Why is parsley so darned near universal as an ornamental garnish in American restaurants? Does the parsley phenomenon exist in restaurants outside the United States?
You would prefer, maybe, a little sprig of mint?
Both the French and Germans tend to sprinkle parsley all over the place at semi-fancy restaurants. At the places Mrs. G. and yours truly eat you are lucky if they wash the plates.
I am, of course, distinguishing between ornamental use and use as flavoring. As ornament, I would have no objection to mint. But you never see it. So wherefore parsley?
Let’s see… we need something attractive & inexpensive that holds up well in cold storage. It should provide a nice contrast with the striking whites, reds & yellows of certain foods while blending in well with the earthtone colors of others. It should also be reusable if it comes back into the kitchen in good shape.
There is a real need to dress up a bland-looking dish of eggs over easy. Parsley was probably the best bang for the buck. I bet somebody just had a buttload of parsley sitting around and was feeling creative. This person was probably unaware that parsley can be chopped up and used as an herb.
Mint, cilatro & basil are commonly found on plates in Asian restaurants, but rather than provide decoration they are actually meant to be eaten.
Oh, and I meant to mention that parsley will wither if you don’t keep it in water, like you would do for a bunch of flowers.
Apparently parsley is a very good breath-freshener, so I always chew mine well and swallow it, assuming it looks fresh and not second-hand.
God that would sound sooo dodgy if someone replaced “parsley” with something else… sorry 
I think it was also once thought to aid digestion. Not that it actually does, AFAIK, but a rumor is enough basis to form a tradition.
I mean, a rumor is enough traditionally.
I’ve noticed some restaurants using little pieces of kale instead of parsley. I don’t frequent the toniest establishments, however.
Here in CA. the Kale replacement abounds. Me thinks it is because it is cheap!
I much prefer the parsley. A very versatile herb.
Just to confirm what istara and Derleth say, it was originally meant to be eaten. My sister is a big Miss Manners fan, and I seem to recall Miss M. advises eating it to cleanse the palate.
“Destroy all garnish!”
I do agree with this–parsley, in the restaurant business is had a a very low price, to say that you can easily get a hundred or so sprigs for garnish for less than a dollar. The green does add a touch of color (especially when you have something like, steak & potatoes on your plate), and it adds a very nice contrast to other colors. Parsley also does have it’s own particular flavor, and even if you don’t notice the taste, if it’s chopped and sprinkled on your food, it does help with a small ‘freshness’ factor.
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:eek:
If I ever worked in a restaurant that re-used anything that came back from a table, not only would I be running away, I’d be calling the health department. Any respectable joint completely scrapes their plates into the trash… there’s no salvaging, there. Even for your uneaten bread at the table. (It’s only bread that’s not served at all that day that goes into croutons/bread pudding/stuffing).