London skyline recreated using fruit and veg

November 16, 2009 4:15 PM

An artist has used 26 different types of fruit to recreate the London skyline.

Carl Warner and his team of five model-makers spent three weeks crafting the famous London landmarks out of foods ranging from melons and tomatoes to asparagus.

They carefully sculpted the buildings - while all the time fighting the challenge of how to keep the fresh and highly perishable fruit and vegetables looking their best for the final image.

After gluing it all together they then took this stunning image… before munching on the most impressive salad bar you have ever see.

In the image the face of BIG BEN is through slices of lemon while THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT is created with a mix of asparagus, green and runner beans subtly mixed with baby sweetcorn to depict the intricate stonework of the political landmark.

THE LONDON EYE has green beans as spokes and its pods carefully crafted out of baby plum tomatoes and the GHERKIN is manufactured from two types of melon and embedded with green beans - we can't help but think they missed a trick there.

NELSON'S COLUMN is made from a cucumber with baby courgettes and a carrot teamed with a monkey nut and almond while ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL has been given a modern day food makeover, with the spire being created from roundels of carrot, yellow and green courgette and baby leeks. The famous dome designed by Christopher Wren in the 17th century, has been transformed through the use of a melon, while the impressive columns have been crafted out of baby sweetcorn.

TOWER BRIDGE has pineapple piers with celery and shredded wheat towers and the TOWER OF LONDON is comprised of a selection of breadsticks and spelt crackers while the intricate brickwork has been constructed from mini shredded wheat.

THE EMBANKMENT is depicted through panini encrusted walls, punctuated by the iconic Thameside lampposts which are constructed by onions wrapped in vanilla pods for the lamps, asparagus for the posts and mackerel for the ornate fish plinths.

This edible version of the London skyline was specially commissioned by the Good Food channel. Spokesperson Roopa Gulati said: "This is a stunning image which has quite literally transformed the London skyline through good food proving that fun with food in a creative and light-hearted way is the way forward."