Saterday Soul Search : Food Poetry 21

In my hopes to re-ignite my poetry writing, I try to find food pictures that will inspire me - then in a creative burst, I try to write out the thoughts that come to mind and type them out immediately. Here are some of my plated desserts shots and the words that became of them...

Sugar fired ---
extreme degrees render your cube like structure molten.

How you boil into a yellow frenzy ---
Scorching, throwing your strand like tentacles
grasping and attaching

your hot intensity
slips quietly into a more permanent existence ---
Hardening , your exterior smooth,
yet fragile in
your mock
glass sheen.

Related Posts:

• Soul Search : Saturday Food Poetry
• Poetry of Baking
• Poetry : The Long Ferment

Food Photography : Banana - Midori Strawberry torte 12

An oval cookie cutter was used to cut out 3 layers of French sponge. I used a slightly larger size of the oval set and lined it with an acetate strip. I used sliced strawberry to line the acetate , point upward and then added banana mousse. I pushed a layer of the French sponge into the mousse, which distributed the mousse into the areas that weren’t filled by the strawberry. I continued to add mousse then a layer of sponge, and then used a small offset to comb the top smooth. I let this set in the reach in for several hours, then peeled the acetate off.

The dessert was placed on the upper left side, off center. It was garnished with a chocolate design and a half kiwi slice following the line of the chocolate design.

A tempered chocolate fern design was piped onto the plate. It was filled with honeydew-Midori sauce. Descending circles were piped of chocolate on each side of the dessert and strawberry sauce was used to fill the circles.


I will post the full dessert costing presentation tomorrow.


Related Posts:

• Food Photo : Chocolate Mousse with Strawberry Sauce
• Photography : Blackberry Granita w/ Banana Mouse
• Dessert Costing : Banana Strawberry Torte
• Food Photography : Banana Strawberry Torte

My Photographic Mind 4

Here are some of my pictures. Bits and pieces of what I see. These are shots I have taken, using nothing more than a little digital point and shoot. I like to recall in certain instances, pictures from my photographic mind.

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On Taste Memories and The Economy 2

When I experience something of taste worth noting, I archive it within the catacombs of my taste memories. There it is tagged and filed away - until there is new life breathed into it again, on some chance encounter with my taste buds.

My palate has slowly matured. I wasn't always one to remark on how great a microbrew was. But now I appreciate the bold, earthy and spicy undertones contained in the hoppy liquid. I appreciate the complexities of each type of brew. And every now and again these same taste memories resurface like amber ghosts haunting me with unequaled sweetness. I begin to ache for another chance - another dance with this foamy goodness.

My palate of course has not singled out microbrews exclusively, in it's maturity. I have taken on all types of complex tastes and textures not attractive to me in my younger years. This point is my life is very enlightening and I have entered a culinary awareness that rivals anything else I have experienced.

As humans we are drawn toward things we have noted in our brains - things which have left a good impression on our psyche. We cherish the taste memories stored there. And in bad times or discontent we call upon them again to boost our spirits, to remind us of comfort and joy.

A persons palate can only exceed his grasp, and for me living on a family budget means that not all my culinary whims are satisfied. For people who are also attending school this can mean even more cost saving measures. And as the economy becomes more and more disheveled, many of our budgets will continue to grow tighter.

This is a hard reality for me as a food blogger. Mainly from two different perspectives A.) I love food and I am very passionate about the actions leading up to the final product - it pains me to not be able to create more artistic creations at home, due to cost restrictions. B.) Once your blog enters the realm of "foodie-o-sphere" there is an unwritten expectation from readers and foodie peers to create and post pictures of your latest food masterpieces. Also I am unable to participate in all the food community challenges, which leaves me feeling isolated from my foodie peers.

The cost aspect that doesn't affect me however , is that I am not worried about having "trendy" kitchen gadgetry or appliances, I have always been thrifty in that way. I love to thrift shop for tools. I have found high end tools for a few dollars a piece. It is a great feeling to find a $60 tool for that price. The great thing about thrift stores is that people donate kitchen ware they bought on a whim / got as a gift , and never used. So most things are in great shape. I have a source that restaurants donate to, so you get high quality stock pots and stainless tools.

