Cucumber carving: how to make a flower and a swan

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Cucumber carving is a kind of artistic cutting of vegetables, which has recently become very popular in modern cooking. The origins of creativity stretch to us from distant Asia, where local chefs used beautifully cut leaves as decorations for plates. Not only employees of the restaurant industry resort to the help of cucumber carving. This method of slicing is also relevant at home, when the task is to surprise guests or feed a small child with he althy vegetables.

Tools used

Special kits can be used to create beautiful shapes and colors. In stores for creativity, there are many options that differ in the quality of the source material and cost. To try your hand, you can first use a regular knife.

Having mastered the technique of work, you can think about purchasing professional tools:

1. Thai knives can be sickle-shaped or wedge-shaped.
2. Carb attachment can be V-shaped, oval orround.
3. A fluting tool is needed to remove thin strips.
4. Noisettes help in cutting out shapes where it is necessary to make indentations in the form of a rhombus, circle, oval and other things.
5. Cucumber engraving knives are ideal for coring.

Scissors are an obligatory attribute of a beginner or an experienced specialist in artistic cutting of vegetables. If the house does not have a suitable knife, then at first you can use a surgical scalpel. It is quite sharp and fits comfortably in the hand.

Swan instructions

It is worth noting that cucumber carving is rarely practiced, more often they prefer watermelon or radish. But from this vegetable you can make an attractive swan. This will require one fresh cucumber, cloves or peppercorns, toothpicks and a knife.

The algorithm of actions is quite simple:

• it is necessary to cut the vegetable diagonally on one side (length 6-8 cm);
• on the right side, make a diagonal cut;
• do the same cut on the left side;
• then make the same cuts slightly lower than the previous ones;
• shift the first and second layers;
• the actions are repeated several times until the cucumber runs out;
• similarly make cuts on the sides;
• vegetable from the end side is cut lengthwise into three parts;
• then carve the head of a swan;
• use cloves or peppercorns as an eye;
• all parts of the swanfastened together with a toothpick.

At first glance, the technique may seem complicated or incomprehensible, but from the presented photo of cucumber carving, you can understand the principle. After a few practical lessons, the hands will begin to perform these actions automatically and without any difficulty.

How to make a flower

Cucumber carving for beginners is the perfect way to try your hand at artistic cutting of vegetables. So, for example, you can make a beautiful flower, for which you will need a Thai knife as a tool (hold it like a pen).

It is necessary to make a base, for which the cucumber is cut from both sides. Then divide the vegetable into six parts, without cutting to the end. We can assume that the petals are formed, now an arbitrary pattern is applied to them, and the excess is carefully removed. In conclusion, the pulp should be separated from the skin on which the pattern is applied, but not completely cut off.