Section: TABLE SERVING, DISH DECORATION, ETIQUETTE
1st page of the chapter "CARVING"

CARVING
Artistic carving for vegetables and fruits
Part 1.
Introduction. From the history of carving.
Photos of products from Eastern and European carving masters
Tools for carving - photos, descriptions
Various tools and devices for decorating dishes - photos, descriptions

Carving - English carving or curving (from curve, which means to cut; lat. curve - curve) - “carved work”, “carved ornament”. Carving is the name given to carving wood, ice, stones, vegetables, as well as a style of skiing and snowboarding, and even a method of long-term chemical hair styling.

Carving in cooking is a figured cutting of vegetables and fruits, which is now widely used by chefs of a wide variety of restaurants.

Culinary carving at its core is a primitive form of art of sculpture or engraving on the surface of short-lived culinary products made from fruits and vegetables that decorate the table.

Note: In cooking, the fruiting body of a plant is called fruit, and the remaining edible parts of the plant are vegetables.

MODERN CARVING IS AN ESSENTIAL PART And

There are two possible creative approaches for the home cook:
- or come up with a suitable pattern for the existing fruit;
- or find the desired fruit for the selected pattern.

The simplest examples:
ORANGE PEEL often used as a salad bowl or ice cream cup.

Cutting PINEAPPLE along (or across), without touching the leaves, take out the pulp and put salad, ice cream or rice in its place; leaves should be left as decoration.

From PAPAYA“boats” are cut out for salads or fruits, for which the papaya is cut lengthwise and the pulp is removed.

From papaya convenient to cut and various shapes leaves and flowers, from pineapple slices cut out flat figures, and from MELONS you get elegant baskets for fruits or salads.

CARAMBOLA can be cut into stars.

SAPODILLA cut lengthwise in a zigzag pattern. Separate the halves and remove the grains. You will get two cups from halves of a beautiful fruit, which can be filled with grapes, currants, cherries or strawberries.

WITH MANGOSTINE remove the top half of the shell by cutting the fruit in the middle and serve it without removing the bottom half.

RAMBUTANS You can also serve it in the bottom half of the peel, removing only the top part.

Decorating dishes using carving can be very different. Your family will never tire of being amazed at the “magic” you have created, and your children will happily eat vegetables and fruits.

Decorating vegetables and fruits with curly carvings will make even an ordinary lunch festive. Make for your child a simple “chrysanthemum” from Chinese cabbage, and from carrots something like a fir cone or lily - and he will eat the dish with a joyful appetite.

There is always the opportunity to independently learn the basics of carving and decorating dishes with those simple tools, whatever is at hand - a knife and scissors.

And don’t let it bother you that you are not very skilled yet.

CARVING IS AN ART FOR EVERYONE IN THEIR KITCHEN

One of the most important conditions for success is the high “razor” sharpness of the tools. (For the disadvantages in this regard of carving kits made from cheap Asian stainless steel, see the end of this page.)

Now let's look at examples of short-lived creations for exhibitions of carving masters, and then move on to mastering a simple carving technique that can be easily applied in any home kitchen.

Traditional Thai carving decorations

We will learn step-by-step production of easy-to-decorate dishes and cute food figurines accessible even to children in the “CARVING” section.
And we recommend that home cooks familiarize themselves with the contents of the interesting section - recipes and step-by-step photos.

A set of tools for carving complete with curly die-cuts:

A small “Thai knife” with a narrow short blade is very convenient for carving.
This shape is easy to give to the blade of any suitable knife.
With just one knife with this blade shape and small scissors, you can create almost all the wonders of carving in your kitchen.

Cutting tools used in carving
To effectively use such a set, you must have many professional skills, constantly reinforced by daily practice.

Small thai knife- the most important tool for carving.
Essential for making the most complex patterns on small vegetables and fruits.

Short sickle knife .
Used like a Thai knife, but for making larger parts.

