Fruit -Vegetable Carving, Fruits and vegetables decoration, Salad decoration

Fruit & Vegetable Carving

The art of carving foods is an Eastern custom that has been adopted by creative food preparers around the world.

In Thailand and Japan food carving is considered part of the presentation of the meal. The stunning designs that can be created make the food the center of attention when you serve your guests. No need to worry about what else is on the table!

Some of the more elaborate carvings can take hours to get just right, but practice makes it go faster and soon you'll find yourself designing your own patterns for watermelons, radishes, and any fruit or vegetable that can hold it's form when carved.

Example :

Watermelon Basket Fruit Carving

The watermelon basket is one of the most popular and easy fruit carving presentations around.

All it takes is a few simple cuts, and some prepared fruit salad to fill it with, and you're on your way to your first fun party fruit carving centerpiece:

You'll need:

· 1 medium-to-large-sized watermelon

· non-toxic water-ink marker

· A sharp knife

· spoon

· prepared fruit salad

Instructions:

1. First, cut a thin piece off the bottom of the watermelon so that it sits flat on a plate without rolling.

2. Make your design on the watermelon with a water marker and cut around until pieces separate easily.

3. Carefully cut the fruit away from the basket "handle" and slowly scrape away any remaining fruit with a spoon or melon baller.

4. Next, hollow out the basket. Reserve fruit to mix with the fruit salad.

5. Decorate the rim with V cuts.

6. Add fresh grapes, cherries, pineapple chunks and melon balls, or use a commercially prepared fruit salad to fill your basket.