[Sca-cooks] garnishes

[Stefan li Rous]

Serena da Riva mentioned:

<<< I have done a bit of research into period garnishing, and as  
Master A
stated, I have not found any manuscripts yet that specifically address
the garnishing of foods. But, by analyzing period culinary manuscripts
I have found a fairly substantial amount of evidence that garnishing
of the the non-illusion food dishes was fairly common.

If you would like to take a look at the handout from the class I teach
on the subject click here:
http://www.loggiaserena.com//Resume/Articles/GarnishHandout.pdf  >>>

Thanks for the overview of your analysis, Serena. I'd forgotten your  
exact thoughts on this matter.

For those who might be interested, Serena's article is also in the  
FOOD-SWEETS-DECORATED section of the Florilegium as:

Dresng-t-Dish-art (34K)  6/18/06    “Beyond the Soeltie: Garnished,  
Fringed,
                                        Dressed and Flourished”
                                        by Donna Serena da Riva.
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-SWEETS/Dresng-t-Dish-art.html

snow-msg          (10K)  5/18/06    “Snow”, a white, creamy  
confection often
                                        served with wafers.
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-SWEETS/snow-msg.html

I seem to remember that at least one recipe for "snow" talks of  
garnishing it with sprigs of rosemary. Adamantius, would you still  
consider that to violate your "garnishes that are not
an inherent part of the dish. My feeling is that the food itself
should look good,"

What about gilding food? Is that a garnish or not? It is a surface  
treatment and not actually part of the food, but it isn't just laid  
alongside of or on top of the food, either.

Or a pretty pile of fruit or whatever next to a food item. Is that a  
garnish or part of the dish? Or parsley, although there are people  
that eat the parsley.

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****