Picture-perfect plates this Christmas
Plating and presenting food attractively is crucial in the world of catering and something we consider very carefully at Parties to Go. A study conducted by Great British Chefs has proven that factors such as the angle, height of the food and design of the plate have a direct impact on how the food can taste. So, here are some easy tips for picture-perfect plates – these will keep your dishes not only looking fresh but tasting just as marvellous.
Choose your finest dinnerware
Let’s start with the foundations of a meal – the dinner plate itself. Whether serving a dish of nibbles or a platter of sweet treats, choosing the perfect plater is essential to ensuring your food goes down a storm. When considering this element, ask yourself these three crucial questions:
- Does the plate reflect the theme of the party?
- Does the plate complement the colour of the food?
- Will there be room on the plate for the dish you want to serve?
Ensuring enough colour, contrast, and space on the plate is imperative to a picture-perfect presentation. We often like to prepare for this process just as we would for planning the quantities of the food, so making sure you put aside this time whilst planning your dinner party could be vital for party success. For some inspiration and dinnerware we love, take a look here.
Experiment with textures
Now for something a little more technical. Playing with textures creates an experimentative dish that allows us to engage with a series of new senses. Allowing a variety of textures on the plate can create an exclusive eating experience for your guest and is sure to generate more enjoyment. But how exactly how do we do this?
When we talk about textures, we’re not just talking about the physical attributes of food. It is also about how the dish can be explored, and the sensations created. One timeless dessert which explains this perfectly is the chocolate bombe. It pits hard against soft and mixes warm with cold – all of which can be quite an exciting eating experience for the guest.
So, when planning what to serve, consider adding this variety to your dish. An easy one to start with is the crunch. Combining something crunchy with something smooth is a great way to texturise your dish. There are lots of ways to add crunch to your meals. Serve crunchy veg with smooth mash, add banana chips as a garnish to a mousse, or simply add croutons to your soup. You can literally crunchify foods at every meal of the day if you want to.
Bigger isn’t always better
At Parties to Go, we also love canapes for this exact reason. Their miniature size means you can pick and choose not only how many to have but also what to sample. This also means you can explore different flavours and variety whilst still having space for the main meal.
For the meal itself, try not to get too carried away. Ensuring you keep your guests full but not so stuffed they feel sick is essential when making it a night to remember. Dishes are often more adventurous when placed on a big plate. But that doesn’t mean you have to fill it. Larger plates with considered portions mean more focus on the dish itself. It also allows people to savour the food rather than feel overwhelmed by the amount. And smaller amounts, beautifully presented are sure to create picture-perfect plates.
Again, planning is a vital factor in this process, so making sure you have the correct amount of food and perfecting your portion sizes may maximise the level of excellence of your dish.
Make height and pile your plate
Separating different components of your dish is not always necessary. Combing all the elements together means the taste and texture of the dish are easy to experience. Giving height to a dish can also make it feel fresher and look more appealing.
This isn’t necessary for every meal though. As we know, some foods aren’t sturdy enough for piling, and some dishes look better with a little space. However, don’t be afraid to experiment where there are safe grounds to add height. Mash is great for doing this as its cement-like texture can hold its structure well and make the perfect foundation for your cut of lamb or pork sausages.
Planning ahead for picture-perfect plates
So, next time you plan for dinner party success, we hope you consider these four factors for picture-perfect plates. But if culinary skills are not your forte, why not leave the hard work to us? We love to help plan and deliver parties and can help you create dishes to die for. For more information about what we can do, get in touch with Carole on 07971 141 733 and find out how party perfection can be achieved – as our dishes look just as good as they taste.
