On cake boss a client asked Buddy if the flowers on the cake were edible and he replied, "yes, they're sugar" and then the people admiring the cake all commented on how amazed they were that the flowers looked so real and were edible. Were these gumpaste flowers? I have never worked with gumpaste, but have been told it tastes terrible.
So with gumpaste and other "edible" mediums used on cake, what actually tastes good? I'd really appreciate any experience you have with this, I've been wondering for a long time what gumpaste, dried fondant decorations/figurines, pastillage and other cake decorations taste like. I mean, do you tell someone it's edible and then they eat it and spit it out in the nearest garbage can? 
Thanks so much!
First I have just started working with gumpaste. The fondant I use does taste good.
I was told by a lady at a bakery, also teaches classes, in a larger city that the gumpaste was not edible. I was told by a Wilton instructor that it is edible. I personally have not tasted it to know what it taste like. I have been told that you make decorations that are not going to be eaten with gumpaste. The ones that are going to be eaten use fondant.
I have asked about the other modeling products and received no answer. I don't know if it is a personal preference as to which to use or if taste has any bearing on the decision.
I know on some of the pre-made gumpaste products that can be ordered there is a note stating that "gumpaste decorations are meant for decor only and are not edible" - that's why Buddy's comment confused me. I mean, it's made from edible materials, but that doesn't mean it tastes good, right? Like the beautiful gelatin butterflies and bows people have been posting here at CC lately - they are so pretty and even look like they would have a sweet taste to them, but apparently they taste terrible. I guess I'm wondering what isn't just edible, but tastes good too?
The gumpaste I use for flowers is actually quite pleasant tasting (Ron Ben-Israel's recipe), and I have seen people eat my flowers (I suggest that they be served with slices of cake as garnish, and a warning about the wires, when there are a lot of flowers). I remember myself snacking on a few broken petals when I first made this recipe back in culinary school lol.
They might be making their own gumpaste or pastillage - then it might be edible - if so, I imagine it would be like eating a hardened version of Wilton fondant - YUK!
gumpaste technically is edible but not palettable (sp?)..........I've tasted gumpaste and I think it tastes like really hard and stale Necco wafers, you know those old candies that are round discs that kinda taste like chalk? My in-laws LOVE gumpaste, and so do my kids......but for the most part people don't eat it.....but if they want to they can....just make sure if there are wires in the flowers, etc. that you tell them and only use food safe colors on them just in case someone DOES eat it!
If you eat gum paste it wont kill ya, unless it has been on display for about 20 years and you get all the dust and other yuck that has been absorbed.
Gumpaste taste like crap but if mixed with fondant it will take on the flavor of your fondant.
Me personally I wouldn't eat it or recommend it as edible. but there is nothing in the ingredients that will make you sick or anything like that 
I think referring to the gumpaste flowers as "edible" just means that it's safe to eat and you will not die...lol...does not necessarly mean it tastes good...besides you may crack a tooth trying to eat a gumpaste flower...that's my 2 cents =)
KHalstead: you're right it does taste like hard, stale necco wafers...great referrence!
Speaking of Ron Ben Israel...check this interview out. Sheesh...he just said he refrigerates his fondant covered cakes, and then the chick says "because fondant can't be refrigerated...." Lol! Great interview though!
http://www.pastryscoop.com/conferencesAndEvents_weddingCakeChat2.html
The lady at the bakery told me if you don't break a tooth first and you can get it soft enough to chew it would be like chewing gum with the gumpaste.
Does pastillage, modeling clay, gumpaste, etc all work the same? Is it a personal preference as to which to use?
The recipe is from my textbook from the FCI (Chef Ron teaches sugar flowers there as part of the Pastry Arts curriculum)... PM me if you want the recipe. I only use it for flowers (not for figures, etc.) because it is more expensive to make (as it uses gelatin and two different gum additives), but it performs better than any other I've tried when making delicate objects like flowers.
