“Simple, attractive, beautiful, and visual food pics.” That’s how this 4-million-member food subreddit describes its content. The only correction I’d make is to add the word “addicting.” From pink cake pops that look like something Wes Anderson’s characters would eat to comically big mozzarella sticks just waiting to take a marinara bath, it’s impossible to stop scrolling!
My colleague Jonas wrote about this online community a few months ago. Drooling. And I read it. I was also drooling. But since it’s so big, you can only imagine how many more pics of delicious-looking dishes appeared there then. Enough for A&D to make a follow-up publication; I’ll tell you that.
Enrolling through this list on an empty stomach is quite the challenge. It might start howling out of jealousy. (H/T)
01. My Mom Made A Pineapple Tree Fruit Display
To learn more about the connection between aesthetics and eating, we contacted Helen Best-Shaw, the creator of Fuss Free Flavours, a comprehensive food blog centered around achievable and affordable meals for busy people on a budget who don’t want to compromise on flavor.
“Some of the greatest dishes are the simplest, but they use top-quality ingredients,” Best-Shaw told us. “I think that the more simple the dish is then, the better the ingredients need to be – think about a cheese board – if you get a couple of good cheeses which are perfectly ripe and serve with good bread and some interesting crackers, you have everything you need, but cheap cheese and crackers are just boring.”
Another thing that makes a difference to both taste and looks is texture. “[It’s] something that many people don’t think about. A great dish will often have a variety of textures, crunch and crisp you can both hear and feel, silky smooth sauces, unctuous fall apart cuts of meat.”
Best-Shaw said she also likes contrasting temperatures: “One of my favorite desserts is simple homemade ice cream, with a hot chocolate sauce poured over, just bliss!”
02. I Made Rainbow Cupcakes… I Couldn’t Be Happier With The Result!
03. My Girlfriend Made Cookies For Our Upcoming Camping Trip To Glacier National Park
The work you see in the pictures isn’t just for Instagram. “We eat with our eyes as much as our taste buds, and most people will enjoy a dish more if it looks appetizing,” the food writer explained.
“Just a little bit of effort in the presentation can make all the difference – all you need to do is serve it carefully, think about color (would carrots or broccoli look better with a main, for example), and add some garnish. I always have a bunch of fresh parsley in a jug in the fridge – it keeps for at least two weeks – and snip some up for garnish when I serve.”
“Pretty plates and tableware help,” Best-Shaw added. “Classic white plates work with almost everything – keep it simple.”
But if you want to see what happens when people try too hard, and the presentation gets out of hand, check out our publication on We Want Plates, a project founded by Ross McGinnes that calls a “global crusade against serving food on bits of wood and roof slates.”
04. My Boreal Strawberry Oreo Cheesecake Chocolate Bars
05. My Grandma Held My Hand Through My First Attempt At Baklava
06. Croissant I Did This Morning For The So
However, these “perfect” pictures shouldn’t discourage you from experimenting in the kitchen. “Firstly, it is meant to be fun, so enjoy your cooking,” Best-Shaw said.
The blogger suggests making it a habit for everyone who wants to take their skills to another level. “Cook daily, buy a good knife, read the recipe from start to finish before you cook, and check you have all the ingredients.”
“There is a reason that professional chefs focus on mise-en-place, or the setup before cooking. Get your equipment out and ingredients measured and prepared before you start to cook, especially if it is a new recipe or technique, so you can focus on the cooking.”
07. I’m 15, And I Just Cooked My First Batch Of French Fries. They Were Delicious
08. A Fall-Themed Charcuterie Board My Mom And I Made!
09. Assorted Bonbons I Made In Pastry School Last Week!
But with that being said, remember that cooking is not a race. “Don’t try and take too much on at once. I have tried to make three complicated dishes I’d never made for a dinner party, which was a disaster. Once I’d practiced each dish separately, I could easily pull the same menu off,” Best-Shaw shared her experience.
Lastly, make sure that you have enough time on your hands to go through a recipe with your undivided attention. “Many recipes underestimate the time it takes for the average home cook to prepare ingredients, ovens, and stovetops to heat up,” Best-Shaw said. “Unless you have made it before add 50% to the time taken.”
The chef highlighted that food is one of life’s great pleasures, and there are no rules. So whatever you do, enjoy preparing and eating it.
10. Made A Snickers Cake For My Father In Law’s 70th Birthday
11. I Make Sushi Once A Week; I Bought A Train this Week!
12. Chocolatine I Made
13. I Take Care Of My Elderly Father And Try To Make Him Good Meals. Tonight Was Shepherd’s Pie And Strawberries And Cream
14. I Made An Extra Pretty Apple Pie Because They’re In Season, And I Wanted To Try Out My New Pie Pan
15. My Experiments With Cake Pops, It Turned Out Very Cool
16. This Nutella Bread Thing Me And My Mum Made
17. I Drank Very Pretty Coffee
18. Choux Au Craquelin (Vanilla Bean Cream Puffs)
19. Here’s A Strawberry And Cherry Mixed Cake! What Do You think, Guys?
20. Spooky Croissant!
21. Chef Friend Invited Me For Dinner
22. My Night Sky Chocolates: Hazelnut, Salted Caramel & Hazelnut Brown Butter Ganache
23. My Korean School Lunch Of Crab Soup, Braised Chicken And Potatoes, And Various Banchan!
24. Late Night Ratatouille – Before Baking
25. Homemade Steak Fajitas
26. Went Camping. Found Berries. Made Pancakes
27. My Stepmom Makes Thai Sweets To Sell To Friends, And I Think They Look Stunning. (Thai Layered Jelly Dessert)
28. Girlfriend Made Mocha Chocolate Cake!
29. Birthday Breakfast For My Wife. Strawberry Cheese Cake French Toast
30. Cheese Pizza, Anyone?
31. A Charcuterie Board
32. Girlfriend Made Vanilla Cupcakes!
33. Hopefully, This Chicken Pot Pie Tastes As Good As It Looks!
34. This Naan Bread I Had In The UK
35. “Grilled” Cheese
36. The Best-Looking Lasagna I’ve Ever Made
37. Smoked Beef Short Ribs
38. Meet Bruce, Inspired By The Cake Bruce Bogtrotter Eats In Matilda
39. Bread Pudding With Caramel Shell (Made By My Sister)
40. Comically Oversized Mozzarella Stick With Tub Of Marinara
41. Pork Belly Burnt Ends
42. Homemade Chocolate Croissant
43. A Fruit, Cheese, Meat With Cookies On Top Platter- How Did I Do?
44. I Made “La Bombe,” The Gargantuan, Deadly Eclair From The Simpsons
45. A Blueberry Cheesecake I Made A Few Months Back. Big Hit With My Boyfriend
46. Sushi Lover
47. I Prepared Cake Pops; I’m Very Happy With The Result!
48. Vanilla/Chocolate Twist From A Local Shop!
49. Wagyu, Rice Cake, Quail Egg, Miso Soy
50. Carolina Reapers I Harvested Yesterday From One Plant
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