Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Choosing the garnish
• Method 2 of 4: Garnish with fruit
• Method 3 of 4: Garnish with vegetables, flowers and herbs
• Method 4 of 4: Garnish desserts
• Tips

It can be quite difficult to garnish a dish if you have never done so. Garnish is usually a simple, colorful addition, so you don't have to come up with a whole new recipe to serve alongside your meal. If you are looking for some ideas, there are all kinds of creative options that suit every starter, main or dessert.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Choosing the garnish

1. Preferably use edible garnish. Garnishes are not just for decoration; it can also add new flavors and textures to your meal. Also, if you're using edible garnishes, you don't have to remove it before eating.
2. Make sure all inedible garnishes are easy to identify and remove. An umbrella in a cocktail or candles on a birthday cake are examples of inedible garnishes that are difficult to replace with something edible. But these items are clearly inedible and can be easily removed from food or drink, so it is unlikely that someone will eat them. Make sure all inedible ingredients have these properties.
3. Decide if you want to use strong or mild flavors. A mild dish may require a garnish sprinkled with herbs or spices, but the garnish doesn't always have to have a strong flavor. If the dish already has complex flavors, it is better not to over-flavor the garnish, otherwise the flavors may clash.
4. Vary with color and texture. Choose a color that contrasts with the rest of the dish so that the garnishes are highly visible and attractive. In addition, a crunchy piece of vegetables is a good addition to an otherwise soft dish.
   • If you are using two ingredients for the topping, you can layer them alternately on the plate so that the colors contrast. Try slices of cucumber and tomato, or two different colors of fruit.
5. Arrange the garnish on the plate. The garnish is more conspicuous if it is placed on a contrasting background. If the food itself is already different colors, put the garnish directly on the plate or on the tray. Most garnishes look best on a white background, but if the garnish has bright colors, a dark plate can also be very beautiful.
   • Remember that the garnish is there to enhance the dish, it should not become a work of art in itself. Two or three pieces for garnish can be nicer than a whole brim or a big pile.
6. Keep the temperature in mind. Frozen garnish will melt if you put it next to a hot dish. Even if there is no danger of it losing its shape, a large, cold garnish may not be great with a hot soup, and a warm garnish may not go well with a cold dessert.

Method 2 of 4: Garnish with fruit

1. Know when to garnish with fruit. Most fruits are sweet, so it goes well with dessert, or with salads if you don't use too much of it. Citrus fruits such as lemon and lime are great for adding color and flavor to a dish with fish or lightly spiced meat, as well as dishes with other fruits and desserts.
   • You can make very nice garnishes from citrus fruits by simply cutting them into very thin slices, wedges or spirals. See below for advice on preparing other fruits.
2. Cut simple cubes from the fruit. Choose firm fruit with loose parts on the inside or a varied interior, such as orange or kiwi. Cut a rectangular block from the center of the fruit and make flat squares.
   • Use different fruits for a variety of colors. There may also be fruits with a somewhat simpler look, such as melon or mango, which you cut into cubes or which you make into balls with a melon spoon.
3. Make a fan of strawberries. Wash the strawberries and let them dry. Using a potato peeler, cut the strawberry into thin slices from bottom to top, but leave them together at the crown. Now fan the slices and place them on the plate you want to garnish.
4. Cut a maraschino cherry in the shape of a flower. Cut a cherry two-thirds in half. Turn the cherry and make two more notches, dividing the cherry into six "petals" without separating the parts. Spread the petals a little and press them flat.
   • You can also put a small piece of sugared fruit or some other edible material in the center and place one or two leaves of mint underneath.
5. Garnish with sugared fruit. Wash firm fruit and pat dry with kitchen paper. Separate an egg white from the yellow and beat until fluffy. Spread the egg whites on the fruit so that it gets a thin, even coating and sprinkle with white granulated sugar to make it look like the fruit is frozen.
6. Make an apple swan. If you have a little more time and a sharp knife, try making a swan out of an apple, as you can see in the picture. It can also be done with a large radish or other firm, large fruit.
   • For special occasions you can make other intricate trims. You can find it on the internet by searching for "Thai fruit carving" or "Cutting garnish".

