Garnishing Food
- Thread starter crono760
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
expatgirl
Master Chef
nope----but a lemon slice turned 180 degrees always looks nice or a sprig of parsley or a sprinkle of paprika over a casserole looks great....don't be afraid to tread new ground
kitchenelf
Chef Extraordinaire
You can take a look online and get ideas but a lot of what you see is REALLY fancy. A garnish should be an element FROM the dish i.e., a sprig of rosemary, a sprig of thyme, lemon slice, or something that enhances the dish. A garnish should be edible but a sprig of rosemary doesn't really qualify 
A garnish can be two pieces of chives crossed on a piece of fish, or julienned red peppers, yellow peppers, etc., done the same way. You can also make spring onion "brushes" or what I call carrot ribbons (slice down the side of a carrot with a vegetable peeler, roll up and place in an ice tray so it stays curled. When ready to use remove and it should still be somewhat wavy.) I like to top my macaroni salad with these ribbons.
A garnish can be two pieces of chives crossed on a piece of fish, or julienned red peppers, yellow peppers, etc., done the same way. You can also make spring onion "brushes" or what I call carrot ribbons (slice down the side of a carrot with a vegetable peeler, roll up and place in an ice tray so it stays curled. When ready to use remove and it should still be somewhat wavy.) I like to top my macaroni salad with these ribbons.
auntdot
Head Chef
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2004
- Messages
- 2,418
I love to garnish, but agree with elf. Minimal is often the most elegant.
Wish I could find my books about that but they are in boxes at the moment.
But look at the dish.
A bit too white? Well a scattering of paprika or some of the greens of scallions cut into small rounds looks great. As would bits of peppers, red, green or yellow.
A couple of slices of star fruit or kiwi fruit on a plate looks great, as do many pieces of fruit.
Some nicely presented thin slices of apples or pears with pork would be wonderful (sprinkle some lemon juice on them to prevent oxidation). Add a bit of green, such as parsley, and it would be great.
One can get fancy. For example take the white end of a scallion. Slice it longitudinally with a very sharp knife four times or so. Put it in a water bath with ice and you will get something that resembles a flower.
For the fancy stuff you probably need a book. But there are many out there and the good news is that making those things are not very difficult.
Wish I could find my books about that but they are in boxes at the moment.
But look at the dish.
A bit too white? Well a scattering of paprika or some of the greens of scallions cut into small rounds looks great. As would bits of peppers, red, green or yellow.
A couple of slices of star fruit or kiwi fruit on a plate looks great, as do many pieces of fruit.
Some nicely presented thin slices of apples or pears with pork would be wonderful (sprinkle some lemon juice on them to prevent oxidation). Add a bit of green, such as parsley, and it would be great.
One can get fancy. For example take the white end of a scallion. Slice it longitudinally with a very sharp knife four times or so. Put it in a water bath with ice and you will get something that resembles a flower.
For the fancy stuff you probably need a book. But there are many out there and the good news is that making those things are not very difficult.
jpmcgrew
Executive Chef
Here are a couple of good places to look at http://www.how-to-cook-gourmet.com/platingfood.htm click plating food on the left
eG Forums -> Plating and Presentation
Last edited:
jpmcgrew
Executive Chef
http://www.how-to-cook-gourmet.com/platingfood.htm click plating food on the left
eG Forums -> Plating and Presentation
I like the first link the best it's a bit more simple than the second link. Also be sure to look on the bottom of first link it has 2 more links to plating and garnishing. As the others have said simple is usually better than over doing it my reason is in my quote below.
Constance
Master Chef
Years ago, I ordered a book on garnishing that came with a little tool kit. Most items in the tool kit were superfluous, and even dangerous looking, but the book is great. I'll look it up to see the exact title, and maybe you can find it on eBay.
In the meantime, consider the colors already on your plate, and think of what color might best compliment those colors. Often a snippet of fresh herbs, a few grape tomatoes or olives, a slice of lemon or pickle, or a bell pepper or onion ring is all that is needed.
A sharp paring knife will be all you need for most garnishes, but there is a little tool that looks like a crochet hook that does come in very handy for carving out strings of orange rind or scoring a cucumber so the slices look pretty.
In the meantime, consider the colors already on your plate, and think of what color might best compliment those colors. Often a snippet of fresh herbs, a few grape tomatoes or olives, a slice of lemon or pickle, or a bell pepper or onion ring is all that is needed.
