Wednesday, May 11, 2011

“Cuttin' Up and Showin' Out ”


Tuesday night I attended our county's monthly Backyard Association meeting. Usually the topic is something like garden pests, native plants or perennials, but this time the featured speaker was Cheryle Turner from Hampton, Georgia. Cheyle delighted us with her creative vegetable and fruit carvings. She uses them to decorate vegetable and fruit trays. It is a given that when she throws a party, the guests will be delighted with the imaginative centerpieces and whimsical carved "animals" she makes. 
 She showed us a strawberry "rose" centerpiece with kale and lettuce "greenery." (You can see it above, thanks to a photo by Diane Comonoor.)



She then made an eggplant man from an eggplant, toothpicks and cuttings from radishes, bell peppers, kale and a grape.


 She also made an easy duck was made from a squash, a carrot and two cloves and a mouse from two radishes and some cloves.


I thought her carvings looked easy, didn't take her very much time at all and required normal kitchen tools. She also sold little booklets with instructions for all her creations. I think I will use this book for my next vegetable tray. She had some really good ideas and it looks easy -- we will see.

1 comment:

  1. What a fun post! I love your photos, they are so festive. It brings to mind what my now husband (then boyfriend) Keith created, while we were dating:

    He's from Minnesota & Minnesotans are very serious about celebrating summer! When my family was up visiting his family one summer, Keith created all kinds of fruit sculptures (he had worked summers at a resort, while in high school). From watermelon 'baskets' to a
    fruit-boat, shaped like a whale (complete with a carved celery stalk as the whale's
    blow-hole), he did it all.
    My Mom was very impressed and said, 'I think you've got a keeper, Joanie!'

    Thanks for sharing the class with us and thanks for inspiring the memories. Have a great weekend, Joanie

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