Simple food decor

As-Salaam Alaikum and hi dear kids 😀💗  During the next summer holidays, InshaAllah, let us learn to refine our talents with simple food décor though the beauty makes it look way beyond simple.  

 

This image is my Ai creation from originals by Mehrnoush S. and Farkhundeh Harouni at Pinterest.  Smoothly whipped yogurt using mint, coriander or fenugreel leaves and edible grade rose petals.  Yellow Persian rice pudding 'shole zard' garnished with carefully sliced pistachios and edible food grade rosebuds.

I created this image with Ai showing a more inspiring background for presentation. The foods, the table and the fresh pink rose with a long stem are a mix of oil on canvas and watercolor. The birdie and rainy window view are photography effect.

These gorgeously simple food decorations have a history richer than imaginable in our medieval Islamic History of the Golden Era.  

Echoes of a Golden Age: A duet of Persian yogurt and saffron rice pudding, adorned with edible roses, green herbs and pistachio leaves—reviving the culinary poetry of 16^th century Persia (Iran) and the Arab world where beauty and nourishment were inseparable 🍃🌹

In the courts of medieval Persia and the Arab world, food was not merely sustenance—it was a canvas for aesthetic and cultural expression. Delectable banquets during the Abbasid, Fatimid and Safavid dynasties showcased dishes adorned with vibrant herbs, edible flowers, and intricate layering of colors and textures. Persian influence brought a refined elegance to presentation with saffron-pistachio desserts, scented rice, saffron-infused stews and yogurt-based dishes often garnished with green herbs, pomegranate seeds and dried rose petals. Arab culinary texts from the 11th century, such as al-Warraq’s Annals of the Caliphs’ Kitchens reveal a deep appreciation for visual harmony, where the arrangement of ingredients mirrored poetic and geometric ideals.

This decorative tradition was deeply intertwined with etiquette as well as medicine. The use of color—golden saffron, pink rose petals, ruby pomegranate and emerald herbs—was believed to stimulate appetite and balance humoral health. Meals were structured with precision, beginning with light, visually appealing starters and progressing to richly adorned main courses. The emphasis on beauty, fragrance and symmetry in food presentation reflected the broader artistic sensibilities of the Islamic Golden Age where culinary refinement was a mark of sophistication and cultural pride.