Long knife for a wide variety of jobs.

Carving knives different sizes of triangular section.
They make it easy and simple to cut out leaves and make engraving images on the peels of fruits.

Oval knives different sizes.
Used to make leaves and ornaments with rounded cuts.

Double-sided noisette spoon with sharp edges.
For cutting balls and hemispheres of different sizes from fruits.
It is also used for removing pulp during the initial processing of fruits, especially large ones. For example, when making vases from watermelons and melons.
The noisette spoon is widely used in French cuisine for cutting balls from raw potatoes before their subsequent ones, as well as balls from the most different products for decorating dishes.

Small scissors needed to give complexity decorative form edges of thin flat cuts.

When buying a set of instruments for carving, you must take into account that even a Stradivarius violin does not make its owner a great violinist, and Niccolo Paganini could play on one string.

Learning carving by simply watching the included DVD is also ineffective. Is it possible to learn, for example, to play the piano by watching DVDs?

To learn carving, you need to pick up a knife more often and act using your imagination.

In fine carving of soft vegetables, it is the “razor” sharpness of the tools that decides a lot. Less sharp tools crush more than they cut.

Commercially available carving kits are mostly made from cheap, poorly sharpened and quickly dull Asian stainless steel.

For home carving, knives made independently on a sharpener from hacksaw blades for metal are very good, but such knives should be briefly rinsed immediately after work. detergents and wipe thoroughly until dry.
You can use suitable surgical instruments (scalpels, etc.) made from special, well-sharpened medical steel.
In professional carving, tools from wood sculpture kits and linocuts made of good steel are convenient.

Keep in mind that, all other things being equal, a knife with a thinner blade will cut better.

Mandatory check when purchasing a set of carving tools:
well polished cutting tool, made of quality steel, smoothly cuts hand-held writing paper from the top edge to the end of the cut "like clockwork"- one even rectilinear movement down without effort (without moving “back and forth”, without “sawing”).
Therefore, when purchasing, do not forget to take a small piece of writing paper with you.
Be sure to pay attention to this and check the sharpness of the tools when purchasing a carving set! You will never be able to sharpen a tool better than with all your efforts at the manufacturer’s factory at home.
REMEMBER - the maximum sharpness achieved depends only on the quality of the steel.
Do not be fooled if the manufacturer is listed in Germany. It was her office that was registered in Germany, but again produced in the south eastern Asia, saving both on labor costs and on the quality of steel.
A real German manufacturer must indicate “Solingen” (in Russian “Solingen”) - then this is the famous Solingen solid steel, and you are very lucky. It is unsurpassed in its possible sharpness and will last forever. However, this mark may also turn out to be fake.

Children's carving crafts
- great family activity

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Carving is just part of it

1 - Large kitchen knife– designed for cutting large vegetables or fruits – pineapple, melon.
2 - Small kitchen knife– for cutting cucumbers or zucchini, root vegetables, fruits and tubers of various vegetables, for peeling large fruits, for cutting citrus fruits, icing.

3 - Office knife– for cleaning root vegetables and tubers, as well as oranges, for cutting out the core of sweet peppers, for decorative cuts on vegetables and fruits.
4 - Knife with wavy blade– for decorative (wavy) cutting of carrots, salad cucumbers, butter, cheese.

5 - Peeler with groove– for peeling or cutting thin strips of flesh from, for example, cucumbers, citrus fruits, radishes or carrots.
6 - Grapefruit knife– with its help you can cut the pulp from half a grapefruit or pineapple, and also separate the pulp from the skin, for example, from melon slices.
7 - Economical vegetable peeler ("housekeeper")– for peeling asparagus and celery, as well as stone fruits, potatoes, kiwi or avocados.

