The Nasty Secrets of Culinary Stylists Will Make You Rethink #Foodporn

Although these shortcuts are less common in the age of photoshop, the food you see in magazines and advertisements is often not, well, edible. The photo series Faking It reveals the nasty secrets behind food photography.

Looks tasty, huh? The beauty here is what's revealed in the margins. The widened frame of these photos, styled by Jack Sargeson and shot by Dan Matthews, shows the icky behind-the-scenes ingredients that went into making the food appear appetizing.

Typically, fake ice cream is made with instant mashed potatoes, which don't melt under the hot lights of a photo shoot. In this case, lard was used to create the recognizable texture. A mixture of water, sugar and food coloring was used to paint in "melted" drops. 

Yummy! This roast was darkened with shoe polish and basted with motor oil for a glossy look, while the carrots were hair-sprayed to give them camera-ready sheen. 

This chocolate cake was frosted with shaving cream, which doesn't melt as easily as real whipped cream or frosting. To top it off, a little gold spray paint for decoration.

Notice the strings and toothpicks used to keep these grapes looking perfectly bunched. The baby powder on the side gives the appearance of freshly-picked bloom.

Nothing's better than an afternoon snack of cookies and glue, used for its superior hue and viscosity. Eat up!