Method 3 of 4: Garnish with vegetables, flowers and herbs

1. Use these ingredients with savory dishes. Vegetables and flowers are a great accompaniment to salads, meat, vegetable dishes, pasta and rice. If you don't know which vegetables or flowers to choose, have something you've included in the dish, or choose something with a mild flavor like cucumber or radish.
2. Make a carrot or cucumber flower. Wash half a cucumber or carrot and peel off the dirty or lumpy skin. Cut the vegetables into strips lengthwise with a potato peeler, but do not cut it completely loose. Repeat this so that you get a lot of "petals" around the carrot or cucumber. If there is still room, create a second layer of petals on the inside. Take out the thick inside and gently bend the petals outward.
3. Make a rose from a tomato. Peel a tomato in a long spiral from one side to the other, narrowing the bar as you go along. Roll up this strip of peel into a tight curl and then release it so that you get a flower. You can also tuck the narrow side between two folds of the spiral to help it stay in place, or you can secure it with a toothpick.
4. Make a vegetable ring chain. You can easily cut yellow onion, all peppers and even a hollowed-out cucumber into rings. Make it even more beautiful by making a cut in each ring, so you can hook another ring into it so that you get a chain, and place it on the dish or on the edge of the plate.
5. Use food coloring to make onion garnish. Cut an onion into pieces, but leave them stuck together at the bottom. Dip the onion in hot water so that it firmer and smells less like onion. Then put the onion in food coloring for 20 to 30 minutes so that it gets a nice, soft color.
6. Choose edible flowers. Violets, roses, geraniums, marigolds and nasturtiums are all edible flowers, but look carefully before adding other flowers to your dish as some are poisonous.Never eat flowers that grow by a road or that may be otherwise contaminated, and do not take flowers that you do not know what they are. Not all flowers are edible, and those that are edible should not be overeaten to avoid digestive problems. That said, a flower is one of the easiest and most beautiful forms of garnish.
   • The taste of the flower varies depending on the species, the season and the place where it was grown. Taste a petal before using it as a garnish, even if you have eaten this variety before.
7. Use a sprig of herbs. One of the simplest and most common garnishes is a sprig of parsley. This is a wonderful addition to any dish with rich, meaty or heavy flavors, as it balances it out with its light, fresh flavor. You can also use rosemary, mint, or other herbs, but don't forget to remove the hard stems.
   • Sometimes a dish just needs some herbs or spices for garnish. Paprika, chili powder, and turmeric are all bright in color and can be used as garnishes.

Method 4 of 4: Garnish desserts

1. Use melted chocolate to create shapes. You can zigzag some streaks of chocolate over your dessert using melted chocolate or chocolate syrup. For a more intricate design, you can draw stripes of melted chocolate on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Then put the baking tray in the freezer or refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has set. Place these chocolate strands upright in your ice cream, or lay them flat on another cold dessert right before serving.
   • For a change, use dark, white and milk chocolate.
2. Dip fruit in chocolate. Strawberries, grapes or cubes of other fruits can be dipped in chocolate and hardened, then it becomes a dessert in itself. Stick them on sticks and place them like a fan in half a melon with a fruit salad or other dessert in it.
3. Put a sugar coating on edible flowers. Use edible flowers that have been grown without pesticides, preferably flowers that smell good. Beat a egg white until it foams and rub the flour with it. Then sprinkle white granulated sugar on top and use it as a garnish on rice pudding or any other dessert.
4. Use colored gelatin in molds. You can mix any flavored liquid with gelatin powder, from herbal tea to fruit juice. Heat according to the directions on the gelatin package, pour into molds and chill until the gelatin has set. If you don't have nice shapes, cut the gelatin into cubes or other shapes.
   • You can even use stock or other savory herbal teas to make gelatin molds.

Tips

• Buy some good knives if you plan on making regular garnishes with your dishes, and keep them sharp. With a good knife you can cut the garnish into shape better.