At Last... A Diet That's Satisfying and FUN!

The problem with most diets is that they leave you wanting more. But Mel Varisco's recipes for creating miniature foods such as grapefruits, bananas, and strawberries eliminate even the strongest hunger pangs. And if fruits and vegetables are not enough, her techniques for making miniature French bread, potatoes, and biscuits will fill you up in no time.

Known best for her "Mini's by Mel" books, courses, and foods, Mel especially enjoys traveling to miniature shows around the country to sell her creations. "Miniaturing has completely changed my life," she says. "I can go anywhere in the country and find somebody who will let me park my motorhome in their driveway." Now in "Fun With Foods With Mel Varisco," Volume 6 of The Master Miniaturists Video Instructional Series, Mel parks in front of your home and teaches you how to make everything from lemons, to avocados, to biscuits, using simple tools and materials. Feasting on her wealth of information will satisfy even the pickiest of appetites.

If there's a running theme throughout this video, it would have to be ..."Have fun!" From it's comprehensive discussion of Tools and Materials, all the way through to it's hilarious outtakes, Mel's enthusiasm, infectious laughter, and rapid fire delivery will excite and inspire you. In the first five minutes alone, you'll learn that when it comes to clay, they're all good. "I've found you can use them all," says Mel. "You can mix them, blend them, and get the best of each without having to choose one over the other."

Some miniaturists, however, still have their preferences, and those preferences create problems. For instance, many have discovered they can't use Cernit because their hands are too hot and the clay is too soft, making it almost impossible to work with. Others have the opposite problem. Their cold hands prevent them from working with harder clays such as Femo. Mel's advice? If your hands are too hot, keep ice water on the table to cool them down. If they're too cold, well... "Sit on them!" she laughs. Whatever you do, "Don't give up!"

And don't strive for perfection either. Let nature be your guide. "The most important reference material when creating miniature fruits and vegetables is the real thing," says Mel while picking through a large basket of real fruit. "There's nothing in nature that's perfect. If you like what you've made, and it works for you, it's O.K. Don't let anyone tell you something isn't the right scale." As an afterthought, she smiles and adds, "You can tell them I said so."