Shaped jigs and die-cuts
Using these devices, you can change the shape of different products, for example, cut out the core of fruits, balls of the same shape from their pulp, figures in the form of hearts, stars, and the like.
8 - Device for cutting out balls. Large balls or hemispheres can be cut out of melon, carrots, cucumbers, pumpkin, butter, and the device can also remove the core from small-fruited tomatoes.
9 - Device for cutting out small balls from carrots, cucumbers, melon or celery.
10 - Tool for cutting olive-shaped pieces will help you cut out oval shapes.
11 - Apple die cutter necessary for removing the core from a whole apple, as well as for making legs for potato mushrooms.

Round die cuts with smooth or wavy edges.
Small die cuts with smooth edges are useful for cutting out cores from pineapple slices, or centers from apple slices.
Large die cuts with smooth or wavy edges are needed for cutting the edges with skin from circles of large fruits such as apples or pineapples, for cutting out the pulp from orange or grapefruit circles, circles from bread or butter.

Small die-cut molds for preparing shaped baked goods. Also used for cutting out small figures from slices of root vegetables or tubers, sweet peppers, boiled egg whites, jelly, butter, marzipan or glaze.
These molds can also be used for cutting flat shapes from slices of cheese, sausage, etc.

Egg cutter– cuts the egg into round or oval slices. And also into cubes - when cut twice lengthwise and crosswise.
Egg cutter for dividing eggs into six radial parts.

Apple slicer Cuts the apple into equal slices while removing the core.

Pastry bag with replaceable curly tips– for decorating dishes and baked goods various fillers– cream, cream, butter, pastes.
Depending on the shape of the tip, a wide variety of decorations are obtained.
Round hole tip– to obtain even shapes,
star tip– for wavy shapes,
flat tip– forms flat stripes, for example to create roses.

Girol– for making small flowers from thinly sliced cheese.

A - Molding– for creating patterns in oil.
B - Oil cutting device– cuts butter figuratively, cutting out balls and rings.
C - Shaped vegetable cutter– for making spirals from vegetables.

Stacks(unit of “stack”) – various metal, plastic or wooden “cutters” for molding figures from marzipan, sugar mastic and other fairly dense masses.

1. Rights And lo- a metal ruler, preferably stainless steel. It is quite rigid, it will not bend and is perfect for smoothing the icing over the surface of the cake.
2. Turntable- Very important element equipment for glazing and decorating cakes. It's expensive, but will last you a lifetime. It can be purchased at kitchen supply stores or from professional pastry chefs. Smooth rotation of the turntable will help you decorate the round cake with royal icing.
3. Small nozzles for cornets- they are attached to pastry bags, and small ones - even to self-made paper cornets. Thanks to the attachments, you can decorate the cake with various patterns of cream, butter icing, and also place meringues on a baking sheet.
4. Acrylic rolling pin
5. Acrylic sticks- used as supports for a multi-tiered cake. Using acrylic, but preferably wooden sticks of various diameters, sugar leaves and petals can be shaped into real ones.
6. Large nozzles for cornets- they are attached to pastry bags. Thanks to the attachments, you can decorate the cake with various patterns of cream, butter icing, and also place meringues on a baking sheet.
7. Cornets made of greaseproof (waxed) paper
8. Support posts for multi-tiered cakes- various shapes: round, square and polyhedral. They are usually hollow inside so that acrylic sticks can be inserted into them to support multi-tiered cakes covered with sugar icing. White plastic pillars look great paired with royal icing on wedding cakes.
9. Decorative wire of different types and sections- professional confectioners use wire to attach sugar flowers to stems, as well as to tie them into bouquets.
10. Flower cutters
11. Decorative pistils and stamens- the most different colors and sizes, they are used in making sugar flowers.
12. Decorative ribbons
13. Acrylic cutting board- it is very good to roll out small pieces of fudge or marzipan on it - they do not stick to such a board (as well as to an acrylic rolling pin).
14. Brushes- thin art brushes find various applications: they are used to apply patterns and color decorations made from marzipan - flowers, fruits, etc.
15. Board for rolling out sugar fudge
16. Molds for cutting out figures- from biscuit and jelly, as well as from sugar fudge, marzipan, chocolate or zest. Some are shaped like letters or numbers. The smallest ones are used for cutting out flower petals from fondant sugar.
17. Scrapers are simple and with a raised edge- they are made of plastic or stainless steel and are used to smooth the icing along the side walls of the cake. Plastic scrapers are more flexible and easy to use. Necessary for applying all kinds of designs to a cake covered with icing.
18. Brush for cleaning attachments- necessary to avoid damaging the teeth of the attachments during cleaning.
19. Pastry bags, as well as syringes- usually sold in a set with attachments. Ideal for embossing simple decorations. Pastry bags are made from the most different materials. Soft and durable nylon ones are good for squeezing out cream, meringue and soft icing. For the same purposes, you can make cornets from greaseproof (waxed) paper. They are used with or without attachments.
20. Reel stand- you can make it yourself using cork plates and a nail, but it is better to buy it in a store or from a professional pastry chef. Indispensable for squeezing flowers.
Gauze (mesh fabric)- Cover the bowl with royal icing with it so that it does not become crusty. Since this glaze is white, the cheesecloth will not leave any colored marks on it.
Tweezers- necessary when performing the most delicate operations. It is better to purchase tweezers with rounded ends.

