Meal accompaniments and garnishes
Go ahead and serve fruits, nuts and even a few pâtés with your meal. For fruits - besides the usual apples, pears and different colored grapes - try serving pineapple, strawberries, apricots, sun-dried tomatoes and kiwis. These will add color as well as taste to your arrangement.

Platter decorating
Garnish your platter with nicely sculpted vegetables, sprigs of fine herbs and edible flowers. During autumn, wash a few colorful maple leaves and add them to the platter for a striking effect.