Food models...

Food models...  When I visited Japan in the early '70s, one of the more delightful things I ran into was the display of food models that could be found in a glass cabinet in the entrance of every restaurant, like the ramen models at right.  Without speaking a word of Japanese, I could learn a great deal about the food served by that restaurant.  I had quite a few meals that were obtained simply by pointing to what I wanted.

At the time I was in Japan, these models were made of wax.  In one of the shopping districts, I ran into a shop that made and sold them, so I got to see a bit of the process, which was fascinating.  These days the models are made of plastic, and the process of making them is a bit different...