For those who do not tolerate monotony and dullness in the design of dishes, we suggest that you read this article.

First of all, everyone should realize that any art requires diligent practice. Only in this case can you expect positive results. Naturally, before starting practical actions, it is necessary to study theoretical foundations. Having received theoretical training in the form of photo and video materials, you need to acquire the necessary ones, after which you can safely begin the most interesting process.

Basic culinary carving techniques for dummies

The main thing that beginners need to understand and remember is that most of their success directly depends on the choice of quality tools. It’s worth starting with the simplest devices and the simplest crafts. Gradually, as you gain skill and dexterity, you will be able to move on to more. We invite you to watch several videos that will serve as an excellent theoretical lesson and source of inspiration.

Simple die cutting for carving

Perhaps, die-cuts are the most basic devices for carving. It will not be difficult for a beginner to make beautiful figures and patterns from vegetables and fruits using these devices.

Spiral cutting

Thanks to tools designed for spiral cutting, every carving master, regardless of the level of professionalism, will be able to create stunning edible garlands, spirals, and curls.

Thin shavings from a serpentine cutter

Using a serpentine cutter, which is more like a pencil sharpener, you can remove whole thin shavings from vegetables and fruits, from which you can make original ones. Even a child can handle this tool.

Channeling

What does channeled mean? In other words, it is covered with flutes, and flutes are called peculiar cuts and grooves on the surface of a product (cucumber, carrot, lemon). Using the channeling technique, you can invent original jewelry in the form of flowers for dishes.

Curly gauge cutting

A special sizing knife is used here, which gives vegetables and fruits a shaped cut. Suitable for cutting even the hardest vegetables.

Hemispheres with noisettes

Noisettes will help you cut out even balls and hemispheres from any vegetables and fruits. By using of this instrument the pulp of the fruit can be easily extracted.

Breathe life into boring and monotonous food decoration! Give a holiday to yourself and your loved ones!

15-10-2014, 21:29

To make a chrysanthemum you will need a bulb small size. At your discretion, you can use a white or red onion. A flower from a small bulb turns out more beautiful. The thickness of the onion walls also affects the quality of the flower. Petals from a thin-walled bulb are more elegant.

25-12-2014, 21:27

The success of the work depends on correctly selected vegetables. Vegetables should be the freshest, most natural, correct form, without unevenness or damage. We invite you to get acquainted with tips for selecting vegetables for carving.

25-12-2014, 21:27

Before you start carving patterns on vegetables and fruits, remember that some of them lose their presentable appearance when exposed to air. To prevent this, try to remember a few simple rules.

