Soap vs. food

I would not have thought that the line between soap and food could actually be blurred, but a store in Manhattan called Bathropolitan sells handmade soaps that are definitely toying with the boundaries.

For example, they make an exfoliating soap called Big Apple Cider Soap that is scented with green apple and "garnished" (their word) with crushed fennel seeds, anise, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar and apple chips. Ohmigod, I want to eat this soap. No, stop. OK, I'm over it.

There is also a soap called Columbian Spice Coffee Foot Scrub, which is scented with vanilla and garnished with coffee beans, cinnamon and rock sugar. Or Cabo Cucumber Melon Soap, garnished with English cucumber, mint, black pepper and cantaloupe chips.

And it's not only food flavors that are fair game, but shapes, too. For example, there's the soap that looks like french fries (see photo) and little soap bars that are shaped like pieces of meat and vegetables and skewered like a kebab just off the grill.

You can order some of their soaps from the Bathropolitan website, though it's difficult site to navigate.