A sharp paring knife will be all you need for most garnishes, but there is a little tool that looks like a crochet hook that does come in very handy for carving out strings of orange rind or scoring a cucumber so the slices look pretty.
kitchenelf
Chef Extraordinaire
A bowl of minestrone is easily garnished with nothing more than some shaved Parmesan, as is a lot of other dishes.
Black bean soup can be garnished with homemade pico de gallo and sour cream.
YES, very handy tool! It's called a channel knife and now is normally found with the "channel" part on one end and a zester on the other. LOVE that tool for making little lemon ties when I do smoked salmon, or carrot ties for a salad, or, like you said, to channel a cucumber or orange. Makes for a really nice presentation!
Black bean soup can be garnished with homemade pico de gallo and sour cream.
Constance said:
YES, very handy tool! It's called a channel knife and now is normally found with the "channel" part on one end and a zester on the other. LOVE that tool for making little lemon ties when I do smoked salmon, or carrot ties for a salad, or, like you said, to channel a cucumber or orange. Makes for a really nice presentation!
expatgirl
Master Chef
Could not live without my zester---I use it for so many dishes and recipes
Chausiubao
Senior Cook
I've been looking for lots of pictures of plating and presentation, and the resounding commonality with everything I've found seems to be a contrast of either color or shape. Either contrast in color with the plate or the ingredients. Like...skewers on a bed of spinach. Which isn't exactly a garnish. But maybe you'll have a dark dish that you can garnish with something light colored or something thick and fat with long thing slices of chives or ginger on top.
JPolito830
Cook
I couldnt agree more! Nothing looks better than some fresh zest to compliment a dish.
Jeekinz
Washing Up
I explain a technique here for whole chive. http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f16/crab-cake-prototype-45376.html
I am in the less is more camp. ALSO, I believe the garnish MUST be eatable, not something to just be pushed aside, or trashed.
Too much garnish is garish and really hokey in my opinion. clean, eye appealing, and esthetically pleasing. Do the ingredients justice by not clowning them up.
Too much garnish is garish and really hokey in my opinion. clean, eye appealing, and esthetically pleasing. Do the ingredients justice by not clowning them up.
VeraBlue
Executive Chef
When I garnish a plate for presentation, I either garnish the food or the plate, keeping the general flavours in sync.
Think height when it comes to garnishing the food. Garnishes can become outdated, too. Paprika reminds me of the 50s, while lemon wheels remind me of the 70s.
Herbs make wonderful plate garnishes, simply chop and dust the entire plate. Take thinly silced cucumber and wrap it around a salad, holding the contents in place. Use edible flower for a fruit plate. Tomato roses are out, but a tiny grape tomato wrapped with a chive is in. Lemon wheels are out, but a segmented lemon, fanned, is in.
Take fresh mint leaves, dip in frothy egg whites, and then in sugar for a lamb chop plate. Put grated parmesan cheese on a piece of waxed paper, microwave till melted, cool and peel off to garnish a pasta plate.
Food is art.....be creative.
Think height when it comes to garnishing the food. Garnishes can become outdated, too. Paprika reminds me of the 50s, while lemon wheels remind me of the 70s.
Herbs make wonderful plate garnishes, simply chop and dust the entire plate. Take thinly silced cucumber and wrap it around a salad, holding the contents in place. Use edible flower for a fruit plate. Tomato roses are out, but a tiny grape tomato wrapped with a chive is in. Lemon wheels are out, but a segmented lemon, fanned, is in.
Take fresh mint leaves, dip in frothy egg whites, and then in sugar for a lamb chop plate. Put grated parmesan cheese on a piece of waxed paper, microwave till melted, cool and peel off to garnish a pasta plate.
Food is art.....be creative.
I understand flavour, but I can't garnish food so it looks nice. Does anyone know of any websites, books, or advice I can use to make my food look pretty?
When you tell us what dish you wish to garnish, we might be able to tell you how to present a cornucopias of flavour/delight inherent in your dish!!!!!!!!
What are you trying to do???
Constance
Master Chef
This is the book I have, and it really has great ideas and instructions.
Amazon.com: The Fine Art of Garnishing: Jerry Crowley: Books
Amazon.com: The Fine Art of Garnishing: Jerry Crowley: Books
I have that same book, Connie. It's a blast! So much fun.
Rob Babcock
Head Chef
I vacillate on the issue of garnishes; occasionally I'll go all-out on some foofoo stuff, but then I'll pull it back and adopt a minimalist approach. Overall I think a "Philip Glass" approach is best (even though I don't like his music).