25-12-2014, 21:27

We invite you to master carving in practice. Three ways are presented to your attention: how to cut a swan from apples. Let's start getting acquainted with useful material!

25-12-2014, 21:27

Since you already know how to make beautiful flowers from onions, let’s add another neat flower to your collection of practical creations that can be made from fresh tomato. Let's watch and practice!

25-12-2014, 21:27

Our tips will help you make your dishes more varied. Try making an adorable turtle and a funny eggplant penguin!

The word “carving” comes from the English carving, which means “cutting”. Carving is called different types carvings - for example, wood, stone or bone. The carving we are interested in uses as a material fresh vegetables and fruits. This art, combining cooking and sculpture, is also called culinary carving.

Thailand is considered the birthplace of carving as the art of curly cutting vegetables and fruits - it was there that this skill originated about two thousand years ago. There is a legend according to which for the first time the table for a royal meal was decorated with skillfully cut fruits. Today, carving is a frequent element of festive feasts: figured decorations from fruits and vegetables add festiveness and originality to dishes, at the same time being both a decoration and a treat. Experienced craftsmen create real sculptural masterpieces from ordinary watermelons, apples, cucumbers and pumpkins - but in order to master the basics of carving, art education not required. For their work, professionals use large sets of various knives and other devices, but for beginners to comprehend this art, a small set of convenient tools may be enough.

Photo: youtube.com/Fruity Freshy Juicy

What tools are needed?

Here is a set of basic carving tools that professional craftsmen use. The main working tool is the so-called Thai knife (a small knife with a sharp blade shaped like a sickle). Next to the left of it are carving knives, they are V-shaped, oval or round. A device similar to an ice cream scoop is a noisette. Plus - you use a regular small knife (in the photo it is below), scissors to cut leaves, for example, lettuce, and devices similar to vegetable peelers.

All these are special professional tools. If you become seriously interested in carving, you might want to purchase a set like this. For beginners, you can limit yourself to a small sharp knife, a scalpel, scissors and a device for peeling vegetables and fruits.

How to choose vegetables and fruits?

Photo: youtube.com/Mutita EdibleArt

You should carefully choose vegetables and fruits for carving, because the result of your work and how long this work will look beautiful and fresh will depend on their quality (the latter is important for a feast lasting several hours).

Choose firm, ripe fruits and vegetables of the correct shape;

The peel should not be damaged;

Peel vegetables and fruits, if necessary, immediately before work;

Before working, soak some vegetables (beets, carrots) well for 15 minutes in cold water;

To prevent peeled and sliced apples, pears and eggplants from browning, spray them lemon juice or before work, soak for 15 minutes in water with salt and lemon juice;

Ready-made figures of vegetables and fruits can be stored in cold water before serving;

It’s good to sprinkle the figurines on the table with ice water from time to time, this will keep them longer.

Master classes: video

Cucumber lilies: master class

Carrot or cucumber bell: master class

Orange flower: master class

Cucumber rose: master class

Carved apple: master class

Zucchini and tomato flower: master class

The world of modern cooking is full of innovation. In the era of accessibility various cuisines world, it is becoming quite difficult to surprise sophisticated gourmets. But what if, in addition to the taste of food, you could be amazed by the amazing appearance?! You can surprise, create edible masterpieces, and give unimaginable shapes to the usual forms of products with the help of carving vegetables and fruits.

