is the traditional
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese art of decorative
garnishing. Examples of this include carving traditional images (flowers, cranes, turtles and dragons
) into skins of
fruit
In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering.
Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...
and
vegetables
Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, ...
, as well as carving vegetables (such as
daikon
Daikon or mooli, ''Radish, Raphanus sativus'' Variety (botany), var. ''longipinnatus,'' is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, root. Originally native to continental East Asia, daikon ...
,
carrot
The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, ''Daucus carota'', nat ...
,
eggplant
Eggplant ( US, Canada), aubergine ( UK, Ireland) or brinjal (Indian subcontinent, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa) is a plant species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. ''Solanum melongena'' is grown worldwide for its edible fruit.
Mos ...
) into attractive shapes such as
flowers
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
, twists, and
fan shapes. These are commonly served as a garnish on the same plate as the meal, or on a small side plate. Carving is done using a kitchen knife. Mukimono is different from
Thai fruit carving, which uses a sharp thin knife specifically designed for this purpose.
Cutting food in Mukimono style is a way to create a sense of the four seasons. The taste of the four seasons improves the appearance of the cuisine and plays a major role in improving the flavor.
See also
*
Vegetable carving
Vegetable carving is the art of carving vegetables to form beautiful objects, such as flowers or birds.
The origins of vegetable carving
The origins of vegetable carving are disputed: some believe it to have begun in Japan in ancient times, othe ...
*
Fruit carving
Fruit carving is the art of carving fruit, a very common technique in Europe and Asian countries, and particularly popular in Thailand, China and Japan. There are many fruits that can be used in this process; the most popular one that artists u ...
*
Night of the Radishes
References
{{Reflist
External links
Mukimono, the grandfather of the Fine Art of Thai Fruit and Vegetable Carving
Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine terms
Food and drink decorations