The Art of Preparing Food

Meals with Appeal Use a variety of Color Texture Flavors Temperature Shapes and sizes

Foods with Flair

Pick a plate or two Decide whether you need more than one plate per person. Some food, such as applesauce need to be served on a small plate or in a bowl to prevent their juices from running all over the other food. If your main course is hot, serve cold sides on the side, in a bowl or on a small plate.

Use your imagination Arranging a plate of food requires thought, not extra time.

Serve salad mixtures on a bed of lettuce with bright vegetables, such as yellow and red peppers or carrots. Cut vegetables, such as zucchini into long thin pieces and fan them out alongside the main dish.

Try edible containers Chicken salad on a bed of lettuce or inside a melon Salad in a bread bowl or shell

Use cookies cutters to make cheese, meat or sandwiches into fun shapes.

Put sauces on the side not over food.

Decorate the plate with finely chopped parsley or other herbs.

Garnishing Carrots- curls or shredded Croutons Fruit slices (lemon, lime or orange) Herbs Edible flowers

Avoid overcrowding a plate

Does meal appeal effect what you eat?

Which dish is presented the best and why?

Which dessert is presented the best? Why?

Which main dish looks the best? Worst? Why?

Creative Cooking One way to be creative while cooking is adding seasonings to cooking. Herbs Spices

Herbs Herbs are a fragrant, edible leaves used for seasoning food. You can use them either fresh or dries.

Spices Spices are seasonings that come from bark, buds, seeds, roots or stems of different plants and trees. They are usually dried.

The more you use herbs and spices, the better you’ll know how their flavors and aromas blend with foods. Then you can adapt recipes by substituting or adding herbs and spices to your taste.

Substituting fresh and dried herbs Dried herbs are stronger and more concentrated than fresh. When substituting dried herbs for fresh, divide the amount called for by three. Multiply by three when substituting fresh for dried. You can always adjust amounts if needed.

Releasing the full flavor For the best flavor, add herbs and spices to soups and stews towards the end of cooking time. With chilled foods, such as dips, add seasonings several hours before serving so the flavor can blend. To release the flavor of dry herbs , crumble them between your fingers. Chop fresh herbs finely.

Using seasoning blends You can buy herb and spice blends or make your own. For instance, to make an Italian blend, mix dried basil, garlic powder, and oregano.

When you’re grilling, add flavor to meat with a rub- An herb or spice mixture applied to tender meat, poultry or fish before cooking.

Storing herbs and spices To keep dried herbs and spices at their peak flavors for about a year, store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Herbs and spices stored near the range lose their flavors more quickly. You can keep fresh herbs for a few day in a refrigerator. Wrap them in a damp paper towel and place the in an airtight plastic bag.

Herb or Spice Forms Available Tastes good with Basil Dried or Fresh leaves, ground All tomato dishes, peas, green beans, eggplant, zucchini, soup or eggs Black pepper Whole Peppercorn, ground Vegetables, stews, meat, poultry, fish, soups or salads Celery Seed Dried Potato, egg salad, tuna salad, soups, sauces, fish and vegetables

Chili Powder Ground Mexican Style dishes, barbecue sauce, meat loaf, stews Cinnamon Ground, Stick, with sugar, in blends such as pumpkin pie spice Bakes goods such as cakes, buns, breads, pies, cookies, and apples Cloves Whole, ground Whole ham, roast pork, stews, pickled fruits, baked goods, chocolate desserts, sweet vegetables Garlic Cloves, powdered, minced, salt Meat dishes, sauces, dressings, vegetables, butter spreads, salads

Fresh or dries, leaves or ground Ginger Fresh, ground Baked goods, stews, chicken, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, pears, or stir fries Nutmeg Whole, ground Baked goods, custard, puddings, apples, carrots, squash, eggnog Oregano Fresh or dries, leaves or ground Tomato dishes, Italian or Mexican dishes, lamb, pork, poultry, peas, green beans, onions, zucchini Paprika Ground Salads, cream sauces with vegetables, potatoes, eggs, poultry

Fresh or dried whole leaves, rubbed, ground Parsley Fresh or Dried flakes Soups, salads, slaws, meats, fish, poultry, all vegetables, sauces, eggs, rice Rosemary Fresh or dried Beef, lamb and chicken dishes, fruits Sage Fresh or dried whole leaves, rubbed, ground All pork dishes, meat, fish, poultry stuffing, cream soups, fish, salad dressing Thyme Eggs, fish, stews, salad, tomato sauce, legumes, vegetables

Besides using herbs and spices, you can flavor foods with a variety of condiments. Condiments- flavorful accompaniments of food. Salsa Chutney Vinegar Pesto Barbecue Soy sauce Worcestershire Sauce

Salsa Salsa is usually a mixture of chopped tomatoes, onions, peppers, and herbs. Varieties include mild, medium and hot.

Chutney Chutney is a mixture of fruit (or sometimes tomatoes), vinegar, sugar and spices that you make or buy. Can be made mild, spicy or sweet. Can be served along side meat or spread on bread or sandwiches

Vinegar Vinegar adds tartness to food. Varieties include apple cider, balsamic, raspberry or rice vinegar.

Pesto Pesto is finely chopped mixture of basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese and olive oil. Pesto is most often served over pasta.

Other flavor boosters Sun-dried tomatoes: have a rich, intense flavor and chewy texture. Chili peppers: range from mild to very hot and can be purchased fresh or dried. Citrus zest: the grated out rind of citrus fruits- give s a fresh taste to many dishes. Flavored extracts: are often used in baked goods such as cakes or cookies. Just a small amount of these liquids is enough to flavor the finished products.

Being creative doesn’t take extra time…just extra thought.