History of carving

It's no secret that everything ingenious is simple. This is how one can characterize the amazing art of carving, which arose many thousands of years ago in the vastness 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 residents of East Asia. However, in contrast, they had an abundance of intelligence and ingenuity, which allowed carving to be born. There is one legend according to which one day a rich gentleman came to visit a poor family. He demanded to set the table, but the hostess had nothing in stock except a few fruits and vegetables. Fearing the master's anger, the hostess decided to deceive him. She created strange birds and animals from fruits and vegetables, which amazed the rich gentleman so much that he did not dare try these creations - they were so beautiful. Since then, all residents of the country, as well as nearby ones, began to decorate their tables, creating incredible compositions from simple products.
Modern carving of vegetables and fruits is still one of the most interesting arts in Asian countries. However, it is worth noting that his techniques have made significant progress. If previously it was not even in service good knife, then 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 do carving 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 matter 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 would be the classic dish - mashed potatoes with cutlets. Speaking of composition, it’s quite difficult to add flavor to this dish. The inability to create shapes, as well as the consistency unsuitable for design, keep the dish within certain limits. However, it can be added brightness and novelty by decorating it with vegetables, which take on their new forms using the carving technique. 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, the current carving of vegetables and fruits is usually divided into several directions. These include:

Chinese
Japanese
Thai
European

1) Chinese carving represents amazing world, where food is transformed using stencils. Although in Chinese carving it is also customary to create compositions using a knife, the stencil still takes the place of the classics.
The difference between 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 large area than other subspecies. In addition, creating stencil carving involves maximum rigidity surface that most fruits cannot boast.

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 introduce a feature. She began the traditional carving of hieroglyphs, as well as the creation of complex paintings based on martial art. The apple and watermelon have become classic objects for Japanese technology.

3) European type carving– a combination of the traditions of the East with the classics of the North. This type stands out in a special direction, since Europe, unlike Asian countries, is much richer in terms of products. European style techniques are distinguished by their brevity and focus on geometry. The flight of oriental fantasy in this genre is not so pronounced. The emphasis is on ease of further 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 - the Thais create the most complex compositions. In their work they strive for perfection, since for them carving vegetables and fruits is not just an art, but a real lifestyle.
It should be noted that most 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 the control of fantasy and create his own masterpieces;
combinatoriality, which is expressed in the possibility of combining different techniques;
no need to purchase a wide range of equipment to create compositions.

Based on this, for the purposes of our lesson, it would be wise to focus on the Thai method.

Tools for creating masterpieces

Now it is necessary to cover in more detail the basic tools that you will need to master the art of carving. There are a huge number of variations among them, but the main ones are:

TO additional elements, which you may need in the process of improving 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 mastery, or the secrets of professionals

In order to make your first experience as productive as possible, it is worth paying attention to the developments of famous carving masters.
The main postulates that will allow you to successfully begin to improve in your chosen field 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 pressure on the knife, as well as the angle of its direction.
Additionally, masters note that imagination 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 the birth of a new technique.

From theory to practice: carving for beginners

Now that the basics of this art have become clear to you, it’s time to try out the acquired knowledge in practice. In order to achieve best result, the complexity of the work should be gradually increased. Through such gradation, you will develop skills that will make any element available to you for production in the future.
First of all, we choose the object of creation. Experts advise starting with the following candidates:

cucumber;
carrot;
apple

They have earned such trust due to their qualities - their dense consistency allows you to obtain the necessary skill with minimal loss of quality.
So, let's see what masterpieces a beginner in the carving theme can make.

1. Cucumber flower

You need to take one thick, long cucumber. We cut the middle into halves (you need 2-3 pieces), and we will use the edge with the “tail” to add color to the composition and create a flower.

We make six cuts in the flower part, not reaching two cm to the tail (use a long knife).

We cut the resulting blank along the edges to create the outlines of the petals, as in the photo (use a Thai knife).

Remove the core of the cucumber (if you don’t have a special knife, you can carefully do it with a spoon). Next, we make the cloves with a Thai knife.

Now use a Thai knife to carefully separate the skin from the pulp. To top it off, make small triangular windows at the base.

Place the workpiece in ice water- this way you will be able to straighten the future petals.

Make a round core from the cucumber pulp, which must be decorated with an ornament and placed inside the flower.

We cut the cucumber without reaching the base, as shown in the photo (7 layers each).

