Western-Style Garnish for Chinese Haute Cuisine

[Cookwithlove]

Recently I cook chinese haute cuisne for a table of 10 VIP and my western colleague dressed the food in western presentation. It was an excellent western presentation which makes the food real striking. Some of the garnisehes used were sweet potato leaf, Baby sardine leave, opha leave boat and others. Could anyone cares to shares some garnishes ideas?

Many Thanks

[muichoi]

What a curious reversal given that most modern western presentations derive from the east !

Edited July 16, 2008 by muichoi (log)

[Fugu]

sweet potato leaf, Baby sardine leave, opha leave boat and others.

Many Thanks

←

For added textured garnish:

Fish Bone crackers(smaller fishes), Crispy fried paper thin dried fish(baby sardine leaf?), Crispy fried dried squid(small ones), different shaped fried wonton, small bundles of fried noodles, marsh crabs. Tofu can be cut into shape to be used as a base or garnish for other proteins. Taro chips, lotus chips, vegetable or hebs in tempura(sage leaves are great).

For Colour:

Fresh bamboo shoots(even the leaves as a serving vessel), red, yellow and green wasabi tobiko, shiso leaf. Brunoise of purple yam and orange yams. You mentioned sweet potato leaves, there are green and purple varieties. Maple leaves are a common garnish for added colour as well.

Edited to add: Not all of these items I mentioned are Chinese though but a crossover fusion.

Edited July 16, 2008 by Fugu (log)

[Prawncrackers]

How about a dragon carved out of a carrot!!!

[Cookwithlove]

sweet potato leaf, Baby sardine leave, opha leave boat and others.

Many Thanks

←

For added textured garnish:

Fish Bone crackers(smaller fishes), Crispy fried paper thin dried fish(baby sardine leaf?), Crispy fried dried squid(small ones), different shaped fried wonton, small bundles of fried noodles, marsh crabs. Tofu can be cut into shape to be used as a base or garnish for other proteins. Taro chips, lotus chips, vegetable or hebs in tempura(sage leaves are great).

For Colour:

Fresh bamboo shoots(even the leaves as a serving vessel), red, yellow and green wasabi tobiko, shiso leaf. Brunoise of purple yam and orange yams. You mentioned sweet potato leaves, there are green and purple varieties. Maple leaves are a common garnish for added colour as well.

Edited to add: Not all of these items I mentioned are Chinese though but a crossover fusion.

←

Fugu, great ideas where do get Baby sardine leaf from? Satisfying to learned from you. Do u have any photo to share? Tq.

Edited July 16, 2008 by Cookwithlove (log)

[Dejah]

Deep fried mung bean noodles (glass noodles), colourful shrimp chips, julienne some wonton wrappers then deep fry them itno crispy shreds, calendula or chrysanthumum flower petals.

[Fugu]

Most of these items I mentioned can be found at asian grocery stores. The dried leaf fish and dried baby squid are all sold together in one section.

Photos? I tried uploading some photos before and had problems so I never tried again.

Edited: to clean up my quoting mess.

Edited July 17, 2008 by Fugu (log)

[Cookwithlove]

Appreciate comments and inputs by Fuju, Dejah, Prawncrackers and Muichoi and keep the new ideas flowing. Take good care!