Ideas on Garnishing Food
Many times at restaurants you see a sprig of parsley or other vegetables added to your main dish. This is what you would call a garnish. Garnishing is when you add something decorative and edible to your dish. Garnishing isn’t necessary but a fun and easy way to make what you cooked look extraordinary.
Here are some ideas to get you started in the art of garnishing.
Garnish soup with toppings such as chopped avocado, sliced almonds or add a swirl of cream or sour cream to the top before serving.
Sprinkle baked goods with chopped nuts or streusel topping before baking. See our recipe below.
Add powdered sugar to baked goods after they come out of the oven. You can do this by sprinkling sugar with your fingers or using a sugar shaker.
Add chopped fresh herbs to soup or salads
Add a sliced lemon or lime to a drink.
Add a fruit kabob to a smoothie or milkshake by adding sliced fruit to a skewer or long toothpick.
Cut fruit or vegetables into flowers. You can get really fancy by learning how to cut flowers out of radishes, carrots and tomatoes.
Add chocolate curls to cakes, cream pies or milkshakes. These are easily formed by using a grater on a candy bar.
Some fruit shells can be used as a bowl. Scrap or cut the fruit out and use as a serving bowl. Watermelon is often used as a serving bowl but don’t forget even oranges can be mini sized serving dishes. Try coconuts, pineapples, lemons or limes.
Serve dips or condiments in hollowed out colored peppers.
Add fresh sliced fruit. Not only does fruit add a little more nutrition, they are colorful and they can easily be added on the side of your plate or decorated in a flower shape or whatever you choose.
Streusel Topping
1/4 Cup brown sugar
¼ Cup oats
2 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 Cup butter
In a medium size bowl mix brown sugar, oats, flour and cinnamon. Cut butter into small squares and add to bowl. Stir together mashing butter to make a crumb mixture. Sprinkle on muffins or quick breads before baking.
