Simple home carving with step by step photos.
Chrysanthemum from Chinese cabbage
1. Remove loose leaves from a head of Beijing cabbage weighing from 300 to 700 g and cut off the upper part of the head, leaving about 12-15 cm.
2. We work with an oval or triangular carbide groove knife.
3. Let's make cuts of different lengths along the thick veins of the leaves, directing the knife from the top cut of the leaf to the base of the cabbage. We make the beginning of the cut thinner. As we approach the stump, we deepen the knife into the cabbage.
4. Without cutting 1.5-2 cm to the stalk, remove the cut out large leaves. If the sheet is held tight, make a few notches with a small knife.
5. We cut the subsequent rows of leaves in the same way, shortening the length of the chrysanthemum petals to the middle. If the edges of the petals are thin enough, then in cold water they will curl up into rings or curve beautifully.
6. Put the "chrysanthemum" in ice water for half an hour. The product will take on an elegant shape. Let's cut a couple of green "leaves" from a cucumber and make a composition on a dish with salad or various cuts.
Cucumber LILY
1. Cut off a piece of cucumber 7-8 cm in size, cutting off the tail. Let's make a cut in the form of a leaflet, without cutting to the bottom edge of the workpiece.
2. Make other leaves, with a small distance between them, bypassing the workpiece in a circle.
3. Using a knife, make a cut in a circle 1-2 mm thick, creating a platform for cutting the next row. petals.
4. With an oval knife, we make the next row of petals in a checkerboard pattern relative to the previous row. Again we cut the platform for the next level of petals. Make as many rows as the size of the workpiece allows.
5. With a noisette or a knife, scrape the core of the cucumber, creating enough space to place the core in the center of the flower.
6. Cut the leaves with scissors, create a triangular shape at the ends. Dip the flower for a few minutes in ice water - and it will open beautifully.
7. From carrots, pumpkins or radishes, we will make a core of a suitable size. Decorate it with cuts.
8. Insert the core into the flower. Can be fixed with a toothpick.
Let's put a lily on a twig with leaves or on a painted wooden barbecue stick. Leaves for it can also be cut from a cucumber.
CONE from carrots
1. Peel a dense carrot with a diameter of at least 3 cm, cut off a straight piece 8-12 cm in size. Use a knife to make a square “tail” for the future cone. Next, give it an oval shape.
2. Having processed the workpiece in a circle with a knife, we will give the thick end of the cone a rounded shape and prepare a platform for cutting the first row of scales.
3. Visually divide the thick end of the workpiece into 6 parts, cut out 6 petal scales in a circle. The depth of the cut is 2-3 mm.
4. With a knife, make a cut along the cone (deepening the end of the knife by 2-3 mm) under the scales, making out the three-dimensional pattern of the first row, thus creating a platform for the next row of scales.
5. In a checkerboard pattern with respect to the previous row, cut out the next row. Again we cut the platform for the next row of scales. We make as many rows as the size of the workpiece allows.
6. We lower the cone for 10-15 minutes in ice water - it will open a little and harden.
hot pepper callas
ADVICE. If the pepper burns your hands after work, wash them thoroughly and wipe them with vegetable oil.
1. Take red or green hot chili peppers.
2. Cut along the length from the stem to the tip.
3. Carefully cut the pulp around the stalk. Seeds should remain on the stem.
4. Expand the pepper, rinse in cold water and give the workpiece the shape of a calla flower.
5. We make a hole on the spread of the future flower and carefully insert the stalk with seeds into it.
6. Cut out the leaves from any green product (cucumber or others) and create a curly composition.
1. We give the carrots the shape of a cylinder. We pierce along the center line with a thin wooden skewer.
2. Soak the vegetable in a salt solution for 2 hours (1 tablespoon of salt per glass of water). The product must be sufficiently soft and not break when thinly cut.
3. Visually divide the vegetable into four sides. We make the same cuts on the upper and lower sides, cutting through to the skewer. The distance between the cuts is 0.5 cm. Let's make cuts on both sides - between the cuts on the upper and lower sides.
