[Sca-cooks] garnishing food

[Carper, Rachel]

For garnishing good I guess I would use flowers, real or food created.
Also at a Japanese feast several years ago Mistress Kiri served tea
stained hard boiled eggs. Now that I think about it that would make a
good garnish for a light colored food. Also perhaps braided and painted
bread? Or just the arrangement of the food would help make a more
pleasing presentation. 

Elewyiss

-----Original Message-----
From: sca-cooks-bounces at ansteorra.org
[mailto:sca-cooks-bounces at ansteorra.org] On Behalf Of Harris
Mark.S-rsve60
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 12:32 PM
To: SCA-Cooks maillist (E-mail)
Subject: [Sca-cooks] garnishing food


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. <<<<<

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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