Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

You Need to See This Gingerbread Replica of the Midcentury House on “Ozark

You Need to See This Gingerbread Replica of the Midcentury House on “Ozark

After binging the Netflix series on lockdown, Bay Area chef Anthony Strong crafted this sweet retreat-complete with a cookie version of his Volkswagen camper van.

San Francisco–based chef Anthony Strong has a Yuletide tradition of crafting elaborate gingerbread houses. It makes sense, given the Minnesota native’s background in construction-he even served as the general contractor for his restaurant, Prairie, which recently shuttered due to COVID-19. Last year, he built one in the form of a midcentury Lake Tahoe ski cabin. This year, Strong found inspiration from a socially distant pastime-watching lots of TV.

"My girlfriend and I finally binge-watched Ozark and knew immediately that we had to do a gingerbread replica of the house," says Strong, who goes on to admit that his sense of humor is a bit dark.

"Not only is it a gorgeous home in the perfect setting for a gingerbread winter scene, but I figured that a lighthearted, holiday-bedazzled reference to a show about a family trafficking cartel money would be fitting for 2020."



Microplaned gingerbread and caramelized isomalt comprise the L-shaped, gable-roofed home.

Jokes aside, Strong’s Ozark Lake House deploys serious amounts of toothache-inducing sweets. The L-shaped layout features a skewed gable roof, cut and formed out of homemade gingerbread; candy rocks imitate the chunky look of a brick chimney. Caramelized isomalt-a type of sugar substitute-create floor-to-ceiling windows that, in theory, provide unobstructed views over the lake. A gingerbread path leads down to a gingerbread dock that’s held up by cinnamon-stick pilings, and powdered sugar dusts the landscape and pine trees-those are made of sprigs of upside-down rosemary-to complete the wintry scene.

To round out the Ozark theme, a matte-black SUV is parked in the driveway. Strong says, "I couldn't help myself from making a replica of the ominous SUV parked out front-it is frosted with a standard royal icing and tinted black with activated charcoal!"

This year, Strong challenged himself to hew to a more refined aesthetic. For example, instead of relying on an "epic amount" of just one kind of icing, he batched a few different consistencies: one for the mortar to assemble the home, one as a glue for dried coconut and rocks, and another for delicate finish work. Another trick gives the Ozark residence a leg up over last year’s ski cabin: "I formed perfectly clean, straight edges of gingerbread by shaving the just-baked pieces down with a microplane as they cooled," he says. "Pretty sweet move."



A replica of Strong’s 1989 Whitestar Vanagon, Stella, rests at the edge of the property.

Though Strong’s restaurant has unfortunately been forced to close in the pandemic, the chef has started a new side hustle while he searches for another restaurant space. The white van parked by the Ozark gingerbread house exists IRL as Stella, a 1989 Whitestar Vanagon that’s been converted into a dining room–on–wheels that can be booked for private dinners. Up to four people at a time can enjoy Strong’s glamping-inspired, four-course menu, which features fare similar to what was served at Prairie (think lobster paired with fermented chili fondue).



While Strong looks for a new restaurant space, he’s providing a pop-up dining experience from Stella, a renovated 1989 Whitestar Vanagon.

Next year, Strong says he may just enter the National Gingerbread House Competition. Until then, find him roving the Bay Area in Stella the Vanagon.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
×