Food Photography - Ballad of A Foodie 2

I took these shots in the flickr collection noted below (at bottom of this post) in "Ballad of a Foodie"- over a span of 2 years. There is allot of emotional attachment to them. It is about food. It isn't about people who were captured - their poses frozen in time. No, it is about the way I captured these images. I was a newly amateur photographer who was obsessed at getting enough pictures to fill my memory card at the end of the night. I have heard people say "you can't take decent pictures with a digital point and shoot, or anything under 8mp", that opinion is ridiculous.

When I first started taking pictures, I had this little point and shoot digital camera, it had only 3 mp. I got to know the limits of my camera by experimenting heavily in different lighting, conditions etc. I found what worked and I pushed those limits of my little camera, with sometimes amazing results. Then I moved on to a camera with more control, larger lens capacity and full manual functions, a digital with 5 mp. Not all my shots are great, but allot of the subject matter makes them unique. 

I like the irregularities in photographs --- liken it to the cracks and pops you hear when you play a vinyl record. Taking pictures of food is an even harder media to work with. If you are looking for ways to better your food photographs, I suggest you start with the basics --- take lots of pictures of non-food related objects. 

Experiment - go outside, take pictures in the sunshine, pictures of objects with the sun behind them. Take photographs in the rain (not literally - stand under an overpass or porch. Get used to shadows and capturing the right color spectrum. If you have a digital, try using the "live view" LCD , this will help you visually see the way the lens reacts to different angle and light changes. Get accustomed to what situation calls for flash - flash can either make or break a picture. 

Try taking the same picture from different angles and lengths using the flash at different points, then compare what works best. When you have truly gotten to know your camera, then try taking pictures of food. You will now have a reference point to go back to and say - "right, my camera can capture this better from that angle". Then slowly you can introduce props . I have found it is better to take a "on the fly" approach when capturing food production, no props, no special lighting. But then again I like action shots. In the future I will be taking on food photography again -- and this time it will be more "posed" shots.

ballad of a foodie

This is my foodie collection on flickr. Mouse over to see Set title. Click on any of the links to View that Set on flickr.

Food Photo : Chocolate Mousse with Strawberry Sauce 3

Choc. Mousse in a White Choc. / Dark Choc. Cup w/ strawbery sauce & fresh strawberries, originally uploaded by Amber *.

Food Photography : Banana Strawberry Torte 24

kyung of David O'Conner & Lee Photography, in Portland, OR, graciously agreed to set up shop (i.e portable studio) one day after class, to photograph some of my plated desserts --- which were awaiting in the reach-in to be photographed. This was Kyung's first dabble into foodie photography --- as their company works capture more of the traditionally human element.

This dessert was my for my final presentation. It consists of French sponge, brushed with strawberry syrup, filled and finished with banana scented marscapone cheese, then garnished with fresh fruit and a chocolate screen, than drizzled with mango syrup. The plate design was given a stained glass effect , piped on first with tempered chocolate and then filled with honeydew melon -Midori syrup, Strawberry syrup, and mango syrup.

The flavor combination was very good --- the marscapone is so velvety, and it offset the banana wonderfully, and it didn't compete with the buttery layers of the sponge, just enhanced them.

I made all the components from scratch (with real fruit) and used my own recipes and calculated the per plate cost etc. I will post more of this experience in a post to come.

I really like plated desserts --- they are soo fun :)


Related Posts:

• Dessert Costing : Banana Strawberry Torte
• Food Photo : Chocolate Mousse with Strawberry Sauce
• Photography : Blackberry Granita w/ Banana Mouse
• Food Photography : Banana - Midori Strawberry torte

JUNE: What a Foodie Month it is....... 1

Photo : Egg Washing oat loaves on a proofing board.

June is :

Candy Month (National), Dairy Month (National), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month (National), Iced Tea Month (National), Turkey Lovers Month, and Papaya Month (National) . First week of the month is National Fishing Week.

