Instagram's Focaccia Gardens: The Yeasty, Tasty Masterpieces You Can Eat

Some artists work in clay. Others in acrylic. These artists work in bread, focaccia specifically. Sparked by a New York Times Cooking Instagram post, #FocacciaGardens are the newest social media trend. Vegetables are carefully laid across a bed of focaccia bread dough, which roast as the bread bakes. The end result is a magical canvas of flowers, trees and grass that tastes as good as it looks.

The New York Times may have lit a fire under the trend, but it all started with Terri Culletto, a Vineyard Haven baker from Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. who is credited with bringing it to Instagram. Culletto posted her first #focacciaart post in February of 2019 and teaches bread art classes at her bakery art studio. She even provides a recipe on her site called Van Dough Bread Art which provides a basic bread guide and some inspiration.      

If you want to make your own, Culletto suggests raw vegetables sliced thinly and into various shapes. The only exception is mushrooms, which give off a lot of water as they cook and should probably be pre-sautéed to avoid soggy bread. To keep herbs green, a quick dip in lemon water does the trick to prevent browning in the oven. Beans, seeds and nuts are also great, but need to be watched as they brown quickly. The shape and layout is up to you. Culletto suggests a walk through nature for inspiration!