Garnishing Food Presentation Ideas

Sculpted wafers and edible flowers can help beautify a dessert.

Garnishes can encompass anything from an intricate radish flower to an edible floral bouquet. According to the book "Practical Professional Cookery" by H. L. Cracknell and R. J. Kaufmann, some of the best garnishes accentuate the flavor of the dish, while making the plate look alluring and more appetizing. Texture, taste and design are all things to be considered when selecting the right decorative touch to beautify a plate.

Fruits and Vegetables

A radish rose, strawberry fan or lettuce chiffonade (thin ribbon-like strips) are all possible fruit and vegetable garnishes that can beautify a dish. If carving is too time consuming, vegetables can also be peeled, sliced or julienned. A cucumber sliced lengthwise and crisscrossed on a square-shaped plate can showcase appetizers like tuna tartare or spicy shrimp. Bean sprouts and micro greens can be bunched up to top off a plate of steaming Asian noodles. After all, fresh vegetables can add a cool element to a hot dish, as recommended Nancy Berkoff's book "Vegan in Volume: Vegan Quantity Recipes for Every Occasion."

Herbs and Flowers

Fresh herbs like parsley, basil and chives are garnishes that can be sprinkled on top of foods to perfume a plate and add more depth of flavor to a dish. One way to add herbs to a main course is to create a bouquet by bundling sprigs together to accompany slice roasted meat, such as a rotisserie chicken platter. For a different touch, basil can be deep fried and used instead of fresh basil to top spicy appetizers, such as grilled seafoods.

Other than herbs, edible flowers can be tied and even dusted with sugar to garnish custards, cakes, meringues or a platter of pastries as suggested in the book "The Art and Soul of Baking" by Sur La Table, Cindy Mushet and Maren Caruso.

Crunchy Toppings

Sometimes a garnish can add a textural element to a dish, according to the book "Quick Cooking" by Tarla Dalal. Nuts and seeds can be roasted with spices and sprinkled over salads or noodle dishes, such as Pad Thai. One way to spruce up a Mexican chili is to deep fry strips of tortilla, then add a cluster of them right on top of the soup. Fresh bread can be cubed, then tossed in olive oil and dried herbs before being toasted to make crunchy croutons. Croutons, large or small, can garnish many types of soups and salads.

Sweets Finishes

Garnishes for desserts can add another level of flavor to the sweets. Chocolate curls or cut-outs can be sprinkled over or strategically placed alongside desserts. Thin wafer cookies can be shaped or molded to add an architectural element to crème brulee or other custard-based sweets, as demonstrated in "Simply Irresistible French Desserts" by Christelle Le Ru. Those with a knack for candy making can create a caramel cage to encase macerated berries, custards or ice cream. Additionally, candied peels and dried fruit can add a special tang to a dessert when creatively arranged on top of a flour-less chocolate cake, small nougat round or petit fours.

References

• "Quick Cooking"; Tarla Dalal; 2006
• "Practical Professional Cookery"; H. L. Cracknell, R. J. Kaufmann; 1999
• "Vegan in Volume: Vegan Quantity Recipes for Every Occasion"; Nancy Berkoff; 1999
• "Simply Irresistible French Desserts"; Christelle Le Ru; 2005
• "The Art and Soul of Baking"; Sur La Table, Cindy Mushet, Maren Caruso; 2008