June 1: National Doughnut Day (always the first Friday in June)

June 2: National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day

June 4: Applesauce Cake Day

June 5: National Gingerbread Day

June 6: Hunger Awareness Day (US National)

June 7: First day ice cream was sold in the US, June 7, 1786; National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

June 10: Iced Tea Day

June 13: Kitchen Klutzes Of America Day

June 16: Fudge Day; Fresh Veggies Day

June 17: Father's Day; Eat Your Vegetables Day

June 18: Go Fishing Day

June 20: Ice Cream Soda Day

June 21: Summer Solstice - First Day of Summer

June 22: National Chocolate Éclair Day

June 25: National Catfish Day

June 26: National Chocolate Pudding Day

June 29: Waffle Iron Day

Photography : Blackberry Granita w/ Banana Mouse 3

*Plated desserts. All made from scratch. This blackberry granita in pilsner glass is garnished with banana mouse, raspberry sauce drizzle, two lemon peel spears and fresh blackberries. On the plate are two piped chocolate tears filled with mango sauce and accented with raspberry cloverleafs.
I have been away from blogging and the cyber world for a year....my Google PR reflects that. Ha. Well I am here to tell you I will be sloughing off these feeble embers and stoking this blog into a great foodie fire! VIVA LA CULINAIRE! More to come?!...

Photography | rain, one winter day 2

rain, one winter day, originally uploaded by Amber *.

Winter in Oregon. Life slows down to trickle in the newly frigid streets. Mornings are haunted with eerie fog which engulf silhouettes of bare trees. Trace your reflection thrown haphazard about great chains of puddles that litter the pavement, which mirror melancholy skies.

Skin tight , hands and face weathered from Wind's chilly embrace.

Photography : stage of the knot rolls' makeup 2

stage of the knot rolls makeup, originally uploaded by Amber *.

Photog : of a dried berry | Reverse Macro How To 4

By adding a traditional 35mm film lens in reverse, in front of my digital lens, I was able to capture the details of this dried berry. This was the natural coloring. I thought it was quite beautiful.

Reverse Macro of a dried berry, originally uploaded by Amber *.

To Create your own reverse macro:

1. Select a digital camera with at least 4mps. One with a larger lens opening than a standard "point & shoot" camera - when I mention point & shoot I am talking about the cameras with very small (dime - nickel sized) lens holes. I didn't have an DSLR with standard 35mm equivalent to use (my camera has a 28mm equivalent which worked great). The bigger lens hole will enable you to capture the light given off from the 35mm lens. To make this kind of shot, a built in flash is worthless, because the added length of both lenses creates a tunneling effect. It also helps to have a zoom power greater than 3, my camera has 10 optical zoom and 8 digital.
2. Find a telephoto 35mm lens (you can experiment with different sizes and ranges), I used a [55mm - 117mm ] Pentax telephoto. It should have a lens lip or hood of at least 1/4 inch (this is found at the protruding end) or wider. This lip will allow you to hold the two lenses comfortably in one hand, but also position your lens close to the 35mm lens, and at the same time create a light barrier. A smoother, slide roll type barrel extender works better here too -- as this enables you to use light touches to adjust the magnification (i.e zoom) of the 35mm lens.
3. Find a place to photograph your macro. It should be flooded with natural light (fluorescent lights or ambient light will not produce good results) a good time of day is in the early morning, or around 4 p.m, on a bright day. There should not be any object to create and caste shadows.
4. Find your subject. This technique allows you to magnify the finest details --- like dust particles or tiny ridges, so find something that isn't necessarily interesting on it's own --- but would be neat in magnification.
5. Position your subject. A box below your subject will prop it up so you aren't lurching over your subject. Try to position it in full light.
6. Getting Ready For the Shot. Get situated in a comfortable stance, as this will take several shots and lots of adjusting to get it right. Position your hand around the bottom of your digital camera lens so that it is cradled in your hand. Make sure only half of your hand (i.e pinky and ring fingers) is touching that lens, as the rest of your hand (i.e middle, pointer and thumb) will be holding the 35mm telephoto lens steady in front of your digital lens. A safe spacing between the two is 1/4 "- 1/2 inch. DO NOT let your lenses touch each other --- as this will lead to scratching!! Position the lenses and then position the camera and lenses in front of your subject.
7. Focus, focus , focus. The trick is to learn to focus your digital to pick up on the finer adjustments of the 35mm telephoto lens. I zoomed in with my digital half way, then I would move the telephoto to magnify more and more, all the while gently focusing with the telephoto. You will need to shift around your subject to create better shots. Try different distances and zoom.
8. Practice, practice, practice. Get a feel for your camera and the two lenses working in sync. Try a variety of subjects and light strengths --- this will take a lot of shots and trial and error, so have your memory card handy.

