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 Why did many of the world's great artists paint still lifes? I think, because they were attracted by the color of nature itself, which is difficult to convey on the canvas with the most skillful brush. For example, you can probably find yellow tones for lemons or green for watermelon, but it is impossible to give a photographically accurate color combination.
Apparently, therefore, the best "still life" that exists for a gourmet is the one that lies in front of him on the kitchen table. Vegetables and fruits have an amazing richness of colors that can be skillfully used for culinary compositions when setting the table.
Carving as an art
In decorating dishes, measure is also undoubtedly needed. With the help of a knife and a set of culinary knitting needles for curly cutting, you can learn how to do such tricks with vegetables that they become like anything - like flowers, animal figurines, tree leaves, except vegetables as such. The author could tell here at length how this is done, but if you like to "paint" on products, it is better to look into another book: they write a lot about this now, vying with each other. I am absolutely convinced that the modern view of the culinary composition dictates simplicity - the daughter of harmony.
Are not scarlet tomatoes themselves, green-emerald cucumbers with their wonderful naive pimples, indescribable burgundy-red radishes, amber turnips, milky-calm squash, dark purple plums, tinted with a white bloom, like a fogged glass of a car, tender apricots? with some kind of girlish fluff on a yellow-orange peel ... If a hand goes up to destroy this splendor, it is perhaps for salads, fruit cocktails, for various culinary dishes, when, willy-nilly, you have to use these products.
However, if the soul of an artist lives in you, and not just a lover of delicious food, do not rush ... You, of course, can prepare many different salads and serve them to the table in the best possible way. However, maybe, finishing reading this book, after all the sessions of culinary magic, the thought will come to your mind: that you can do something completely different! If gourmets, your like-minded people, have gathered at the table, give them the opportunity to create at their own plate what they want.
Therefore, on one dish you can put whole, well-washed tomatoes and cucumbers, on another - a variety of greens, on the third - fruits. Arrange everything according to your taste. Make a choice of several sauces, and then your meal can turn into a solemn and fun tasting, into real culinary creativity right at the table. Of course, all the necessary spices should be at hand; diluted vinegar, mustard, horseradish and more ... And you have to take on the role of conductor.
Decorative cutting for vegetables and fruits - carving
For example, advise the guest to take a tomato, cut it into pieces, crumble the feta cheese, add red pepper and a few drops of lemon juice - and the salad will come to life right in front of him. What do we do with lettuce? Usually we cut it mercilessly so that the former beautiful light leaves with dew drops become a common component of the mixture along with cucumbers and something else like radishes. Wouldn't it be better to keep the leaves whole so that you can pour the sauce on them (0.5 cups of water, half diluted with 3% vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of mustard and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil - better than soy) and enjoy the dish?
By the way, some southern peoples wrap sheep's cheese in lettuce, celery and other greens and eat it like that. It would be worth borrowing this wonderful tradition.
Yes, cooking does not tolerate conservatism.If the cuisines of different countries of the world ceased to influence each other, it would not be just boring to live: many of those for whom cooking is not only a hobby, but also a business, would be simply ruined. We are convinced of this by the example of America, which almost does not have its own American national cuisine, but borrows dishes from various peoples, including Russian. The "repertoire" of German cuisine would have been rather limited if Spanish, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, French dishes had not invaded Germany ...
Golovkov A. Kitchen without secrets
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