Hello,

Working on Moonlight & Magnolias and I just got a note that they would like a tray with bagel, cream cheese, etc.  The bagel is easy.

Anyone have suggestions for making fake- cream cheese, lox, pickle, onion slice?

Thanks!

If your props need to be edible, then I agree with tristanrobin, however, Lox is outrageously expensive in our neck of the woods (over $8.00/lb!) and not everybody savors the taste of smoked fish. 

Of course, there's always the issue of storage -- as not every backstage has a working cooler to keep fish and cheese at the proper temperature (I firmly believe it is the job of the actors to stink up the play, not the props!)

The main problem is that there are very few edible things around with the (deep pinkish/orange) color and texture of lox.  Shaving the innards of a ripe, seedless watermelon into thin strips will approximate it, if it is artfully arranged on the plate.  

Don't cut your watermelon into the familiar "half-moon" shape that we all know and love.  Cut the watermelon into square blocks about 2-3 inches wide and shave off pieces from that.  Audiences won't know it's watermelon because they're not used to seeing it presented in this shape. 

Cool Whip non-dairy dessert topping can substitute for cream cheese.  The stuff lasts forever because it's actually some chemincal compound that contains absolutely no actual food.  It can be frozen into cream-cheese-shaped blocks and thawed out before curtain.  Or simply pile it on the plate and remind your actors that actual cream cheese would be heavier to spread.

(And, by the way, watermelon with Cool Whip is delicious by itself on a hot, summer day.  Cantaloupe with vanilla ice cream is good, too, but I digress.)

Faking onions is more difficult.  Shallots can be duplicated by slicing celery lengthwise, but I assume you mean the rounder, white or yellow onions.  In this case, I recommend slicing sponge cake or jelly rolls (being careful not to squeeze out too much jelly)  The swirling mimics the layers of an onion (and if you tell the audience it's an onion, they will believe).

Of course, this whole thing is moot if the props don't need to be eaten and are merely there for show.  In that case, everything you need can be made with different colors of Play-Doh and left to harden.  Give them all a light misting of vegetable oil before showtime to create that glistening, fresh look under the lights.

Bon apetit!

Thanks Topper for the awesome suggestions!  I never would have thought of watermelon for salmon.

Our director has not yet decided what on the tray will be eaten and what is just for show.  But it's great to now have options (and easy, inexpensive ones) for whichever way we go.

Thanks again!