Fruit Carving 101: Carved Cantelope Fish

Isn't my carved cantelope fish just the cutest? I have to admit, when we were about to carve this little fish in my fruit carving class a few weeks ago I was really quite sceptical, but once I saw the results, well, I just want to make some more! My son's bar mitzvah is just a week after Rosh HaShana, and he was born 2 days before the New Year, so I'm hoping he'll agree to some carved fish on the buffet table! The only thing is that I'll have to carve my fish from pumpkin, as there won't be any centelope in sight……could be great too, and I'm even going to experiment carving the fish a few weeks ahead and freezing them! Really hoping that works as I certainly can't see myself carving a bunch of fish and trying to get everything else done, well on teh other hand that would be just like me, but I'm trying to change my sleep deprived ways. Okay, enough babble, on to the instructions for carving this little fish!

How To Carve A Cantelope Fish:

1. Print a roughly 7" long line drawing of a fish onto sticker paper.
2. Cut out the fish roughly and adhere to a very dry cantelope rind that has about 1/2" of fruit flesh on it
3. Now using a sharp pointed knife, carefully cut exactly on the outer line which defines the fish, and remove the excess melon.
4. Turn over your fish and now start adding details by cutting little notches in the fins, scooping out the eye with a small melon baller, and even using a V or U carving tool for details.
5. I promise you, it may not look so great at first, but the more you work on it the more it comes to life!
6. Add a grape for the eye, and voila, Shana tovah! And of course you can practice your fish carving skills once again when the month of Adar (Sign of the Fish) rolls around!

I don't know when exactly I'll be trying to carve those pumpkin fish, but hopefully soon, so stay tuned!

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