Photography : black eyed & water logged 0

I captured this on the way home from class. It was wet and raining. The light was perfect and I was able to capture the refection of the sky's blue grey color, off of the water collected on the center of this black eyed susan.

black eyed & water logged, originally uploaded by Amber *. 

Photog : Windows -The soul of Dough 0

There is no gluten structure in this dough --- lots of holes and the dough breaks away when pulled because it needs further mixing to develop the gluten.

Not ready yet -- needs more mixing (intensive), originally uploaded by Amber *.

The Window: A meshing of gluten strands!
Tight like a drum --- the gluten strands have become meshed and the dough is done mixing. If you tap this "window" --- it will hold up and bounce back without tearing.

My Recipe : Curried Asparagus 8

This is a tasty side dish. It has gotten raves from my friends and family. It may seem a bit salty at first glance but take into consideration the liquid added washes the flavor out a bit , so there needs to be enough salt to bring out the curry flavors. Enjoy!

Green Asparagus by Gunnar Magnusson

You Will Need:

• a nice bunch of Asparagus (1-2 #s)
• 1/4 - 1/2 of a stick of butter
• a good curry powder (look for these ingredients : coriander seed, chili, cumin seed, fennel seeds, cinnamon, poppy seeds, star anise seeds, turmeric, mustard seeds, white pepper and peanut -- You can buy this mixture at an Asian market, regular grocers tend to have a diluted curry powder lacking depth)
• balsamic vinegar (a splash about 1-2 TB)
• porcini mushroom flavored oil (a bout 1/4 TB
• rubbed sage (about 1/4 - 1/2 tsp)
• onion salt (1/2 tsp)
• garlic salt (1/2 tsp)
• kosher salt (1 tbs)
• water (enough to cover asparagus)

Heat your pan on medium high and allow the butter to melt completely. After washing & breaking the fibrous bottoms off your asparagus stalks -- add them to the melted butter. Add 1 tablespoon of curry to the pan, mix into the butter to form a paste. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar over the whole pan. Drizzle your asparagus with the porccini oil. Dust with rubbed sage. Sprinkle salt , onion and garlic salt (a few shakes , as water will be added later). Stir briskly. Add 1 tsp more of the curry. Add enough water to barely cover the stalks. Cover and allow to simmer.

When done the asparagus will take on the yellow color of the curry, and they will appear slightly wrinkled/wilted.

Photography : On the rails along the Columbia 3

I took this on the way home, traveling I-84. We pulled over and I got out with no fleece to take as many shots as I could in 2 minutes...brrr. It was very cold and the wind was a frigid guest.

on the rails along the columbia, originally uploaded by Amber *.

I am back home. I have some better shots in my photo stream of this sunset. I took some from my car window --- had I charged my camera battery I might have gotten more. Oh well.

I haven't a culinary gem to pull out of my chef hat at this moment --- but more will follow I promise.

I did the math recently as I looked at my feedburner stats since April 2004 --- I have over 130 readers by rss aggregation! Plus like 15 by email.

Wow! Thanks for reading! I wasn't trying to create a pretentious food blog, nor was I claiming to be some culinary wizard. I wanted to write my thoughts and I admit I haven't been the most regular poster. Balancing your life when your a blogger and single is one thing --- but when you have a family to take care of with a young child and are going to school full time it is a lot harder to be consistent when blogging...atleast for me.

It has been a struggle, as I have suffered a writing ship wreck --- I am surely caught in The doldrums:

Early sailors named this belt of calm the doldrums because of the low spirits they found themselves in after days of no wind. To find oneself becalmed in this region in a hot and muggy climate could mean death in the era when wind was the only motive force.

Writer's block. No creative thoughts, like a blank stare into a calm sea. Frustrating, as there is no change ...Just a sour awareness you are not creating anything new.

