Cassell's dictionary of cookery

For hot entrees and hot dishes of every description the following garnishes will be found especially useful : — Fried croutons of bread cut into the shape of hearts or stars, and fried a golden-brown colour- button-mushrooms glazed, i.e., small buttonmushrooms that have had some bright glaze brushed over them ; pieces of white chicken or turkey placed alternately with pieces of red tongue, each piece being cut into some pattern with a cutter ; stamped pieces of vegetables, such as carrot, turnip, parsnip, artichoke, or even the root of a French artichoke ; fried parsley or fresh parsley ; whole truffles or truffles cut in slices or patterns; cocks'-combs, plovers' eggs, small crayfish, prawns, stoned olives ; occasionally, even, small slices of gherkins or the skin of a chilli. For instance, take the case of a filleted sole a la maitre d'hotel. Place the slices of rolled grilled sole on end in a silver dish, pour a thick white sauce over them, made by boiling the bones of the sole in a little mUk, thickening it with a little white PRINCIPLES GARNISHING. Ixi roux, and seasoning with a little salt and pepper. Pass this sauce through a tamis to render it smooth, and take care that it is nice and thick. Now place alternately on the top of each little I'oll of fish a small piece — say the size of the thumb-nail — of the brght-red skin of a chilli, and a slice of the bright outside of a green gherkin or the skin of a green chilli. What a wonderful alteration in the appearance of the dish ! Yet recollect the extra cost is next to nothing, and the whole cost of the dish less than a plain fried sole in egg and bread-crumbs with melted butter. It is in garnishing cold dishes, however, that the greatest effect in appearance is generally produced. For instance, a ham plain boiled, and one glazed and ornamented with a border of what looks like butter, what a contrast ! Yet this border can be easily made with a little practice. We will describe how to make a ham look nice, and will first suppose the ham boiled sufficiently, and allowed to get cold in the water in which it was boiled, in order that the jelly, that gives a ham such a delicious flavour, may get cold in the ham itself, instead of running out into the dish, as it would do had the ham been taken out of the liquor. Next we will suppose some nice bright glaze has been placed over the surface of the ham with a brush till it resembles in appearance a new mahogany dining-table. Next, how are we to make the bright trellis-work to go round the ham. First, take some plain white lard and melt it, and, if it be winter time, add to it a little plain salad oil, in order to make the mixture thinner when cold. Now take an ordinary sheet of common notepaper, and roll it into the shape of a cone ; take the point of the cone between the thumb and finger of the right hand, and pour some of the melted lard, or mixed lard and oil, into the cone, and so hold the point that the lard will run out in a thin stream at the end at will ; i.e., so hold it that you can regulate the thickness of the stream or stop it altogether. It is now evident that you can write or even draw with this cone, as with a soft pen, making at will thick strokes or fine strokes. Of course to do it well a person must first be a good writer or drawer, and then have a considerable amount of practice.