Sensual Cooking: Sight

Each post in the Sensual Cooking series will focus on one of the senses through which we experience our world.

Plating
In the food industry, a meal's visual appeal is one of the most important factors contributing to the initial success of an entree. Food presentation, also known as plating, refers to the appearance and arrangement of food based on color or shape. While some may discount the importance of plating, it has become an art form for many restaurants who often use visual advertisements to attract their customs. Following a few basic guidelines lines can transform any culinary endeavor into feast for the eyes.

A Recipe for Success
Since I promised recipes would accompany this blog series, it would be easy to demonstrate one meal that looks visually appealing, but you can't serve the same meal every night. Instead, I wanted to give the recipe to make every meal look appetizing. Like any artist, you need to start with the proper canvas. Neutral colors best bring out the color of your food, so white or beige dishes often provide the appropriate contrast for any meal. A garnishment whose color is  complementary will add depth to the look of a meal. The size of the dish is just as important as the color. Large dishes allow for adequate space to give each food its own stage. If you image your plate as a clock, starches are typically placed at eleven, veggies at two with meat or the main feature at six.

The Challenge
In order to demonstrate this principle, I decided to attempt the ultimate challenge: the happy meal. Here is a meal so disgusting that the only proper presentation is a decorated box. It cannot conform to the traditional rules of plating since it is almost all starch.

The Problem

Even the best plating cannot change the nutritional value of the food. At its best, plating a meal can enhance the value of an already flavorful meal, but it is often deceptive. Dyes, garnishes and sauces can give substandard food a false appearance of nourishment. No matter how well you plate a happy meal, it's still just a happy meal. The same is true in life. People who seem attractive can be ugly inside. Popular choices often have hidden consequences. If I could get more money, a prettier wife and a faster car I could really be happy. We see, but we lack vision.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish . . ." Proverbs 29:18a

Even those with the best intentions fall into this trap. Churches draw in congregants with clever names and slick campaigns that make them indistinguishable from the rest of the world. Money meant to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and shelter the poor is spent repackaging the Good News as a great idea. If we lose the message in the broadcast, what's the point?

Irony
The toy that came with that happy meal? Vanity Smurf.