4. Carefully cut the fruit in a circle with a long thin ribbon to the skewer. We cut off the skewer with the "stump" and straighten the net.
5. 6. Cut out several different colorful fish from a wide variety of products.
LILY from carrots
1. We give the vegetable the shape of a cone and a pentagon, cutting with a long knife in a circle from five sides. 
2. On each of the 5 cut sides, cut through the petal.
3. Shape the petal with scissors.
4. Remove part of the pulp from under the petals of the first row (make the cone thinner). We cut out five more petals, placing them in a checkerboard pattern relative to the petals of the first row. Do the same for the third row.
5. With a knife, shorten the remaining core and cut it into a cone
6. We split the core into stamens with a knife.
DAHLIA
1. Let's make a slightly flattened rounded blank with a diameter of 5-6 cm from a homogeneous product.
2. Cut out 7-9 petals with a medium oval knife, deepening the knife towards the core.
3. We cut off the excess pulp under the petals of the first row, forming a platform for the next row.
4. Cut out the petals of the next row with knives of different sizes, similarly to the first row. We place them between the petals of the previous row. We make as many rows as possible.
5. We cut to the end and make out the middle.
Chrysanthemum from onions
for decorating salads, meat, fish and vegetable dishes
1. To prepare chrysanthemum, take a small round onion.
You can take both white and red onions. The smaller the bulb, the more beautiful the flower turns out.
Try to choose a thin-walled bulb, then the petals turn out to be thinner and open more beautifully.
2. Peel the bulb and cut off the top and bottom by about 0.5 cm.
3. With a thin sharp knife, carefully cut almost in half, without cutting to the end about 0.5 cm.
The incision is made from the upper side - where the feather grows.
4. Then cut in half again in the same way.
5. Next, cut into as many pieces as you can. It is desirable to make as many incisions as possible.
If the cuts are not deep enough, the flower will not bloom well, and if it is too deep, the flower will fall apart.
6. Put the bulb in water at room temperature - the water should completely cover the bulb.
After an hour and a half, the chrysanthemum should "bloom". The time of "blooming" of the chrysanthemum depends on the variety of the onion. Some varieties are enough and 40 minutes, and some need a couple of hours.
7. To give the flower brightness, dip the tips of the blossoming chrysanthemum into beetroot juice (rub raw beets and squeeze through a cloth). Coloring time - until the desired color is obtained. You can use any other food coloring - brightly colored juice (for example, cherry, blackcurrant), yellow saffron solution, Cahors or other red wine, pickled beetroot brine, etc.
You can paint the whole flower.
Orange colored "chrysanthemum" on lettuce.
onion flower
1. We clean the bulb without cutting off the root seal, but only after cleaning it well from the roots.
2. We make 4-5 cuts (in this example we make 4 cuts) to a depth of 2-3 layers (in this example - 2 layers).
3. We bend the extreme layers (petals), and remove the inner incised layers with a knife. We do all this with caution, because. petals are very brittle.
4. Again we cut the layers of the bulb, shifting the cuts in a checkerboard pattern relative to the first petals. The first incised layer is left, and the inner layers are removed again.
5. Repeat these steps until we reach the middle of the bulb.
7. Then put in a vinegar marinade of water, vinegar and sugar (vinegar and sugar to taste) for 10 minutes or more to obtain the desired taste.
If you want to get a colored flower, add food coloring to the marinade (see previous recipe).
We take out the "flower" from the marinade, slightly shake off the liquid, beautifully straighten the petals and place on a dish.
leek flower
1. Fold a wide leaf of leek in half lengthwise and make frequent cuts from the side of the fold, as shown in the photo.
2. Roll up into a roll - this will be the core of the flower.
3. Make petals from the wide parts of the onion.
4. Fasten the flower with toothpicks and put on a dish.
Leek bow
1. Peel young fresh leeks, cut off the white dense part of about 20 cm. At the same distance from each other, cut the onion lengthwise with several cuts to the full depth (to the center).
2. Bend the “petals” of the first row and cut them approximately in the middle, giving them a triangular shape.
3. Fold the petals of the next row inward with a “bow”.
4. Continue row after row to fold the petals. If the bow does not hold well, you can strengthen it with pieces of wooden toothpicks.
