Soup, soup, beautiful soup
by Dame Eleanor Hull
What foods—that is, dishes, prepared food, not raw ingredients—are particularly beautiful or appealing to look at? I want to pack an especially gorgeous (and tasty) lunch, such as will inspire envy in onlookers.
Would sushi count? because it looks beautiful!
I had an incredible salad at a friend’s house yesterday: dark green (kale?), purple cabbage (shredded finely), dried cranberries, pieces of apple, raisins, sunflower seeds, and probably more. It was colorful and beautiful as well as very tasty!
(This topic reminds me of “Bread and Jam for Frances” and the enticing hard-cooked egg.) I love leafy salads with lots of colorful ingredients, but I never seem to have all the right things on hand (fresh edamame? red bell pepper in winter??). How about a couscous salad with black olives, red onion, parsley, chick peas, and lemony vinaigrette? OH! or a British pasty! (well, that might require travel)…
Chirashi sushi. http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-chirashi-sushi
I agree that sushi is beautiful; the trouble is, I don’t like it. Maybe I’ll do a sort of British tea, with tiny sandwiches and pastries, and fruit salad. This is my way of coping with a lunchtime meeting (grrr) at which the food provided will not be anything I can eat (grrrrr): make sure I have something really special.
Fruit salad is always yummy! Especially with an emphasis on strawberries
Brown rice with grilled salmon in soy-ginger marinade. In a bento box.
Seriously, I am not good at packing lunches and really ought to be. I am thinking that if I make really upscale ones I will then really do it, and it will at least not cost more than running out for one o’ dem oyster po’-boys dey be sellin’ down at da corner.
http://www.smittenkitchen.com – gorgeous pics of food…I’m sure she has some lunch options tucked in there…
A well-made lentil soup, preferably with red lentils. A nice, smooth texture and beautiful color, possibly accented by a bit of green in the form of shredded cilantro or a little chile you threw in for kick.
And of course, the appearance is nothing in comparison to the aroma.
I am a horrible person because every time I see this post’s title, i think to myself, “the more you eat, the more you poop”
“…nothing quite like it for curing the croup” is what’s going round in my head in response to the title. Why??
Spinach salad with slices of pears and some lovely cheese … cream of carrot or blended butternut squash soup with some beautiful crisp croutons floating on the top … wild rice and cranberries with lots of fresh parsley, to make a salad or hot main dish thingy … roasted red pepper stuffed with something tasty, if you want to go all out … maybe a banh mi sandwich with lots of fresh cilantro? … pot pie, if you can navigate the reheating of it… I could suggest more but a lot of my favorites my officemates have nixed because it smells too strongly of garlic!
mmm, garlic…
How about pork and shrimp summer rolls? I ate them hot, but they would be equally good at room temperature:
http://freethoughtblogs.com/physioprof/2013/01/06/shrimp-and-pork-summer-roll/
Definitely warm the food if you can – the lovely aromas really wind people up (I like to take a mug of warmed homemade soup and a roll into meetings when people are annoying me, the wistful looks on their faces are always cheering…)
Ha, you think like I do!
I was thinking aroma, too – I often bring a soup or lentils for lunch, and people walk in the break room and say “You always bring the best lunches!” They’re definitely reacting to smell more than sight, so if you’re going for the envy, go for smell.
One thing that does both well: red lentils with plain yogurt, spinach, and chopped tomatoes, seasoned to your liking with garam masala and turmeric.