I turn 26 today. 0

Hand made truffles. These are a few examples of the chocolates our resident chocolatier has introduced into the curriculum...How beautifully tempered -- notice the glossy sheen? That is a sign of well tempered chocolate. I will introduce more on the subject of chocolate at a latter date...

Yikes. Happy Birthday to me! It feels strange to be 26 years old.
Reflecting on my life , it reminds me of a song.....

"Oh,to live on sugar mountain


With the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon.


It's so noisy at the fair
But all your friends are there
And the candy floss you had
And your mother and your dad.


Oh, to live on sugar mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon.


There's a girl just down the aisle,
Oh, to turn and see her smile.
You can hear the words she wrote
As you read the hidden note.


Oh, to live on sugar mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon.


Now you're underneath the stairs
And you're givin' back some glares
To the people who you met
And it's your first cigarette.


Oh, to live on sugar mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon.


Now you say you're leavin' home
'cause you want to be alone.
Ain't it funny how you feel
When you're findin' out it's real?


Oh, to live on sugar mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon.


Oh, to live on sugar mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon."

--- Neil Young "Sugar Mountain" ; Decade EP

Photog: Finished paris brest 5

A Paris-Brest is a French dessert, made of choux pastry and a praline flavoured cream.

Finished paris brest, originally uploaded by Amber *.

The pastry was created in 1891 to commemorate the Paris–Brest–Paris bicycle race. Its circular shape is representative of a wheel. It became popular with riders on the Paris-Brest cycle race, partly because of its energy-giving high calorific value, and is now found in pâtisseries all over France.

Cream Puffs 2

Pate a choux (éclair paste) used for puffs, with wonderful pastry creme custard...ripe sweet strawberrries, then whipped cream as a go between.

Cream Puffs, originally uploaded by Amber *.

The tops are dipped in chocolate ganache.

A sweet, yet sensual , but light dance on your palate.

------------------------------------------

It has been awhile, I know. I am organizing my non-cyber life at the moment.

You might be wondering what have I been up to?? Well as my first quarter of Professional Bakery/Pastry Management I had to manage 2 stations (each for 5 weeks). My first station was Cakes & French Pastries. As described in a previous post.

The 2nd station I managed was CTO, I was acting pastry chef for the banquet hall in the Culinary Student's kitchen. I had a culinary student partner, and we were in charge of baking, finishing and plating the deserts for customers. We also had to make rolls/bread for 100+ servings.

We had total control on which deserts we could create. There wasn't however a wrack to set our pre plated deserts -- which limited the amount of production we could plan.

The typical count for people dining during the 11:15 a.m to 1 p.m lunch, was 110 people. Now not everyone would order desert, but if a 15 person table ordered desert at once, you really needed to be on the ball.

Some of the desert items we made included fresh fruit napoleons, which I will be detailing in my next post.

As for school I have taken my finals and now I am on winter holiday. I will be taking Winter quarter off.

The Flickr Katrina Auction ---Own one of my prints! 0

Due to the tragedy that has hit the gulf/Southern states, the members of flickr.com felt compelled to do something. We banded together and members from all over the world donated prints to be put up for auction, all proceeds went and are still going to charities which are accepting donations for Hurricane victims.

The first round was very successful --- we raised $11,831.00 All going to American Red Cross or other charities. You can view the final bid amounts & winners for the first round here.


In the spirit of things, and due to the immensity of damages we have hosted another auction which will end Sept. 30th 2005. I have a print up for auction (current bid is $25), Click here for bidding instructions , all prints can be bid on by outside bidders through email :

My thoughts & prayers are with those, victims of this catastrophe.

Professionally printed on archival paper with archival pigment based inks.

Will ship an unframed, signed 8 X 10 matte print to the highest bidder.

Will ship flat in postal envelope.

Bidding closes at 8:00PM EST on Sept 30th 2005



NOT A FLICKR MEMBER? Email your bid! Be sure to include your name and bid amount in the body of the letter.

Please click on the banners above to see what other fine photography there is to offer. There is some nudity--- so be careful if surfing from work. All profits will go to charity!

If you have thought about donating , but haven't yet --- why not take home a print to hang on your wall in the process??