Festive "bouquet" of Beijing cabbage
1. Take an average head of Chinese (Beijing) cabbage.
2. Cut off the top loose part.
3. Traditionally, vegetable carving (carving) is performed using special knives of various shapes. For example, such chrysanthemums are cut with a carving knife in the form of a groove. But you can adapt a simple tool at hand - an olive can lid, which you need to bend in half to make an oval groove. The edges of the resulting groove are not too sharp, but you still need to be careful. We must adapt to hold it as comfortably as possible, without touching the edges.
4. Take the groove as indicated and cut long grooves along the hard part of the head. At first, the groove should not go very deep. Closer to the base, you need to direct it deeper inward.
5. Before reaching about 2 cm to the end of the sheet, you must stop. Remove the groove and cut out the petal next to it. First, 3-5 petals are placed on one sheet.
The world of modern cooking is full of innovation. In the era of the availability of various cuisines of the world, it becomes quite difficult to surprise sophisticated gourmets. But what if, in addition to the taste of food, one could be struck by an amazing appearance?! You can surprise, create edible masterpieces, give unimaginable shapes to the usual forms of products with the help of carving from vegetables and fruits.
History of carving
It's no secret that everything ingenious is simple. This is how you can characterize the amazing art of carving, which arose many millennia ago in the expanses of the eastern lands of Asia.
Carving owes its appearance to attempts to somehow diversify the meager diet, which has always been in short supply among the poor inhabitants of East Asia. However, in contrast, they had an abundance of intelligence and ingenuity, which allowed carving to be born into the world. There is one legend, according to which once a rich gentleman came to visit a poor family. He demanded to set the table, but the hostess had nothing but a few fruits and vegetables in stock. Fearing the wrath of the master, the hostess decided to deceive him. She created strange birds and animals from fruits and vegetables, which so impressed the rich gentleman that he did not dare to try these creations - they were so beautiful. Since then, all the inhabitants of the country, as well as those nearby, began to decorate their tables, creating incredible compositions from simple products.
Modern fruit and vegetable carving is still one of the most interesting arts in Asian countries. However, it is worth noting that his techniques have made significant progress. If earlier there was not even a good knife in service, today the field of possibilities is expanding, thanks to modern tools. However, many masters adhere to the classics - they try to follow ancient methods, avoiding newfangled devices.
Is it possible to carve at home?
The answer to this question is of course yes! Not only possible, but absolutely necessary! This art will allow you to incredibly diversify your long-familiar home-cooked food. It is generally accepted in the world that carving is a lot of creativity, and has no special relation to the world of food, as such. However, we dare to resist such speculation. Thanks to carving, food can be not only tasty and healthy, but also beautiful. An example is the classic dish - mashed potatoes with meatballs. Speaking about the composition, it is quite difficult to give a twist to this dish. The lack of the possibility of creating forms, as well as the consistency unsuitable for design, keep the dish within certain limits. However, the decoration with vegetables, which acquire their new forms in the carving technique, can add brightness and novelty to it. Having learned all the subtleties of art, you will be surprised by all the facets that will open before you.
Modern types of carving
Nowadays, actual carving from vegetables and fruits is usually divided into several areas. These include:
- Chinese
- Japanese
- Thai
- European
1) Chinese carving is an amazing world where food is transformed using stencils. Although it is also customary in Chinese carving to create compositions with a knife, a stencil takes the place of the classics.
The difference in this direction is the choice in favor of vegetables. The only exceptions are watermelon and melon. The explanation is very logical - the art of stencil carving requires a larger area than other subspecies. In addition, the creation of stencil carving implies maximum surface rigidity, which most fruits cannot boast of.
2) Japanese carving from vegetables and fruits - a real immersion in history. Having absorbed the best traditions of their brother (China and its carving techniques), the Japanese decided to bring a peculiarity. She became the traditional carving of hieroglyphs, as well as the creation of complex paintings, which are based on martial arts. Apple and watermelon became classic objects for Japanese technology.
