Make your sandwich tray a work of art.
When serving food, it is important to make it look as good as it tastes. Chefs will tell you that the eye eats first. People often make a decision about whether they like a food based on how it looks. While we adhere to this belief when it comes to elegant entrees, we often don't take the time to apply it to more casual or finger foods. Sandwiches arranged on platters using a combination of balance, color, shape and texture often result in a presentation that is both visually tempting and excites the taste buds.
Instructions
1. Use various shapes of cookie cutters and different bread types to add variety to the sandwich platter. A huge selection of shapes and sizes is available through supermarkets, kitchen stores and the Internet. Let the shapes follow a theme or have each shape represent a different type of filling, making it easier for the guests to identify the different sandwich types.
2. Surround the sandwiches with a variety of colorful vegetables and herbs. Cherry tomatoes, parsley, carrot sticks and other crudites add color to the platter and provide additional finger-food for the guests to snack on.
3. Make an attractive do-it-yourself sandwich tray by laying different types of bread, cheeses, meats and other sandwich fillings on a large, lazy susan serving tray. Place mixed fillings such as tuna or egg salad in small, colorful bowls in the center of the tray and work from the center out toward the edge. Think in terms of color, texture and balance when arranging the main sections, then separate the sections using colorful fresh herbs.
4. Create a theme-based platter for your gathering. For example, serve each guest a panini for an Italian-inspired gathering. Use platters in red, white and green, along with other decorations and serving items that complement and reflect the theme choice.
5. Set a beautiful English-inspired tea-sandwich platter. Place dainty cucumber, egg salad and smoked-salmon-and-cream-cheese sandwiches on China platters. Surround the tiny sandwiches with colorful, fragrant, edible flowers, such as the English daisy, gardenia, impatien, jasmine, lemon verbena, nasturtium and pansy.
Tags: sandwich tray, sandwiches with, tray work
