Author Archive
Giveaway – Online “Intro to Food Photography Course” !
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We are very excited to announce the giveaway of an introductory online food photography course from the wonderful folks at The Perfect Picture School of Photography!
- Have you been wanting to learn more about food photography?
- Do you need to improve your photography skills for your blog or portfolio?
- Would you like to create beautiful, awe inspiring photographs or just learn some great techniques for food photography?
- Have you ever wanted to take a photography class but can’t find the time to get out of the house to attend one? Then this online class is perfect for you and easy to take!
The Perfect Picture School of Photography is giving away a spot to one lucky student for the online food photography class “Introduction to Food Photography” taught by professional photographers Ron Goldman and Kathleen Clemons.
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French Market Vegetable Beef Soup
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Southern California usually has a climate much like the South of France, but last week we were pounded by torrential rainstorms. My thoughts turned to more pleasant weather and last summer’s trip to Provence. Fields of fragrant purple lavender humming with bees growing next to fields of golden barley. It was almost surreal, like something from a dream.
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Orange Almond Torte with Orange Sauce and Marsala Cream
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With friends coming for dinner who love cake for dessert and my navel orange tree full of fruit, I turned to an old favorite recipe – Orange Almond Torte. The recipe is from the February 1995 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine. I can’t believe I’ve been making it for so many years. Once you make it, it may become part of your standard repertoire too.
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The Sweet Life: Meyer Lemons and Meyer Lemon Gelato
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It was a chilly early morning and we were in the backyard reviewing recent changes with our landscaper. Re-landscaping has allowed us to make room for two new citrus trees – a Moro blood orange joined our navel orange and a second Meyer lemon tree has joined my much-loved existing tree.
This morning I took a colander outside with me and filled it with Meyer lemons. Lemon is one of my favorite flavors and with all of the cooking I do I use lemons constantly for their zest and juice, for both sweet recipes and savory ones. With this basket of Meyers I couldn’t wait to make a favorite lemon recipe – Meyer Lemon Gelato. This is the time of year in California when citrus trees are full of beautiful fruit just begging to be enjoyed. I feel fortunate to be able to pick Meyer lemons, oranges, and herbs from my own yard. It sounds silly, but I feel like a kid that’s been given a gift as I come in the door smiling with a basket or apron full of bright treasure.
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The Power of Pesto: Pasta with Classic Basil Pesto and Chicken
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My husband is crazy about classic basil pesto, so I make it frequently. Pesto can transform ordinary dishes into something delicious and different in a flash. There are lots of dishes you can create with a batch of pesto in the refrigerator. The commercially made stuff is never as fresh and flavorful as homemade and it’s so easy to make in a food processor. By making it at home you can control and vary the recipe to your taste and use top quality ingredients.
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Roast Pork Tenderloin with Maple-Grand Marnier Glaze
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One cut of meat I turn to for a fast, tasty and satisfying dinner is pork tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is very versatile and quick cooking. It can be seared, roasted, grilled, sautéed, by the whole piece or cut into medallions. If you have time you can brine before hand, but you don’t have. It is tender and has an almost buttery texture. Pork tenderloin can be prepared elegantly enough for a company dinner or simply enough for a family dinner.
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Easy No-Cook Cranberry Salad
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Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday to cook for. Get the coffee going early, ease into a day of cooking and and turn on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I love tradition. Puttering all day in the kitchen preparing to delight everyone with a feast to come is a joy for me.
My family had a strict tradition with our Thanksgiving menu and woe to you if wanted to mess with it. You risked excommunication from the family. The tradition was roast turkey with dressing and gravy, mashed potatoes, green vegetable (yes, the ever present green bean casserole), creamed pearl onions and cranberry salad.
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Mom’s Simple Standby –Tomato Soup and a Grilled Cheese Sandwich
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Whether for lunch or a light dinner, mom’s standby was tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. She always had Campbell’s Soup in the pantry, white bread on the counter and American cheese in the refrigerator. This memory made me remember how great tomato soup is and that I’ve not made it for way too long.
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Cheesecake Topping Options – Berry Sauce and Mugolio
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What to top your cheesecake with? Here are two splendid options – berry sauce or Mugolio, also known as Italian pine cone bud syrup.
The beauty of berry sauce is that it’s quick, easy and versatile. Once you’ve made one a few times you probably won’t even need to refer to a recipe. Fresh and individually quick frozen (IQF) berries work equally well and you can always have a bag of frozen berries on hand. Berry sauce can be made either as a smooth puree or left chunky. The fancy term for a pureed sauce is a coulis (pronounced koo-lee).
Terrific over cheesecake, pound cake and ice cream, berry sauces also work wonderfully over pancakes and waffles for a weekend treat. When making it for dessert I will sometimes add a splash of either Chambord or Gran Marnier for added dimension. For breakfast I prefer the chunky sauce and eliminate the liqueur. No more berry pancake syrup from a bottle!
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Perfect Cheesecake – From the Pressure Cooker!
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A piece of classic cheesecake is pretty hard to resist. It’s simple, rich and creamy. Sometimes there is a little tang from a sour cream topping or maybe it’s topped with fresh fruit, often strawberries or cherries.I fell in love with cheesecake at a young age. I still remember my mom taking us to a little place called the La Palma Chicken Pie Shop in Anaheim, California. They offered classic American food like chicken pot pies and mashed potatoes. They had a wonderful bakery too.
Amazingly its still there and looks like it has not changed in over 50 years. Real nostalgia.Mom used to take us there for a chicken pie and a mini cheesecake. They were just a few inches around, tartlet size, and made in disposable aluminum tins. Classic style cheesecake with a hint of lemon, a graham cracker crust and sour cream topping. Going there was a big treat. Although I loved the chicken pot pies I couldn’t wait for my little cheesecake for dessert.
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It's about cooking fresh, cooking seasonally and discovering fun new ingredients, tips and tricks. I hope it brings you inspiration, education and enjoyment. Thanks for stopping by!