3) European type of carving- a combination of the traditions of the East with the classics of the North. This species stands out in a special direction, since Europe, unlike Asian countries, is much richer in terms of products. European-style techniques are concise and focus on geometry. The flight of oriental fantasy in this genre is not so pronounced. The emphasis is on ease of use.
4) Thai carving of vegetables and fruits- the quintessence of this art. It is the Thai version that has gained wide popularity around the world. The reasons for this phenomenon are simple - Thais create the most complex compositions. In their work, they strive for perfection, because for them carving from vegetables and fruits is not just an art, but a real lifestyle.
It should be noted that most of the famous schools and even carving academies focus their attention on the Thai version.
There are several reasons for this:
- in the Thai version, there are many techniques that are available to beginners;
- there are no restrictions on art - the creator can turn off fantasy control and create their own masterpieces;
- combinatoriality, which is expressed in the possibility of combining various techniques;
- no need to purchase a wide range of equipment for creating compositions.
Based on this, as part of our lesson, it would be wise to focus on the Thai method.
Tools for creating masterpieces
Now it is necessary to highlight in more detail the basic tools that you will need to comprehend the art of carving. Among them there are a huge number of variations, but the main ones are:
Additional items you may need as you refine your practice include:
However, this list is far from complete. The popularity of carving has led to constant developments in the field, often resulting in new tools.
The basis of skill, or the secrets of professionals
In order to make your first experience as productive as possible, you should pay attention to the achievements of eminent carving masters.
The main postulates that will allow you to successfully begin to improve in your chosen area include the following points:
The main thing in carving is practice. Over time, you will be able to learn how to correctly calculate the force of pressing the knife, as well as the angle of its direction.
Additionally, the masters note that fantasy plays a huge role in carving. Even if something didn’t work out for you, look at your creation from a different angle - perhaps your small flaw or small mistake allowed a new technique to be born.
From theory to practice: carving for beginners
Now that the basics of this art have become clear to you, it's time to put the acquired knowledge into practice. In order to achieve the best result, you should gradually increase the complexity of the work. Through such a gradation, you will have skills, thanks to which in the future any element will be available for you to manufacture.
First of all, we choose the object of creation. Experts advise starting with the following applicants:
- cucumber;
- carrot;
- Apple
They have earned such trust due to their qualities - a dense consistency allows you to get the necessary skill with minimal loss of quality.
So, let's see what masterpieces a beginner in carving can make.
1. Cucumber flower
It is necessary to take one dense long cucumber. We cut the middle into halves (2-3 pieces are needed), and we will use the edge with the “tail” to give the composition color and create a flower.
In the flower part we make six cuts, not reaching two cm to the tail (use a long knife).
We cut the resulting blank along the edges to get the outlines of the petals, as in the photo (use a Thai knife).
We remove the core of the cucumber (if there is no special knife, you can carefully make it with a spoon). Next, we make cloves with a Thai knife.
Now, with a Thai knife, carefully separate the skin from the pulp. Finally, make small triangular windows at the base.
Place the blank in ice water - so you can straighten the future petals.
From the pulp of the cucumber, make a round core, which must be decorated with an ornament and placed inside the flower.
We cut the cucumber, not reaching the base, as shown in the photo (7 layers each).
We divide the plates into 7 pcs.
We make bends of each even plate (in one direction);
We collect everything together and enjoy the creation of our own hands!
2. Carrot cloves
It is necessary to cut the carrots according to the proportions shown in the photo.
On the long part, using a Thai knife, it is necessary to cut the grooves. Their number can be unlimited, but you should not grind too much.
Next, we cut the resulting part with grooves in such a way that we get thin flowers.
The remaining part needs to be corrected - cut its edges so that it takes a conical shape.
On the wide side, using a Thai knife, you need to create a semblance of a grid.
Create, by shallow longitudinal cuts, pockets for the finished petals.
Place the petal blanks in the cut pockets.
The carnation is ready.
For beauty, you can decorate the core with dried cloves or something else.
3. Apple flower
Arm yourself with a hard apple and a Thai knife.
Cut off 1/4 from the side where the apple has a tail.
