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Edible Art

Rebecca's Garden : Episode REB-611 -- More Projects »
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Figure A
Here are some easy tips to make your food presentation special for entertaining. Change your fruits and vegetables into edible pieces of art.

  • The relish bouquet (figure A): The foundation for the relish bouquet is nothing more than a head of cabbage. Cut off the bottom of it and place the flat side on a bed of greens. You can use ornamental cabbage and kale. Then take your relishes, such as asparagus, and skewer the bottom with a toothpick. Place that in the center of the cabbage. Start with the center and work your way out. Make up your own design using all of your relishes. For a final touch, tuck parsley between to hide the toothpicks.
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    Figure B
  • The salad (figure B): A tossed salad is a staple to every dinner. But if you separate each element and put them on a plate one by one, you end up with a piece of art good enough to eat. Start off with a bed of lettuce. Then take chopped vegetables, cut into various shapes, and lay them out in concentric circles, starting in the center. Or you can use your imagination with other shapes and designs.
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    Figure C
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    Figure D
  • Roasted veggies (figure C): Roasted vegetables in a bowl are pretty enough, but serve them in a large squash, and they become very dramatic. You can even use individual servings in smaller squash. Dress up a turkey by surrounding it with a variety of herbs such as rosemary and sage.

  • Fruit and cheese (figure D): Cheese is typically served on a tray surrounded by fruit. If you want to go the extra mile and really impress your guests, place the fruit individually on a tray in a beautiful, artistic design.
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    Figure E
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    Figure F
  • Chocolate cornucopia (figure E): For those with a sweet tooth, you can make a chocolate cornucopia of fruit. It's very easy to make and very impressive.

    The first step is to cut out a piece of parchment that's in the shape of a wedge. Then you'll need some melted chocolate, and it's really important that you melt this at a low temperature--no more than 150 degrees. Put the chocolate in a plastic bag and poke a very tiny hole in the corner. Then drizzle the chocolate on the parchment, being very careful not to hit the edges (figure F). Let it sit for a couple of minutes so the chocolate firms just a bit.

    Before the chocolate becomes hard, pick up the edges of the paper, folding it over to create a cone. To hold that shape, simply place it into a waffle cone, shaping the paper as you go. Then let it dry that way. Once the chocolate has hardened, very carefully pull off the parchment, and you get a beautiful cone. Place the chocolate cone on a plate, stuff it with all kinds of fruits, add some mint and it will taste delicious.

    • Also in this Episode
    Rebecca's Garden : Episode REB-611
    •Hanging Baskets for Winter
    •Jeweled Rooting Jar
    •Petite Parisian Bouquets
    •Edible Art
    •Watering Basics for Houseplants
    •Colorful Containers
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