The use of sculptures is multi-faceted. It is not only a plastic art that beautifies the banquet and sets off the atmosphere, but also shows its uniqueness when combined with the dishes. It can make an exquisite dish the icing on the cake and become a masterpiece of art. It can also achieve harmony and unity with some dishes in terms of meaning, which is pleasing to the eye and thought-provoking.
The use of carvings in dishes is selective. It determines the shape and use of carvings based on the content and specific requirements of the dishes.
When food carving is used in cold dishes, it is usually to combine some of the carved parts with the raw materials of the cold dishes to form a complete shape, such as "Peacock Spreading Its Tail". The peacock's head is carved, and its body is Other parts of the dish, such as feathers, are made with meat and vegetable ingredients such as cucumber, ham sausage, sauced beef tongue, shredded chicken, crane tungsten eggs, spicy cabbage, etc. Make the sculptures and the ingredients of the dishes integrated.
When food carving is used on hot dishes, you must consider the meaning, homophony, shape and other aspects of the dishes. For example, the hot dish of lotus fish maw is paired with a pair of mandarin duck carvings, which creates a festive and auspicious meaning of "mandarin ducks playing with lotus"; another example is eating bear paws with an eagle carving, which uses its homophonic pronunciation to become "ying (eagle)" "Xiong ③ Xun Fighting Spirit" suddenly became full of fun; from the perspective of the shape, a plate of fish in sauce is paired with a carving of a fisherman holding a fishing rod, which is called "fisher boy fishing", making the whole dish and the carving harmonious. Consistent results.
In terms of specific placement, cold dishes and carvings can be placed closer, while hot dishes and carvings should be farther away. For example, fresh cucumber slices, cauliflower, etc. should be used to surround the carvings. It not only increases the decorative effect, but also does not affect each other.
In short, the application of food carving is flexible and changeable. Whether it is to accompany dishes or beautify countertops, the modeling requirements are very strict, which requires our chefs to have both the style of a gourmet and the style of an artist. , making food carving truly an indispensable part of cooking technology. In order for the carved works to achieve the desired effect, the following requirements should be noted before carving:
(1) Understand the banquet format. There are various forms of banquets, which can be simply divided into "birthday banquets", "celebration banquets", "party banquets", "family banquets", "state banquets" in international exchanges, work banquets in trade exchanges and large-scale cocktail parties, etc. Etc.
(2) Understand the customs and habits of guests. With the deepening of reform and opening up, our country has more and more interactions with the international community, which requires us to know more about people in different countries and regions. Living habits, customs, religious beliefs, preferences, taboos, etc., so as to carve works that the guests like.
(3) In order to avoid the clutter of the carving works, Before carving, the theme should be determined first, and the structure, proportion (layout) and other issues of the work to be carved should be conceived to ensure that the theme is prominent. At the same time, the foil function of some additional works should be taken into consideration, such as the "Hundred Birds Facing the Wind" work. "Birds", "Peacock Peony"; "Peony flowers", etc. Don't make additional works far-fetched or patchwork together, so as not to add superfluous information and fail to achieve the finishing touch.
(4) Essence Selecting raw materials and applying techniques according to the materials. The selection of materials is crucial to the success or failure of the sculpture. When selecting materials, not only should you choose raw materials of high quality and beautiful color, but you should also consider the shape of the raw materials. Generally speaking, the quality of the raw materials If the shape is similar to the general shape of the work, the carving will be smoother. In addition, for some carving materials with strange shapes, the author should give full play to his imagination, broaden his horizons, and apply techniques according to the material, so as to make the best use of the materials and create novel and unique creations.
(5) Pay attention to hygienic requirements. Since food carving is very close to the dishes, and at the same time, it is the "first officer" before the banquet is served, so take good hygiene measures for food carving. It is particularly important, which requires us to first keep the raw materials clean and of good quality. Do not use deteriorated or rotten raw materials to ensure the quality of the banquet and the health of the guests. Sculpting can also be divided into: ice sculpture, foam sculpture and butter sculpture.