Carefully, without reaching the end, separate the peel with a thin layer of pulp from the core. It is also necessary to make 13 cuts - they will serve as blanks for the petals.
Using the marks, make triangular cuts to create petals on the apple.
Now you need to repeat 13 marks, and in the same way cut the petals from the apple pulp.
Important! The petals of the second level must be between the petals of the first level.
The procedure should be repeated with another row of pulp.
Next - create the last row of petals. Remove the bones from the middle and fill it with something of your choice. Something brighter would look good.
Thus, carving vegetables and fruits is an amazing activity. It keeps the traditions of the ancient East, at the same time combining them with new technologies. Allows you to turn food into works of art that give us not only food saturation, but also aesthetic pleasure.
Having tried your hand at carving, you can diversify homemade food, as well as surprise your family and guests with your extraordinary approach to creating dishes.
This article is for those who want to master the art of carving - creating beautiful carved decorations for dishes from vegetables and fruits. Of course, this will require practice and experience, but all masters started somewhere. In the article, we present for you photos and video materials that help beginners to master carving.
Don't expect incredible results right away. Knowing the techniques and basic techniques of carving, having basic knives for work, you will already be able to create small compositions. Therefore, it will be useful for beginners to theoretically savvy, learn more about this art, about tools, watch photo and video lessons. This will help you decide on your goals, with the possibilities: not everyone will have the patience and time for large complex compositions, and not everyone will be able to purchase all the large tools. So, let's look at the main techniques of this art.
die cuts
Die cuts are the elementary, simplest carving tool. The video shows you how to use them. Even a child will understand, right? By the way, you can involve your children in this exciting activity.
Spiral cutting tools
A more complex group of carving tools are devices for spiral cutting of vegetables and fruits. This is a serpentine cutter, a spiral and curlers. They are designed for cutting edible spirals and garlands. At the same time, working with them is as simple as possible, and the error is almost unreal.
Here you need to pay attention that each tool performs only one type of cutting. And you can evaluate the work of these items on the videos below.
Flutes
Flutes are narrow grooves that are made with special fluting knives. In the hands of a professional, this knife can do real wonders, while beginners who learn the basics of carving at home can start their practice with simple symmetrical cuts.
For example, in this way you can arrange the serving of a lemon for a cocktail. It is not only beautiful, but also practical: it is very convenient to take sourness from a dish.
A schematic flower can be created if the flutes are not cut to the end of the fruit.
Piller knives
This type of tool is used primarily for peeling. The blade of this knife, with fine, sharp teeth, is capable of cutting a very thin layer. If you make a very long strip with it, you can, for example, roll it into a rose and decorate the dish.
Calibration knife
Another simple carving tool for beginners. It has a wavy blade, so curly cutting is obtained very easily even from the hardest vegetables and fruits. More about this in the video tutorial.
Using a noisette knife
The video shows step by step how to use a noisette knife to cut small beautiful spheres from the fruit pulp. It is also used to extract the "insides" from the fruit.
Multitools
The most convenient option for beginners is probably simple tools that perform a number of tasks, and are quite inexpensive. For example, in this way you can work with a vegetable peeler.
Other materials
Soap carving is also widespread. It is much easier to work with than with vegetables and fruits, as it has the same density. It is good to hone skills on it, because it is also cheaper. By the way, the tools can be used the same as for vegetable carving, and woodcarving tools are also suitable.
A master class on how to carve a chamomile from a bar of soap.
Paper carving for beginners
Another type is paper carving. You can cut out both symmetrical drawings (remember, paper snowflakes were cut out in childhood?), And you can create whole pictures by making thin cutouts with a clerical knife.
Food has long ceased to be just a means to satisfy hunger, it has become an art, and carving is a confirmation of this. The history of carving is very interesting - for the first time the skill of figured cutting of vegetables and fruits originated two thousand years ago in Thailand. And if court cooks in ancient times carved flowers, animals and birds from fruits, then modern cooks turn a watermelon into an elegant carriage, and a ballerina is cut out of a zucchini. As they say, there is no limit to human capabilities! Carving can be learned at home, and you do not need to be a professional artist for this - it is enough to have a good set of carving tools and know some of the intricacies of this science.
