Hello all! This is part of my entry into the food monster contest, which you can see in the submissions thread. The contest required progress pictures to prove you actually made the thing you are submitting, so I figured I'd have some fun and educate the masses with how to make one of the easier ones, a Lichen.

To make a Lichen, you will need:

-Water
-A Knife
-A Large Yellow Gumdrop
-A Purple Jelly Bean

Step 1
Carefully cut out the center of the gumdrop with the knife.

Step 2
Wash all the sugar-coating off of the outside of the gumdrop to give it a nice, slimy sheen. It should now look like this.

Step 3
Hack the jelly bean roughly in half. Save the larger part, eat the smaller part.

Step 4
Carefully stuff the jelly bean into the hole you made in the gumdrop. The round end of the bean should match the round end of the gumdrop.

Step 5
Notice that the purple jelly bean "core" isn't particularly visible beneath the yellow gumdrop membrane. Correct this by gently pressing the top of the gumdrop so that it compresses and becomes thinner, until the core can be clearly seen (and I do mean gently, because it often splits here).

Step 6
Cut the bottom of the gumdrop at an angle to create a more lichen-like shape. If you're feeling brave, pinch the edges to create a slimy trail.

Step 7
Clean everything up and wash your hands, because wet gumdrops are really gross.

Step 8
Photograph, then consume. Enjoy the probably lemon-grape-y flavor.