“Simple, attractive, and visual.” 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 oversized mozzarella sticks just waiting to take a marinara bath, it’s impossible to stop scrolling!
A few months ago, my colleague Jonas wrote a piece about this online community. Drooling. And I read it. Also drooling. But since it’s so big, you can only imagine how many more pics of delicious-looking dishes have appeared on it during that time. Enough for Bored Panda to make a follow-up publication, I’ll tell you that.
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Mind you, going through this list on an empty stomach is quite the challenge. It might start howling out of jealousy.
#1 My Mom Made A Pineapple Tree Fruit Display
Image credits: Tann1998
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 Bored Panda. “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 that she also likes a contrast of temperatures: “One of my favorite desserts is simple homemade ice cream, with a hot chocolate sauce poured over, just bliss!”
#2 I Made Rainbow Cupcakes… Couldn’t Be Happier With The Result!
Image credits: EngineeredGal
#3 Croissant I Did This Morning For The So
Image credits: input36
All of 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 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 2 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.”
#4 My Grandma Held My Hand Through My First Attempt At Baklava
Image credits: Chartreuse_17
#5 I’m 15 And I Just Cooked My First Batch Of French Fries And They Were Delicious
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Image credits: Renrost
#6 My Boreal Strawberry Oreo Cheesecake Chocolate Bars
Image credits: Ctrl_Alt_3lite
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.
For everyone who wants to take their skills to another level, the blogger suggests making it a habit. “Cook every day, buy a good knife, read the recipe from start to finish before you start to cook, and check you have all the ingredients.”
“There is a reason that professional chefs focus on mis en place, or the set up 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.”
#7 Chocolatine I Made
Image credits: input36
#8 My Girlfriend Made Cookies For Our Upcoming Camping Trip To Glacier National Park
Image credits: phillypharm
#9 I Make Sushi Once A Week, This Week I Bought A Train!
Image credits: yellowjacquet
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 before and it was a disaster. Once I’d practiced each dish separately, I can pull the same menu off with ease,” 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 stove tops to heat up,” Best-Shaw said. “Unless you have made it before, add an extra 50% on to the time taken.”
The chef highlighted that food is one of the great pleasures of life, and there are no rules. So whatever you do, just enjoy preparing and eating it.
#10 My Experiments With Cake Pops , It Turned Out Very Cool
Image credits: avogrampp
#11 Made An Extra Pretty Apple Pie Because They’re In Season And I Wanted To Try Out My New Pie Pan
Image credits: GlitteringInitiative
#12 A Fall Themed Charcuterie Board My Mom And I Made!
Image credits: arithrowaway1129
#13 I Take Care Of My Elderly Father And Try To Make Him Good Meals. Tonight Was Shepherd’s Pie And Strawberries And Cream
Image credits: Nickel6661
#14 Here’s A Strawberry And Cherry Mixed Cake! What You Think Guys?
Image credits: AstrumDee
#15 I Drank Very Pretty Coffee
Image credits: spintimes
#16 Made A Snickers Cake For My Father In Law’s 70th Birthday
Image credits: SugarHighBakedGoods
#17 Assorted Bonbons I Made In Pastry School Last Week!
Image credits: uniqueartist97
#18 This Nutella Bread Thing Me And My Mum Made
Image credits: Marshmallow267
#19 Choux Au Craquelin (Vanilla Bean Cream Puffs)
Image credits: stelcreates
#20 Spooky Croissant!
Image credits: input36
#21 My Korean School Lunch Of Crab Soup, Braised Chicken And Potatoes, And Various Banchan!
Image credits: darkrealm190
#22 Late Night Ratatouille – Before Baking
Image credits: ruthogre
#23 My Night Sky Chocolates: Hazelnut, Salted Caramel & Hazelnut Brown Butter Ganache
Image credits: Ctrl_Alt_3lite
#24 Went Camping. Found Berries. Made Pancakes
Image credits: Yashemski
#25 Chef Friend Invited Me For Dinner
Image credits: GooglyEyedMoose
#26 My Stepmum Makes Thai Sweets To Sell To Friends And I Think They Look Stunning. (Thai Layered Jelly Dessert)
Image credits: theheartlessnerd
#27 Smoked Beef Short Ribs
Image credits: cookinwithclint
#28 Girlfriend Made Mocha Chocolate Cake!
Image credits: Toxiqqq
#29 Homemade Steak Fajitas
Image credits: cookinwithclint
#30 Birthday Breakfast For My Wife. Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast
Image credits: steev7
#31 Cheese Pizza Anyone?
Image credits: chet_truster
#32 Girlfriend Made Vanilla Cupcakes!
Image credits: Toxiqqq
#33 A Charcuterie Board
Image credits: livinglifelarge
#34 This Naan Bread I Had In The UK
Image credits: 123hamed
#35 Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Image credits: cookinwithclint
#36 Meet Bruce, Inspired By The Cake Bruce Bogtrotter Eats In Matilda
Image credits: Glurt
#37 Hopefully This Chicken Pot Pie Tastes As Good As It Looks!
Image credits: Flat_Accountant6869
#38 I Prepared Cake Pops, I’m Very Happy With The Result!
Image credits: avogrampp
#39 Bread Pudding With Caramel Shell ( Made By My Sister )
Image credits: Sachin_Nanayakkara
#40 “Grilled”cheese
Image credits: Left_Chair_4907
#41 The Best Looking Lasagna I’ve Ever Made
Image credits: dev1359
#42 I Made “La Bombe”, The Gargantuan, Deadly Eclair From The Simpsons
Image credits: Fluffy_Munchkin
#43 Homemade Chocolate Croissant
Image credits: input36
#44 Carolina Reapers I Harvested Yesterday From One Plant
Image credits: DoctorStephenPoop
#45 Vanilla/Chocolate Twist From A Local Shop!
Image credits: Tunashavetoes
#46 Comically Oversized Mozzarella Stick With Tub Of Marinara
Image credits: cherylcanning
#47 A Blueberry Cheesecake I Made A Few Months Back. Big Hit With My Boyfriend
Image credits: sexianboo
#48 Wagyu, Rice Cake, Quail Egg, Miso Soy
Image credits: tigerinhouston
#49 A Fruit, Cheese, Meat With Cookies On Top Platter- How Did I Do?
Image credits: United-Management958
#50 Sushi Lover
Image credits: liona-01
Source: boredpanda.com