Let's try to understand how to make carving at home - these skills will come in handy for serving a festive table if you want to surprise guests and loved ones. When you learn how to make flowers from vegetables and fruits, the dishes will look spectacular and festive, because the main goal of carving is to make our life more beautiful.
Fruit and vegetable carving tools
In stores you can see a lot of carving tools - knives, recesses and chisels, with the help of which experienced chefs cut flowers, petals, geometric shapes and other decorations.
The most popular device is a Thai knife, specially designed for cutting patterns on vegetables and fruits. It is especially suitable for working with hard vegetables - celery, pumpkin and zucchini. The engraving knife is suitable for cutting very complex patterns that the Thai cannot handle. Triangular carb knives come in different sizes and are designed to create leaves - such knives are called "dovetail". When working on an ornament with round cuts, an oval knife is used. A very good and useful tool is a sickle-shaped knife for working with pumpkin, melon, watermelon and other large fruits with a hard peel.
The reversible nuisette spoon with cups of different shapes is ideal for cutting hemispheres, balls and various figures from the pulp of fruits, as well as for creating round depressions, such as the core of a flower. Sometimes a noisette knife is used for this purpose. Spike knives with soft blades are designed for openwork patterns, which are considered aerobatics in the art of carving. Culinary chisels with wavy edges and a square section are popular in carving, which are specially created for creating Chinese patterns and fancy Japanese characters. Peeling knives and cannelling knives are very convenient - cutting strips and decorating decorative recesses and grooves.
A serpentine cutter allows you to peel in the form of spiral chips and works like a pencil sharpener, and a knife for Korean carrots neatly and beautifully cuts vegetables in the form of straws. Many housewives get curly carving cutouts that resemble metal cookie cutters - they are ideal for cutting fruits, and in the photo you can see what shape they come in.
For finishing touches when cutting vegetables and fruits, special carving scissors are used - they can bring the ornament to perfection. Peeling knives remove a very thin layer of peel, and if you cut a long strip, you can make a spectacular rose from it. A calibration knife is the easiest way to make curly cuts of vegetables and fruits, even if they are very hard, so it must be in the kitchen arsenal of every housewife.
You will also need a utility knife for cutting fruits, a vegetable peeler, a vegetable cutter, a spoon for peeling melons and pumpkins from seeds. The kitchen of a vegetable and fruit carving lover sometimes resembles a workshop with a variety of tools, many of which most people have never held in their hands. Periodically, tools need to be sharpened, since it is impossible to cut a beautiful pattern with blunt knives.
When choosing tools for vegetables and, especially when it comes to beginner carving masters, give preference to stainless steel equipment, since this metal does not rust or deform. It is important that the tools have an ergonomic handle so that you feel comfortable holding them in your hands - the quality of the work also depends on this. After work, the knives are wiped dry and stored in closed cases with soft upholstery.
Choosing fruits and vegetables for carving
The beauty and durability of fruit and vegetable compositions depend on the quality of the fruit, so choose only firm fruits without dents and with an intact skin. Peel vegetables and fruits immediately before cutting, and not in advance, because some fruits, such as carrots, become too brittle and unsuitable for carving when peeled. Cucumbers choose hard ones with small seeds and without pimples, tomatoes should be with a dense skin, not loose and not juicy.
Choose strong and fresh onions that haven't sprouted green arrows, and don't cut off the rhizome or the bulb will fall apart. Interestingly, it is easier to cut spiral decorations from slightly wilted carrots; in extreme cases, it can be soaked for two hours in a saline solution, for which 400 g of salt is dissolved in a liter of water. Radishes should be firm and round, but oversized radishes and daikon tend to be loose and porous. By the way, finished radish products are well stored for two days in cold water. Ideal gourds for carving - round, soft-skinned and hard-core, they love frequent spraying with cold water - this gourd looks fresher and brighter.
