[Sca-cooks] garnishing food

[Olwen the Odd]

>Jadwiga Zajaczkowa commented:
> >>>>>
>Also, everything went out garnished, including the cheese plate at the
>end. I notice that we don't tend to garnish things, and it's pretty clear
>to me from the recipes that garnishes were used-- perhaps it's fear of
>cross contamination or whatever, but food doesn't usualy go out looking
>that pretty.

What feast was that Jadwiga?  I missed the original post (or didn't get it 
yet).

As for garnishing, Stefan, we do plenty of it here in Bright Hills.  We 
figure it into the feast budget as a matter of fact.  Our last event 
(Brithday) I was given a budget of around $40 to purchase items for 
garnishing.  At that event (middle eastern theme and feast) some of the 
garnishes included tiny eggplants sliced and 'fanned', pickled lemons slice 
twists with half a kumquat on each side, "ants" made from green grapes (3 on 
a toothpick) and cloves for legs and antenni, flat parsley sprigs, crumbled 
halva on the apple pie, nests formed and baked from shredded filo with two 
or three hard boiled quail eggs in them.  Almost every dish was garnished in 
one way or other for each table.  We also do special things for high table.  
In this case, it was out of theme but, it was a large chocolate fabrige egg 
with small gifts inside.

Bright Hills has always had a history of gag solties and since I came to our 
cooks guild I set myself to doing at least minimal garnishing (I hate ugly 
food and naked food) but several years back we were asked by the Coronets to 
"bump it up a notch".   Between our careful purchasing of really grand 
serving ware, private garden herbs and flowers, and a budget for special 
garnishing items we manage to make most stuff look very elegant.  It is 
usually my task to prepare the garnishes and I have the most fun getting 
folks to do silly things like make ants or apple eggs or vegetable flowers.  
Mistress Margherita, me and one or two others oversee the placement of the 
garnishes before the servers take the dishes out.

Garnishing can be tricky though.  I have seen too many cases of *over* 
garnishing (or garbaging).  Subtle is the key.  I did like the paper mache 
animals they made for the Illusions feast down south somewhere that I can't 
remember.  I shall like to try something like that.  I'm just afraid folks 
will try to eat it.  They are so used to eating all the "prettys" now. (G*d 
that took some doing!)
Olwen

><<<<<
>
>No, I think it is more the problem of folks not thinking about it or 
>thinking about it, but not know what to do. There is also the problem of 
>doing it for a large number of people and not just for a table or two of 
>people.
>
>I would love to have an article for the Florilegium on garnishing food. 
>Especially one on garnishing food in a period fashion, if indeed they did 
>things differently than might be done today.  Because of the difficulty of 
>making things look attractive in what is often a cafeteria setting with 
>amateur cooks and helpers rather than in a four star resturant with a 
>trained staff, I think some simple ideas that improve things with minimal 
>effort as opposed to intricately carved decorations and such would be best.
>
>I have been to several clothing classes where they show how to dress up 
>simple outfits with a few accessories. Usually with a model dressed in a 
>plain, unadorned outfit and then they proceed to dress them up with 
>additional accessories. It really can make quite a difference in appearence 
>and I imagine the same could be done with food.
>
>So, does anyone have some suggestions on garnishing period food dishes? 
>What do the period recipes or feast descriptions say about garnishes?
>
>Stefan
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