Garnish

A serving of Palatinate Saumagen garnished with fresh herbs and a few slices of vegetables and fruit

Garnishing ( English topping ) is primarily the decoration, but also the pleasant arrangement of food and drinks . The word garnish comes from the French garnir and means to equip or to furnish. The associated term “ garnish ” is sometimes narrowed down in the kitchen language and also determines the name of a dish in the classic kitchen, for example .

Especially in gastronomy , but also in private households , all types of food and drinks, especially cocktails , are often decorated with the various products. A wide range of special garnishing aids is available for this in the kitchen tools area.

In private households, garnishing small Christmas baked goods (e.g. gingerbread with almond pieces) and baked goods on family holidays (e.g. birthday cakes with candles and / or inscriptions) has a long tradition.

The trimmings or foods used are either part of the meal (e.g. parsley for parsley potatoes) or flavor-matched or neutral additives (e.g. cocoa powder on the whipped cream of an iced coffee ). The set also includes artificial products such as candles , umbrellas, drinking straws , etc.

For desserts and drinks, leaves of herbs that match the taste, such as mint or lemon balm , are often used. When garnishing desserts that are served on a flat plate, an "optical increase in volume" can be achieved with the sauce spread on the plate as a sauce layer .

In Asian cuisine, the dishes on the main course are often garnished with artfully carved pieces of vegetables and fruit. Firm vegetables such as B. Carrots . In the accessory trade there are now also cookie cutters with which this type of garnish can be produced in a simplified manner.