Peppers should be firm, Beijing lettuce should be firm, and the best melons should be thin-skinned and free of dents. Potatoes, smooth and without sprouts, are best kept warm for three days - this way it is easier to cut out shapes and spirals from it. The lemon should have a thick skin, and the beets should be soaked for 15 minutes in cold water before carving. After cutting out the decorations, it is recommended to spray the beetroot more often, as it dries quickly and loses its aesthetic appearance. Papaya is better to take slightly unripe, with a dark green skin, like a mango. At the same time, the mango is kept before carving at room temperature for three days, then its pulp is soaked in salt water for 15 minutes immediately before work, then the mango will not darken.
When choosing a watermelon, you should pay attention to the presence of a thin peel and small seeds, and pears and eggplants are soaked in a mixture of salt water and lemon juice before “cutting” so that they do not darken.
Finished products are immersed in cold water, which allows them to keep their freshness for a long time, and apples are sprinkled with lemon juice to preserve their color. The fruit and vegetable composition should also be sprayed every half hour with ice water.
Carving at home for beginners
For beginners who decide to start carving from fruits and vegetables, it is easier to start mastering this art with the simplest things - for example, making a chrysanthemum from Chinese cabbage. To do this, tear off loose leaves, remove a small part of the top and make cuts along the veins of the leaves with a carb knife with a triangular or oval section. Direct the knife from the top of the leaves to the base of the head, making cuts of different lengths, while the depth of the cuts should increase closer to the stalk. Next, remove the cut green leaves, not reaching the base of the cabbage by about 2 cm. Now do the same with all rows of cabbage leaves, reducing the length of the petals as you approach the middle. Put the resulting "chrysanthemum" in ice water so that it acquires a more elegant shape.
Carving at home for beginners can be quite successful if you try to make an original flower from a long, dense cucumber and carrots. To do this, cut a piece 7 cm long from the cucumber, remove the tail and divide the cucumber into 6 parts, making notches with a knife. Cut the petals about 2 cm short of the base, deepening the knife to the middle of the cucumber. Round the petals, decorate them around the edges with cloves and separate the skin from the pulp. Hold the cucumber flower in water and it will open spectacularly, and then cut the core out of the carrot - the green and orange colors are very suitable for each other! You can see the basic carving techniques from fruits and vegetables in the photo.
For a festive table, you can make a fruit basket from watermelon - an incredibly beautiful dish will delight everyone. To do this, divide the watermelon into two parts with a horizontal line, lightly running the tip of a knife over it. On the top of the proposed watermelon basket, draw the outlines of the future pen using a heavy paper template. Cut the handle with a sharp knife, remove the top quarters of the watermelon from both sides to the horizontal line and scoop out all the pulp from the “basket” with a spoon, leaving about 2 cm of pulp on the handle. Cut openwork patterns on the handle and make a spectacular rim. Fill the basket with fruits and serve!
Apple "swans" are quite suitable as an example of fruit carving for beginners, since they are made quite simply. Cut the apple into halves, put the slice on the table, cut a strip about 1 cm wide from the top and make cuts on both sides, not reaching the core. The more cuts you make, the more beautiful the bird will turn out. From the cut out middle strip, make the neck and head of a swan and insert it into the hole. Luxurious swans are ready to decorate any dessert on the festive table, just do not forget to sprinkle them with lemon juice so that the apple does not darken.
For beginners in carving, you can try to make a tangerine flower, and only then create more complex compositions from vegetables and fruits. For the flower, divide the tangerine into six parts with a knife, drawing lines with the tip of the knife, and then cut the peel along the lines, without touching the pulp of the fruit. Bend back the tangerine petals, but do not separate them from the base, and cut small holes in each petal with a knife. You will get six tiny petals, from which you will lay out a flower and decorate the top of the tangerine with it. Fasten the petals with a toothpick, putting a grape on it, which will become the core of an unusual orange flower.
Carving at home for beginners will turn you into a master, just give yourself time. Good tools, quality fruits, useful tips from experienced chefs - and after a while you will learn how to carve real works of art for the joy of your loved ones!
Figured cutting and carving of vegetables and fruits "Delicious flower fantasy".
