You all have great imaginations--thank-you for sharing your ideas.  I liked the chocolate cupcake idea, especially, but then again, finding beauty in chocolate would not be unexpected (in my book, anyway).  Yes, I have made cakes that look a little like that, unfortunately...  I could use it as a candle vase, but it doesn't look as good in general, as you see below.  Now, it might be interesting as a little candle shade lamp, but I have no idea how to make that happen!

The picture is of the little bowl of evaporated coffee from our science experiment the other day.  I was waving it around for some reason, and it caught my eye when it caught the light.  I held it right up to the light bulb and SNAPPO--we have a fun picture.

Here is t he bowl when photographed in the normal way.  By the way, I'll give a text prize to anyone who can tell me any of the following:  why the coffee evaporated first, why the milk didn't stink, and why soy sauce doesn't evaporate at all.   I will post the rest of the bowls and the general results later.