We divide the plates into 7 pieces.

We make bends of each even plate (in one direction);

Let's put everything together and enjoy the creation of our 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, you need to cut grooves. Their number can be unlimited, but you shouldn’t make them too small.

Next, cut the resulting part with grooves so that you get thin flowers.

The remaining part needs to be corrected - cut its edges so that it takes a cone-shaped shape.

On the wide side, using a Thai knife, you need to create a kind of mesh.

Create pockets for the finished petals using shallow longitudinal cuts.

Place the petal blanks in the cut pockets.

The cloves are 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 1/4 off the side where the apple has its 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, creating petals on the apple.

Now you need to repeat 13 marks and cut the petals from the apple pulp in the same way.
Important! The petals of the second level should 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. You should remove the seeds 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 preserves the traditions of the ancient East, while simultaneously combining them with new technologies. Allows you to turn food into works of art that give us not only satiation with food, but also aesthetic pleasure.

By trying your hand at carving, you will be able to diversify your homemade food, as well as surprise your family and guests with your extraordinary approach to creating dishes.

Food has long ceased to be just a means to satisfy hunger, it has turned into art, and carving is proof of this. The history of carving is very interesting - the skill of curly cutting vegetables and fruits first originated two thousand years ago in Thailand. And if court chefs in ancient times carved flowers, animals and birds from fruits, modern cooks turn a watermelon into an elegant carriage, and a ballerina is carved out of a zucchini. As they say, there is no limit to human capabilities! Carving can be learned at home, and you don’t need to be a professional artist to do this - it’s 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 be useful for setting a festive table if you want to surprise guests and loved ones. When you learn how to make flowers from vegetables and fruits, your dishes will look impressive and festive, because the main goal of carving is to make our lives more beautiful.

Tools for carving vegetables and fruits

In stores you can see a lot of carving tools - knives, gouges and chisels, with the help of which experienced chefs cut out flowers, petals, geometric figures and other decorations.

The most popular device is a Thai knife, specially designed for cutting patterns on vegetables and fruits. It is especially convenient for working with hard vegetables - celery, pumpkin and zucchini. An engraving knife is suitable for cutting out very complex patterns that a Thai knife cannot handle. Carving knives with a triangular cross-section have 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. Very good and useful tool- a sickle-shaped knife for working with pumpkin, melon, watermelon and other large fruits with a hard peel.

Double-sided noisette spoon with cups different shapes Ideally suited for cutting hemispheres, balls and various figures from fruit pulp, as well as for creating round depressions, such as the core of a flower. Sometimes a noisette knife is used for these purposes. Peak knives with soft blades are designed for openwork patterns, which are considered the highest aerobatics in the art of carving. Culinary chisels with wavy edges and a square cross-section, which are specially designed for creating Chinese patterns and fancy Japanese characters, are popular in carving. Knives for zesting and knives for channeling are very convenient - cutting out strips and creating decorative recesses and grooves.

The serpentine cutter allows you to remove the peel in the form of spiral-shaped chips and works on the principle of a pencil sharpener, and the knife Korean carrots neatly and beautifully cuts vegetables into strips. Many housewives purchase shaped carving cutters that resemble metal cookie cutters - they are ideal for cutting out fruit, 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 out of it. A calibrating knife is the easiest way to make shaped cuts of vegetables and fruits, even if they are very hard, so it should definitely be in the kitchen arsenal of every housewife.

You will also need a utility knife for cutting fruit, a vegetable peeler, a vegetable slicer, and a spoon for removing seeds from melon and pumpkin. The kitchen of a lover of carving vegetables and fruits sometimes resembles a workshop with a variety of devices, many of which most people have never held in their hands. Tools need to be sharpened periodically, since it is impossible to cut a beautiful pattern with dull knives.

