Eye-Appealing Appetizers
Source of Recipe
Grandpoohbah
Appetizers have an allure that's all their own. From the most elegant, delicate crab
puffs to rich, hot, cheesy spread, the flavors of appetizers can entice and delight the
palate. But one of their most intoxicating wiles is how they can enchant your eyes,
which in turn makes you salivate with hunger. Everyone agrees that appetizers must
be beautiful to look at. There's a direct line from the eyes to the stomach, if
something looks tantalizing it is sure to be sampled. So no matter how tasty that grey
colored tapenade is; if it doesn't have visual appeal, it will loose out to its prettier
cousin with the touch of bright red roasted peppers every time. Appetizers are a
world of culinary adventure; all it takes is a little touch of imagination and a few
helpful tips to display them in their full glory.
Unique Containers and Servers
Some of the best and most beautiful containers come from Mother Nature herself.
Hollowed out cabbages and squash make perfect bowls for savory dips and
spreads. Or use them to hold vegetable crudités. A melon or pineapple is just the
sort of container a creamy sweet dip is looking for. Lemon and orange cups also
make attractive small containers for sweet or savory dips and spreads. Whole bread
loaves in different sizes and shapes that have been hollowed out can be filled with
warm dips that you bake in the oven. Or use the hollowed out bread loaves as
containers for tea sandwiches or breadsticks.
Other good containers included baskets, decorative trays and platters, fancy cutting
boards, unique bowls in different shapes, sizes and colors. You're sure to have many
of these items lying about your house or you can frequent thrift stores and garage
sales for inexpensive and sometimes one-of-a-kind items. If you have foods that will
need toothpicks or some sort of skewer, try using sprigs of rosemary, sugar cane
spears or bamboo picks.
Garnish is as Garnish Does
Garnishes can make or break the look you are striving to create. Overblown
garnishes that engulf the food they're meant to enhance are a big no-no! As are any
garnishes that are not edible! You don't want to have to warn your guests not to eat
that beautiful flower that's atop their lemon tartlet. The flavor of a garnish also needs
to complement the food that it is decorating! In other words, do not garnish a sweet
fruit dip with parsley leaves! Mint or a sprinkle of nutmeg would be a much better
choice. As to what to use as a garnish, look to the world of herbs and spices. Fresh
herbs like thyme, chives, lavender flowers and the ubiquitous parsley will add
beautiful and edible touches to your appetizer. When it comes to spices, just a
sprinkle of paprika, curry powder or cinnamon is sure enliven up items such as
stuffed eggs, dips and spreads. Other items that make wonderful garnishes are citrus
fruit zest, sprinklings of seeds like cumin, caraway or black sesame, little curls of
Parmesan cheese, or tiny elegant fruits like raspberries or fresh currants. Sweet
appetizers can look lovely with a dusting of confectioner's sugar or cocoa powder.
Just remember to keep all the garnishes simple and extraordinary. Oftentimes a single
leaf of a bright green herb is all you'll need to make your creation wow the eye.
Artful Presentation
Now this will delight all you artists and closet artists out there, but for those of you
who feel a bit lacking in the design department, don't worry, we'll walk you through
it! One the most important things to keep in mind is your own personal uniqueness.
You, after all, are the one who is setting the stage. So set the stage with touches of
your personality! Feature items and colors that you love! Follow a few of these
simple guidelines and you'll have everyone thinking you've been moonlighting as a
food stylist!
* Only place one or two different kinds of appetizers on each serving tray.
Having a jumble of a myriad of different appetizers on one tray confuses the eye and
it can make it difficult for your guests to choose which one they want to sample.
* Make sure there are plenty of receptacles for waste. Nobody wants to see
untidy piles of toothpicks, olive pits or shrimp tails scattered through out the serving
tables and the room.
* Don't make appetizers too large. They should be able to be eaten in one or
two bites.
* Decide ahead of time whether or not you will be passing trays of appetizers
around or whether you will keep them all on a stationary surface. If passing
appetizers, be sure to choose trays that aren't too large and heavy.
The kinds of appetizers you serve and how you arrange them is all up to you. It's a
good idea to have a variety of tastes and textures to help enliven and surprise your
guests' palates. Avoid serving only fussy intricate little appetizers. Too many super
fancy individual appetizers mask one another's beauty. Throw in some dips, spreads
or pates, along with some less delicate creations. Not only will this cut down on the
work for you it will also help to bring all the dishes you are serving to the forefront.
As for arrangement and presentation look for inspiration in books, magazines,
photographs or nature. Keep in mind the colors of the food you're serving. A table
full of monochromatic foods will be boring and doesn't encourage people to sample
new things. By offsetting colors of different foods with another food in a contrasting
color, you'll be literally painting your own edible masterpiece.
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