WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Dec. 8, 2014) -- Jolly Old Saint Nicholas and his Christmas village are at the center of an intricate -- and edible -- gingerbread creation on display at the Army Executive Dining Facility in the Pentagon.
"We get a lot of compliments," according to Sgt. Kyoungmin Park, one of the chefs who helped create the village.
With an assortment of treats making up the village, the colorful creation might just help whet the appetite of the general officers, high-ranking civilians and other guests who eat in the dining room.
For those with a sweet tooth, it is a dream come true.
Candy canes, melted hard candy, gum drops, M&Ms, pretzels, licorice, tootsie rolls, fondant, shredded coconut, and handmade gingerbread all come together in delightfully tasty harmony.
A church, Santa's workshop, a bakery, a cozy log cabin, and a reindeer stable are featured gingerbread structures. In the center of the presentation is a carousel.
A model train runs through the village for a "whimsical" feel, Sgt. Sarah Proctor said. The train set and a light inside the log cabin are the only non-edible items in the village.
"We wanted something that was bright and cheery," Proctor said. "We wanted something that actually was like Santa's workshop or Santa's village or something to remind people of Christmas."
Details include snowmen, tiny wreaths, evergreen trees, and icicles on the roofs of the buildings. Jolly Ranchers were melted to make a frozen pond, and swirled to look like stained glass on the church. There's even a tiny cat, a miniature replica of a beloved pet of one of the Soldiers.
Three fondant reindeer pull St. Nick in a sleigh. Santa himself wears Army Combat Uniform pants, an ACU-patterned hat, and tan boots. A baby reindeer is asleep by his feet.
Soldiers decided to create a village so the whole team at the dining facility could participate, Sgt. Marysol Acevedo-Marrs said.
Each person worked on a section, she said. Working on the project was in addition to their busy schedules with catering, general officers' breakfasts and lunches, conferences and holiday events, she said.
Construction of the village began in early November, she said. It was a fun and welcome break from the stresses of everyday life, she said.
"It's kind of playful; it brings back a lot of childhood memories," she said.
The best part, according to Acevedo-Marrs, is seeing the joyous reaction of the children who visit.
It was detailed work, with each person taking about a week to finish a section, Spc. Gerald Leggett II explained.
"You'll bake it one day. Let's say Monday you'll roll it out, bake it, and then Tuesday you'll start to assemble it. You have to let it sit, and then Wednesday you have to put it together," Leggett said.
He is proud to have been a part of the sweet creation.
"It's very colorful, it really looks like a village," he said.
It was certainly a team effort, he noted. The other Soldiers who were part of the project were Staff Sgt. Rose Picard, Staff Sgt. Eric Holland, Sgt. William Pelkey, and Sgt. Lizeth Wakasa.
The confections might seem like too much to resist, especially for the youngest visitors, the Soldiers said.
"We had a couple kids who were here on a tour and they thought about it," Proctor said with a laugh. "We had one little boy who walked past and said 'I could eat that.'"
The Soldiers laughed and agreed: he actually could eat it.
(For more ARNEWS stories, visit www.army.mil/ARNEWS, or Facebook at www.facebook.com/ArmyNewsService, or Twitter @ArmyNewsService)
Social Sharing