When choosing tools for vegetables and, especially when it comes to novice 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 use, 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 hard fruits without dents and with intact skin. Peel vegetables and fruits just before cutting, rather than beforehand, because some fruits, such as carrots, become too brittle when peeled and unsuitable for carving. Choose hard cucumbers with small seeds and without pimples; tomatoes should have thick skin, not loose or juicy.

Choose strong, fresh onions that have not sprouted green shoots, and do not cut off the rhizome, otherwise the bulb will fall apart. Interestingly, it is easier to cut spiral-shaped decorations out of slightly wilted carrots; in extreme cases, they 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 spongy. By the way, finished goods Radishes can be stored well for two days in cold water. Ideal pumpkins for carving are round, have a soft skin and a hard core and enjoy frequent spraying. cold water- this makes pumpkin products look fresher and brighter.

Peppers should be firm, Beijing lettuce should be firm, and the best melons should have thin skin and no dents. It is better to keep potatoes, smooth and without sprouts, in a warm place for three days - this makes it easier to cut out shapes and spirals from them. The lemon should have a thick skin, and the beets should be soaked for 15 minutes in cold water before carving. After cutting out decorations, it is recommended to spray beets more often, as they dry quickly and lose their aesthetic appearance. It is better to take papaya that is slightly unripe, with a dark green skin, just like mango. In this case, the mango is kept at room temperature for three days before carving, then its pulp is soaked in salt water for 15 minutes immediately before carving, then the mango will not darken.

When choosing a watermelon, you should pay attention to the presence of thin rind 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 you to preserve their freshness for a long time, and the apples are sprinkled with lemon juice to preserve color. The fruit and vegetable composition should also be sprayed with ice water every half hour.

Carving at home for beginners

For beginners who decide to start carving 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 the loose leaves, remove a small part of the top and make cuts along the veins of the leaves with a carving knife with a triangular or oval cross-section. Guide the knife from the top of the leaves to the base of the head, making cuts 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 the rows of cabbage leaves, reducing the length of the petals as you approach the middle. Place the resulting “chrysanthemum” in ice water so that it takes on 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 carrot. To do this, cut a 7 cm long piece from the cucumber, remove the tail and divide the cucumber into 6 parts, making cuts with a knife. Cut out the petals, not reaching the base by about 2 cm, deepening the knife to the middle of the cucumber. Round the petals, decorate them with cloves along the edges and separate the skin from the pulp. Hold a cucumber flower in water and it will open spectacularly, and then cut out the green and green core from the carrot. orange They suit each other very well! You can see the basic techniques for carving fruits and vegetables in the photo.

For the holiday table you can make a fruit basket from watermelon - incredible beautiful dish everyone will be delighted. To do this, divide the watermelon into two parts with a horizontal line, lightly running the tip of a knife along it. On the top of the proposed watermelon basket, draw the outline of the future handle using a template made of thick paper. Using a sharp knife, cut out the handle, remove the top quarters of the watermelon from both sides to a horizontal line and scoop out all the pulp from the “basket” with a spoon, leaving about 2 cm of pulp on the handle. Cut out openwork patterns on the handle and make a spectacular rim. Fill the basket with fruit and serve!

Apple “swans” are quite suitable as an example of fruit carving for beginners, since they are quite simple to make. Cut the apple into halves, place the cut side on the table, cut a strip about 1 cm wide on 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 at festive table, just don’t forget to sprinkle them with lemon juice to prevent the apple from darkening.

For those new to carving, you can try making 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 the tangerine petals, but do not separate them from the base, and use a knife to cut out each petal. small holes. You will end up with six tiny petals, from which you will have to lay out a flower and decorate the top of the tangerine with it. Secure the petals with a toothpick and place a grape on it, which will become the core of an unusual orange flower.

Home carving for beginners will turn you into a master, just give yourself time. Nice tools, quality fruits, useful tips from experienced chefs - and after a while you will learn how to carve real works of art to the delight of your loved ones!