Everything is edible. I can eat this computer if I cut it into small enough pieces. There's almost nothing that you cannot ingest. It may hurt you...it may even kill you, but there's nothing to prevent you from eating it. So "edible" is actually an inaccurate word and shouldn't be used in the first place. "Made entirely from sugar" is probably better.
I saw the episode on Cake Boss and Buddy's reply made me angry! He was so cavalier and eager to say that those flowers were edible. The more professional response would have been, "Well, they're made out of sugar, but I wouldn't advise eating them."
I wasn't surprised, though. He sticks wires directly into cakes all of the time.............and we all know that's an unacceptable practice.
Yes, gum paste in itself is edible. It's made from sugar, food grade gums, and other items that are edible---BUT--once you add a wire and/or an artificial stamen, it ceases to be edible! Even on a toothpick it's considered inedible. Now, put it on a lollipop stick or spaghetti--VOILA--it's edible again!
Sheesh!
Rae
Blakes, why would it be inedible on a toothpick? Isn't a toothpick food safe?
When the food item is adhered to the toothpick--and eating the item could also result in eating (bits of) the toothpick--then the item is technically classified as inedible.
Toothpicks are small enough that an entire one could be ingested pretty quickly, especially by a child.
Rae
Back to the original question: I use modeling chocolate a lot. I love the taste, and I can get fairly decent looking flowers and models with it! I made a wedding cake (in my pictures) with a couple dozen modeling chocolate flowers and DOZENS of individual petals. Everyone had to try one, and everyone I talked to found them quite tasty! They dry hard enough to look nice, but not so brittle that they're inedible. (I even had them in a 80+ degree reception hall with no wilting or sagging...)
I'm a fan of edible decorations, because SOMEONE will put them in their mouth, almost guaranteed! 
Back to the original question: I use modeling chocolate a lot. I love the taste, and I can get fairly decent looking flowers and models with it! I made a wedding cake (in my pictures) with a couple dozen modeling chocolate flowers and DOZENS of individual petals. Everyone had to try one, and everyone I talked to found them quite tasty! They dry hard enough to look nice, but not so brittle that they're inedible. (I even had them in a 80+ degree reception hall with no wilting or sagging...)
I'm a fan of edible decorations, because SOMEONE will put them in their mouth, almost guaranteed!
Thank you so much for posting this, I'm going to start learning how to work with modeling chocolate. I want to learn how to add as much decor to my cake that tastes good too!
Blakes, why would it be inedible on a toothpick? Isn't a toothpick food safe?
When the food item is adhered to the toothpick--and eating the item could also result in eating (bits of) the toothpick--then the item is technically classified as inedible.
Toothpicks are small enough that an entire one could be ingested pretty quickly, especially by a child.
Rae
I was actually a juror in a lawsuit about a similar situation. (The lawsuit was against Fridays) A man had already been terminally ill, but ate at Friday's and ingested a partial toothpick that caused some bleeding and damage and he died from those complications. The plantiff claimed it was in a salad at Fridays. This is probably where I get my food paranoia about how I construct something and if it's safe to eat. Even dowel rods bother me sometimes, I go nuts making sure the wood pieces are not splinter-like when I cut, because I always think about this toothpick lawsuit.
The edges on broken gumpaste flowers can be razor sharp, like broken glass. Someone at one of the classes I attended cut their finger, picking up a piece from the floor. If I want something to break into shards and cut the inside of my mouth, I'll eat a bag of kettle-cooked potato chips. Hey, I wonder if potato chip roses would work? 
Theresa
My family (even though I said it would not taste good) all insisted on trying the gumpaste and fondant and they said it is okay by itself like the little round flat confetti sprinkles we sometimes use to decorate with, that it is fine that way but eat a big oh flower, no way. My neices however very much enjoyed my farm animals and little girl I made.. My neice told my sister, "Look I ate my face off and it was good", the girl was to be her so I guess that was funny. I always say it can be but not recommended and if there are wires I say no way no how.
AHi. Would you share your recipe for gum paste?
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