By: Joanna M. McDonald | January 16 2011
Posted in Rogue Valley - Cook It - Rogue Valley

Photo credit: istock/michaelblackburn

If you've found yourself staying in for dinner more, you're in good company: according to a recent Time Magazine poll, 56% of Americans said the same thing. So how can you make eating in a little less ordinary?

Thoughtful food presentation will elevate even the simplest of meals. This comes down to color, texture, and thinking ahead about what's going to look interesting on the plate, says Denise Marshall, of The Last Bite Cooking School in Eagle Point.

 

Start by buying fun new salad plates to mix in with everyday white dishes to make the table snappier, and try serving the salad first to lend the meal a restaurant formality.

• Add some inexpensive white or colored cloth napkins to make the meal feel like even more of a treat.
• Serve the salad course piled high in the middle of the plate for interest. Add some chopped pine nuts, walnuts or breadcrumbs for texture, and cherry tomatoes and orange or yellow bell peppers for color.
• Rather than serving the main course family style, prepare the plates in the kitchen and focus on that central piece of real estate.

"Don't feel like you have to put three things on the plate at ten o'clock, two o'clock and six o'clock. They can be more interesting if you pile them on top of each other," says Marshall.

Serving a sweet treat to finish the meal provides even more space to be creative. David Graham, the executive chef and co-owner of 38 Central in Medford, OR, suggests mixing pureed fresh fruit into whipped cream for unexpected color. Or try an interesting drizzle of chocolate syrup on the dish before plating the dessert.

Never underestimate the humble mint sprig, which can help turn any freezer-aisle dessert into a culinary masterpiece.

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