Art Your Imagination

Tips on selecting fruits and vegetables for carving

Each kind of fruit and vegetable has its own unique characteristics, so keep these pointers in mind when choosing fruits and vegetables to carve.

Onions and shallots should be fresh and without wrinkles. Choose either mediumsized or small bulbs that are all of uniform size.

Carrots should be straight and of medium or large-size.

Radishes should be fresh, firm, and round. Use medium-sized radishes, all of uniform size.

Chinese radishes should be straight and of medium-size with clear bright skins. The flesh of large Chinese radishes tends to be mealy.

Cucumbers should be green, straight, and of medium-size. The type called for in this book is the larger type (Tang Ran). If the smaller type (Tang Kwa) is used, those with green skins have firmer flesh and are better for carving than those with greenish white skins.

Tomatoes should be of uniform size. Plum tomatoes, with elongated fruits, are firmer than round varieties. Choose fresh ones with no wrinkles.

Pumpkins should have thick, firm flesh.Such pumpkins have a rough exterior.

Spur chillies should be fresh and have firm skins. Generally small ones are used, because if large ones were cut and spread out to make a blossom, they would cover the entire plate. However, large spur chilies are used for making anthurium flowers.

Spring shallots and leek should be fresh and green with no yellowing on the leaves. Select thick, medium-sized plants.

Cabbage and Chinese cabbage should be fresh with firm, heavy heads. Use medium sized heads.