Creating food that people love takes much more skill than simply creating a dish that tastes good. Creating a dish that appeals to the eyes and the sense of smell as well as palate will show that you are a successful cook whether you are cooking professionally or are simply a home cook who likes to entertain family and friends.
A Feast For The Eyes
A plate of food should be a feast for the eyes. The more colorful the dish and the more textural variety it has the more appetizing it will be to those who you serve it too. Whether you are making a simple salad or casserole, an expensive entree or a sweet dessert making sure that the food you serve combines color and textures will encourage people not only to ooh and ahh over your offering, but to actually dig in.
Adding green and red sweet peppers, finely chopped carrots, and bright green herbs to casseroles and soups and add a touch of appealing color while also enhancing the taste of the dish. Try combining blanched broccoli and steamed carrots together as a side for baked chicken or broiled fish to add both a different texture and color will be more exciting that choosing to bland side dishes for bland colored meats. Making use of colorful spices such as paprika, chives, and pepper corn will also brighten up those more boring looking dishes and sides.
Don't forget to use garnishes to make the plate even more attractive. A twist of orange, lemon, or lime on the side of a plate adds a bit of color. Placing that broiled fish on a dark green leaf of kale or that scoop of cottage cheese on a small lettuce leaf makes the food all the more appealing.
The Nose Knows
Along with making your food visually appealing you are also going to want it to be aromatic as well. As most people know the aroma of food, enhances the taste so ensuring that your food has an appetizing aroma will encourage people to want to try the dish. Whether it is the spicy aroma of peppers and garlic, the earthy aroma of dishes prepared using ginger, cumin, cinnamon and cloves or the citrus aroma of lemons, and limes serving food that engages the sense of smell as well as the sense of taste only increases the pleasure for those sampling your food.
Putting It All Together
To really wow those who sample your food, you need to really bring together the sight, smell, and good taste of the food you are serving. Presenting that food in an appealing way and having it served with a smile will definitely increase people's satisfaction. While satisfying those eating any meal is always the goal it is especially important if you make your living from food preparation. Make sure that you arrange the food on the plate in an attractive manner, use proper garnishes, and serve the food at the right temperature.
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