It is true. Many people are put off by foods just by the sight of them without even trying them. "That looks awful. I'm not eating that!" has been said many times. A few extra seconds spent on plate presentation can go a long way. Next time you put dinner on the plate have a good look at the plate and see what you could have done better to make the food pop out to your eyes.

One of my favorite meals is grilled salmon with a balsamic drizzle, stewed tomatoes, wilted spinach and rice pilaf. It is a simple meal and I could put little piles of rice tomatoes spinach, plunk the salmon somewhere on the plate and add a little drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar but I do not.

I look at what I am serving and pick the plate. For this dish I see that the stewed tomatoes are probably going to have a good bit of liquid in them so perhaps a plate is not the best choice so I pick out one of the larger, flat bottomed bowls I have to serve it in.

First, I put down some rice right in the middle of the bowl then I top that with the stewed tomatoes, knowing that some of the juices in the tomatoes with further flavor the rice pilaf. On top of the rice and tomatoes I add some of the wilted spinach and place the salmon on top of it all so the food is neatly stacked. I take the reduced balsamic vinegar, which is also nicknamed "balsamic tar" as it is syrupy and jet black, and with a spoon just put a few very fine ribbons across the salmon.

Voila, a meal that pleases the eye then pleases the palate. Your guests will think you are a gourmet!