Simple cutting of vegetables and fruits step by step with a photo
Gest Ksenia Aleksandrovna, teacher of physical education, School No. 53, Oktyabrsky settlement, Lyuberetsky district, Moscow region.Goal and tasks:
- development of creative abilities, imagination;
- to form an aesthetic taste;
- to cultivate accuracy in the performance of work, caution;
- learn to cut vegetables using the "carving" technique
Purpose:
This master class is intended for high school students, teachers, parents and creative people. This design of dishes is suitable for any holiday, banquet and, simply, to improve the perception of food and good mood.
For decoration we need:
Tomato, cucumber, lemon, orange, pear, apple, kiwi, onion, cutting board, 2 knives (large and small with teeth), 2 flat plates, towel.
Progress.
Carving(from English carving - "cutting out") - the art of artistic cutting on vegetables and fruits, as well as on wood, ice and stones.Tips for a beginner "carvinger" Not every fruit, vegetable is suitable for carving. So, for example, a radish should be large and bright, a carrot should be even and smooth, an orange should be very fresh. It is better to take apples with a smooth skin, cucumbers - even and with dark skin, pumpkins with a rough skin have a denser and easier-to-handle pulp. Decorations should be combined with the dish in color, as well as in taste. It is better to decorate meat dishes with cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, seafood - with lemons. Fruits will serve as an excellent decoration for a dessert, as well as an independent delicacy. When choosing food combinations, give preference to contrasting colors - the compositions will be more enchanting. Red, green, yellow are favorites. Fruits and vegetables for carving must be clean and dry. There must be a golden mean in everything. You should not over-decorate dishes - the measure is important in everything.
1) The first vegetable to start with is a tomato. Cut it in half and cut off the unnecessary part.
2) Then, with a sharp knife, thinly cut one of the halves of the tomato.
If it is small, then you can combine the two chopped halves into one. As in the photo.
3) After that, we “stretch” the tomato as thin as possible and begin to twist it into flowers.
4) To carefully transfer the finished flower to the dish, you need to clasp it with both hands, pressing it from all sides.
Ready! You can put a lettuce leaf on the bottom of the plate.
5) Our flower is missing something. You can add parsley or make cucumber bells. To do this, put the cucumber in the palm of your hand. With a sharp small knife, pointing it at ourselves, we cut the cucumber in the shape of a petal, plunging the knife blade to the middle. Then turning it, cut two more petals.
6) You should get a bell with three petals. To separate the flower from the cucumber, you need to turn it slightly and it will fall off by itself.
Then you can continue in the same order until the cucumber runs out.
In the middle of the bells, you can add strips of pepper or olives.
7) You can also cut thin strips of cucumber and, folding in half without breaking, complement our dish.
8) Gradually we move on to the bow. What can be done with onions? We can make a water lily out of it. To do this, the onion needs to be peeled, soaked in cold water so that we do not cry. Then you need to cut it evenly with cloves, plunging the knife only to the middle. Upon completion, it will easily break into two halves.
All parts of the onion must be removed and collected already forming a flower.
9) Our decoration for the dish is ready and you can add chopped vegetables or cold cuts.
If you want to treat guests with sandwiches, you can use the middle for a tomato flower.
10) Vegetable decoration is ready. Now you can start decorating the fruit plate. To do this, we need to cut half an orange as described above.
11) Do the same with the lemon.
By the way, a lemon flower goes very well with fish products.
12) Next, cut the kiwi, as in the photo. You can decorate a plate or arrange it in this form on fruits.
13) Now my favorite. Wings from apples and pears. We need fruit halves.
Visually divide the apple in half. I cut out a strip for you, for clarity. On one of the halves we find the middle and immerse the knife slightly deepening. To make it easier to imagine, we kind of cut off the peel. You need to get half a petal.
Then on the other side we do the same, but we cut exactly to the made corners. Care must be taken not to cut off the excess. Got a leaf.
Stepping back from the cut out 2-3mm, cut out the next leaf.
We cut until we reach our “border” of the apple.
Now we connect all the details and push them apart so that we get a wing.
14) Such wings look like petals, so they can be used in cooking when decorating any dishes. And so that the apple does not darken, it must be sprinkled with lemon or dipped in acidified water.
