Bench Mark

It’s a creepy idea. It’s a funny idea. It’s a just plain weird idea: a gelatin mold in the shape of Superior Court Judge Lance Ito’s head.

This is not one of those little tiny molds for an individual serving. It’s an entree-sized--or, to put it another way, a life-sized--mold that calls for three (six-ounce) packages of gelatin that will take seven hours to set. But the result does look eerily like the famous judge when the hair and beard are painted with a mixture of red and blue food coloring.

That is, it looks eerily lifelike when you follow the instructions to the letter, using peach Jell-O and nonfat or skim evaporated milk. But there is no law, to coin a phrase, against using any flavor you like. Comes with a pair of glasses.

The Eat-A-Ito Gelatin Mold is made by SKS Sibley Co., which also makes gelatin molds shaped like human brains. A street vendor named Aziz sells Eat-A-Ito outside the Los Angeles County Courthouse, or you can order directly by sending a $10 check plus applicable tax (82 cents in L.A. County) and $3.25 shipping to SKS Sibley Co., P.O. 1351, El Segundo, CA 90245-9998.