Edible Type

A couple of months ago a friend and fellow letterpress artist from ASU sent me a link to this delightful company's site: Typolade. I figure it is better late than never to post about this exciting discovery! A set of movable type in chocolate is like a dream to me. The website does have English text as well so it is worth reading about their product.

While searching online for more edible letters, their stories and their history, I discovered chocolate letters available from Peters Imports. I have not figured out what size the letters are but my favorite is of course the handsome "H"!

The story behind these chocolate letters is as follows: "At many Dutch Sinterklaas Eve parties (December 4th), the very last surprise in Sinterklaas' special burlap sack, is chocolate initials, the first letter of each person's name. There will be one for each person—the first given to the youngest child, then on up to the oldest person present." The tasty treats may be found in shoes, left by Sinterklaas as he makes his rounds checking on children.
Letters became associated with Sinterklaas in the 19th century, when a sheet was used to cover St. Nicholas presents. A bread dough letter, placed on top of the sheet, identified where a child’s gifts were located. During the 1800s advances in cocoa bean processing led to the production of chocolate bars. Chocolate letters were first manufactured around 1900, though they didn’t become readily available until the 1950s. Almond pastry and sausage letters are made by bakers and butchers.

A custom of edible letters goes back to Germanic times when, at birth, children were given a rune letter, made of bread—as a symbol of good fortune. Convent schools in the Middle Ages used bread letters to teach the alphabet. When the letter was learned and could be written well, a pupil could eat up the bread letter. D

uring the 16th and 17th centuries pastry letters were captured in Dutch Masters’ still-life paintings. I have long been fascinated by these Dutch still-life paintings and they make the top of my list for favorite historical paintings.

If you've been following my blog or know me well, you are aware of my love of cheese. In honor of that, I cannot help but share another Dutch still-life painting with you...of cheese!