The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-23

Potatoes, boiled or fried, can be prepared |
in many fancy ways to make them suitable
for garnishing. Well-seasoned spinach IS
excellent with chops, steaks or roasts. |
Drowned onions are often used Meats
with onion garnishes make dishes called |
"a ia soubise.'' Brussels sprouts, hot, are |
a suitable garnish for corned beef; or, cold,
with French dressing. are an excellent
salad to serve with cold beef. They should
not be overlooked or they will lose their
shape. Stuffed tomatoes may be used with
almost any meat dish.
ORNAMENTAL VEGETABLES.
Vegetable PURGE, in fancy form, is useful
for establishment and may take the place
of fresh vegetable. PURGE is made of any
vegetable mashed and seasoned in the
same manner as potato. Navy beans, lima
beans, fageolets and peas, either fresh or
dried, are so used The PURGE can be
pressed through a pastry bag into forms
Stimulating roses. or placed in piles on
rounds Of toast. Vegetables intended to be
eaten with the meats they garnish should
be well seasoned before being placed on the
platter, but where they are to serve only an
ornamental purpose they may sometimes,
as in the case of carrots and turnips, be
used uncooked, as they have a better color
and more firmness when raw. These two
vegetables are very useful, as they are OBJ
talnable all the year round. Carrots are
particularly pretty when small. Large ones
sliced and then stamped into fancy shapes,
combined with tunipS treated in the same
way, are frequently used for making de-
signs. Sometimes they are cut into balls.
sometimes are carved into forms simulat
ing roses. 1t is easy TO make them into
cups, using a futed knife to shape the out
side, and following the center with a po-
tato scoop. These cups are good for hold
ing any vegetable or for vegetable salads.
Rice is generally used for borders which
are intended TO keep creamed dishes and
1rlcasSees in shape. Sausages cut in halves
or quarters fried bacon make a good
relish as we'll as garnish for many meats;
they are particularly good with egg dishes.
Paper frllls on protruding bones serve the
excellent purpose of concealing these
slightly ends. They are easily made by
folding strip of paper lengthwise, then
cutting ii down about one and half inches
at intervals of one-eighth inch on the fold
ed Side, thus making a double fringe: next
slip one side up a little, making the fringe
round out; and, finally, roll this around a
stick leaving the open work in close
spiral. These frills are used on the bones
OF leg of mutton, on ham, on chops and
on drumsticks.
The green garnshes are parsley, water
eress, small, crisp lettuce leaves. green let
tuce cut into ribbonS, chicory and celery
tops These are all edible and all have
places where they are especially appro-
PIRATE. Parsley, which is most commonly
used, Is pre-eminent for convenience, beau
" of leaf and freshness. In many cases
however, greens which can be eaten with
with broiled or fried meats or fish. Parsley
may be used with almost everything in its
purely ornamental function but il can be
chopped and Sprinkled over foods for both
its favoring and decorative qualities A
woman who has mastered the art of MAX
ing an omelet will usually give it this fin
lSnlng touch. Parsley should be very green
and crisp, well washed and dried with q
| cloth before being used; it may then be
| broken into sprigs. and placed at intervals
| or formed into a wreath Sometimes a
| large bunch, like bouquet NAV be used
! with good effect.
LEMONS ARE EFFECTIVE.
Lemons, like parsley, have convenience to
| recommend them, and like watercress, are
acceptable with fried meats. The acid of
| lemon is the best condiment for veal When
| they serve the double purpose of garnish
| and cOndiment they should be cut so the
| pieces can be taken in the hand and pressed
without soiling the fingers. This is effected
! by cutting them in quarters lengthwise, or
| in halves and then in quarters. In some
| instances half-lemon is not too much to
serve with one portion, but ordinarily quar-
/ ters are sufficient. Slices are useless with
/ meats, except as ornaments. Illustration
| No. / shows lemon ready to be sliced.
/ 1t has been channeled so to give the
| notched edges which make the slices more
| ornamental. The Illustration also shows
| lemon made to simulate a pig. This form
/
| pork dish. The ears are formed by cutting
| and raising a triangular slice on each side
| of the pointed end, the eyes are made of
| cloves, the legs and tail of wooden tooth
| picks.
Hard-boiled eggs ornament in variety of
! ways. They should be boiled very hard,
| then cut with thin, sharp knife so the
| slices will be smooth and the edges clean
| Illustration No. 2 shows plain slices rings
made by slipping the yolk out of slices, an
| egg cut into quarters and eighths, a whole
1 VOlk set into ring and a stuffed
| Yolks pressed through a colander and
| sprinkled over creamed meat and fish
| dishes, cream toast and some other dishes
make beautiful golden covering Chopped
| whites, in conjunction with crumbed yolks,
| are used for tracing designs over salads,
| minces and cold pieces.
Picked beets are a useful and effective
! garnish. The color gives decided contrast,
| and the flavor is a good relish. Sliced beets
fancy shapes cut with a knife into dia-
| monds cubes or strips. One can easily have
| them always at hand. Two or three boiled
| beets sliced thin and put into vinegar will
last until all are used, and should be among
the stores in the dresser awaiting the con-
veniences of the cook. Cucumber pickles
and gherkinS are equally useful in point of
color effects and in giving piquancy to
many foods. They are used lin slices
stamped into fancy shapes or chopped and
arranged in lines or in little heaps.
be sliced, giving buttons of color. Capers
and olives complete the list of condiment
garnlSneS, though any pickle may be used
with propriety on cold meat dishes. Illus
tration No. 5 shows various garnishes as
explained in legend.
| Croutons are an indispensable part of hot
minced meat dishes, creamed mixtures and
eggs cooked in various ways. They serve
also to ornament these dishes, which espe-
cially require garnishing to make them pre-
sentable. Croutons are pieces of bread
Drowned in butter in a saucepan or moist
ened with butter and Drowned in the oven
Care should be taken TO cut them exactly
/ acI,~i 3frern fln 1icll Cith aic
they are to be used. For soups they should
be quarter-inch cubes; for minced meats
triangles more or less acute. Circles
squares and strips also have their places
The color should be light golden, not dark
brown. The latter color betrays inexperi.
! ence or carelessness.
Fontage cups holding vegetables are use
full for garnishing.