The Origin
The history of fruit and vegetable carving is an unclear subject. Some claim that this form of art originated in 1300s Thailand, whereas others believe that it began in ancient Japan, and even still people believe that it started in the Tang or even the Sung dynasty. However, because there is no clear mastermind behind the blade that turned the first melon into a masterpiece, the Garnish Guy is going to explain all three claims to this tasty art.
The Japanese Claim To Carving Fame
The Japanese are known throughout the world for playing with their food. To them, it isn't only about the flavor of a dish, but how it looks on a plate as well. In Japanese, fruit and vegetable carving is referred to as mukimono. In ancient Japan, food was served on unglazed, clay pottery. The pottery was often covered with leaves to hide its rough look. Chefs then began cutting and folding these leaves to create even better looking plates. This, in turn, led to the carving of fruit and vegetable garnishes to further the look of the dish. When it became popular, street vendors would create carvings and garnishes upon request. Nowadays, it isn't uncommon for a Japanese chef to be trained on how to carve Fruits and vegetables.
Thailand: The Land Of Fruit Carvings
The belief that Thailand started the fruit and vegetable carving trend stemmed from a story about the Loi Kratong festival. during this festival, it is tradition to decorate rafts using banana leaves and other such decorations. At one of these festivals, King Phra Ruang's servant, Nang Noppamart, carved a vegetable into a flower using a real flower as a template. On top of that, she carved a bird and set it by the flowers. Her raft was phenomenal. In fact, King Phra Ruang liked the raft so much, he decreed that every woman learn this new form of art.
As time moved on, the popularity and novelty of fruit and vegetable carving increased and decreased. In fact, in 1808, King Rama II liked fruit and vegetable carving so much, he wrote poetry about it. Reversely, during the 1932 revolution of Thailand, Fruit carving wasn't very popular. In order to boost popularity, it was taught from age 11 in primary schools all the way through secondary school.