in shoots are made of acrylic, so they won't move, melt or float.[12] Fresh-looking bubbles on the surface of drinks are created by applying a mixture of the drink and detergent to the surface with an eyedropper.[13] White glue may be used in lieu of milk,[10] and a mixture of brewed coffee and water instead of tea.[14]
Salads
Salads in food photography are composed with a view to creating appealing textures, shapes and colors. To improve support and aid in composition, salad in a bowl is built around a smaller bowl placed upside down in the outer bowl.[15] Salad greens are kept fresh and crisp by misting them with cold water prior to composition.[16] Salad dressing is not normally used, as it makes the salad slippery and difficult to style, but the appearance of dressing may be created by sprinkling herbs and spices over the wet salad, or mixing them in oil and applying it with a brush.[17]
Fruit salads are particularly challenging to shoot because of the short time the fruit pieces, which are cut immediately prior to final photography, retain their appearance.[18] As only the outer layer of the salad is of interest, the concealed interior of the salad bowl may be filled by mashed potatoes or another mixture.[19] Thick or heavy dressings don't photograph well; they are usually thinned and applied by brush.[20]
Hamburgers and sandwiches
Hamburger photography is challenging because the buns dent easily and an assembled burger is quick to lose its visual appeal.[21] When assembling the burger, the ingredients are held in place with toothpicks and the meaty interior of tomato slices is removed to avoid juice discoloring the ingredients.[22] The meat patties are superficially cooked, the edges browned with a torch and the meat made to look more appetizing with a colorant.[23] The edges of melted cheese slices may be brushed with household cleaner to make them look freshly melted longer.[24] Condiments such as mayonnaise are applied to the edges with an applicator bottle.[25]
Sandwiches are assembled used similar techniques. Wet paper towels are used to prevent the bread from drying out. If a half sandwich is to be depicted, the bread and the components are individually sliced with scissors and assembled in place.[26]
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/handouts/advertising_marketing/food_ads.cfm?RenderForPrint=1
Food for Thought: Making Food Look Good
Have you ever wondered how they make food look so good in ads?
Because working with real food can be quite challenging, some food stylists use these "tricks of the trade" to make the food they photograph look delicious.
* That luscious-looking roasted turkey has been washed in dish washing detergent, cooked briefly, painted with ten coats of food colouring, and blowtorched (to give it that lovely roasted look!)
* Those natural-looking bunches of grapes are sprayed with baby powder deodorant.
* The molded cream pudding is hard as a rock, because it contains ten times the amount of gelatin than a regular pudding would. (We don't want it to melt under those hot lights!)
* The ice you see in that frosty beverage is most likely acrylic "ice," that refracts light better than real ice and doesn't melt.
* The rich-looking syrup being poured over pancakes? Motor oil works well here.
* Like that milkshake? It's a combination of food colouring, and whipped shortening! And don't go for the ice cream instead - it's shortening too!
* That great looking bowl of cereal on the cover of your cereal box is actually cereal and white glue, instead of milk, to prevent the cereal from getting soggy. (No one wants to buy a box of mush!)
* Those veggies that look as if if they were just picked and dew-covered? Mix glycerine into a spray bottle with water and the drops will stay on for about 15 minutes. (Glycerin can be used to give any food a juicy, glistening appearance.)
* Want your Barbecued ribs to look mouth-watering? Half-cook the ribs, paint with wood stain and BBQ sauce.
* Those french fries in a carton? Each one has been individually selected, from hundreds of fries, and secured to a styrofoam base inside the package so that they stand up straight and fan out nicely.
That hamburger that makes you want to run to your nearest fast-food outlet, is the product of a process that includes:
* frying the hamburger for 20 seconds on each side
* using red-hot skewers pressed against the meat to give it that "grilled" look
* painting the hamburger with food colouring to give it that plump, brown, juicy appearance.
* picking the best out of hundreds of hamburger buns (strategically gluing on extra sesame seeds if necessary)
* lining the buns with cardboard so that they don't get soggy
* snipping and spreading the burger from behind so that it looks bigger in the bun
* selecting only the most perfect condiments and securing them in place with toothpicks
* securing the top of the bun to the hamburger with toothpicks
* The finishing touch to a hot food photo-shoot? Artificial 'steam' placed behind the food to give it that 'fresh from the oven' appearance.
