The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving: Elegant Garnishes for All Occasions

I used this product to.learn how to.decorate with fruit and veg

Good

I love this book. Fully illustrated, with most of the space used for multiple color inserts on every page. Each step is artfully detailed. This book is basic. Each suggestion is practical. Garnishes made from cucumbers, daikon, red radish, lemon, grapefruit, papaya and more. From simple thin tied carrot knots, to a melon carved bird basket. From elaborate eggplant traps to apple cages.i rarely become so excited with a new book. It doesn't take long to read because it's barely a hundred pages of mostly pictures. Published less then a year ago, and being only 8" x 10", it will still make a great coffee table book. I can't wait to try the zucchini net: a great alternative to nori rolls or wrapping in lettuce.Easily adaptable to an all raw food menu, I will certainly use some of these in my food presentations. I heartily recommend this book. And at this price, it's a worthwhile indulgence.

Helpful

The literature for food carving and garnish design is limited relative to other aspects of the culinary arts. While this "visual manual" is helpful, the descriptions would benefit from less brevity and more detail. I was left to experiment to discover the boundary conditions and specifics for certain procedures. For example, when instructed to cut a 4 in. long strip of carrot, how thick should the strip be to maximize results? The book doesn't say and I was forced to experiment on my own. In case you're curious, my results were that while the form of thinner strips of vegetables are easier to manipulate, they hold their shape less well than thicker pieces do.

I love making bento lunches and food garnishes, and this book is perfect for creating some impressive looking finishing touches to my food. Some of the garnishes are really easy, and some will take some practice, which is what I was hoping for. I will have fun using this book for a long time to come!

The inside of the book lives up to the promise of the cover. Beautiful quality paper and photographs. Detailed instructions on how to make these beautiful carvings. If this is what you want to do, this book is an excellent reference, and is a visual pleasure.

This was a gift for a grandson that has gotten into gourmet cooking and he loved it , ,we will have some good times together with me showing him some of my tips and ideas. thanks for making my shopping easier this year.