A Taste of Russia
January 22, 2012
Last weekend while up in Washington Heights we made a stop to a Russian specialty food shop, Moscow on the Hudson, to prepare for a dinner in celebration of the traditional Russian Old New Year. A friendly small shop, the cashier and a customer were chatting at the counter when they gave us all the insider tips needed to have a successful meal. After I explained I was going to photograph the dinner, they even gave me a traditional Russian cuisine calendar as a gift, and made sure I left with everything I needed. Top on the list was Pelmeni Sibirian, Russian style ravioli with Lithuanian sour cream, and Vareniki stuffed with cheese, similar to the Polish pierogi. They also recommended we get a side of the Russian beet salad, sausage and their milk cookies for dessert. Приятного аппетита!
Russian raviolis, ring pretzels and sausage
Pretzels and Russia's version of salsa
Beet Salad
Vareniki and sour cream
Beet salad and ring pretzels
Raviolis and pickles
Sausage
Cookies
Bringing in the New Year
January 4, 2012
I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the start of 2012 than with great food, friends and skiing. I’ve been pretty bummed because a photographer’s worst nightmare came true when my card with all of the Christmas holiday food shoots was damaged, and even after attempting recovery at New York’s top repair services, there was no such luck. But that just gives me an excuse to revisit some of the locations, like Elderberry Pond Restaurant, to enjoy yet another great meal. Well, enough of the disappointments, it’s time I look forward in the New Year and share with you some amazing meals from this past weekend spent at Killington. We were lucky enough to have a friend/personal chef join us for the 3 days and prepare all the meals– I should add for 16 people– with more enthusiasm than anyone I’ve seen. Here’s the menu we had, and check out the highlights below:
Taco Night–Pulled Chipotle Chix, Ground beef , Soft and hard shells, Assorted toppings, Black beans, Rice and Corn
Steak and Scrimps’ Night–Filet wrapped in applewood smoked bacon, Grilled Ribeye with fried onion strings, Marinated grilled scrimps’, Roasted Garlic Parm potatoes, Broccoli, Dilaurios butter rolls
That NYE staple known as Champagne
Filet wrapped in applewood smoked bacon
Sunday's pre-pasta meat and cheese plate
Lobster Bisque
Lobster Bisque
Baklavah
Killington
A skier's breakfast
Bacon, Egg & Cheese sandwiches
Berries & Yogurt
Homemade croutons
Pasta & Cheese
Loster Bisque
Shrimp & Broccoli
Gifts for the Foodie
December 20, 2011
This time of year is always a whirlwind for me. Between holiday prep, recent traveling for work, gift buying and festive gatherings, I haven’t had any time to spare, and am just getting around to sharing some of my favorite gift ideas this season– brought to you by my amazing friend, Leslie. She recently launched Gifts Curated, a collection of carefully handpicked items from independent artists and vendors, ranging from food to body products, candles, bags and more. Last weekend she hosted a brunch and trunk show at her apartment. Not only selling her items, but giving customers a taste of her products and leaving them with inspiring ideas of recipes they could try at home. On the menu was grilled chicken and tofu sandwiches using the spicy pumpkin ginger and tomato apple chutney sauces, popcorn with sea salt, cookies with raw organic cacao chips and her grandmother’s homemade pound cake recipe with caramelized bacon using barrel-aged maple syrup. I also included shots we did for her website of my other favorite products that I couldn’t resist sharing with you. Happy Holiday Shopping! x
Gold rimmed spoon and bowl perfect for olives
Alta Cucina's Basil Olive Oil is perfect dipped in a fresh loaf of Eli's bread
Oil & Bread
Spicy Ginger Sauce and Sandwiches
Saucy By Nature Spicy Pumpkin Ginger & Tomato Apple Chutney
Sandwiches, Pretzels and Saucy By Nature
Popcorn with Salt Farm's gourmet sea salt
Vandalia Street Press Card & Salad
Pancakes with Langdon Wood's Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup
Pound Cake, Bacon and Maple Syrup
Homemade cacao chip cookies
Graham Crackers and cacao chips
JC Hot Sauce
Sydney Hale Company Candle & TM1985 Hand bag
TM1985 Handbag
Aromatherapy bath salts
Annie of Gift Shop Brooklyn makeup bags
Cold Weather Favorites
December 7, 2011
With the cold weather approaching, I shot some of my favorite meals to warm up to. Anyone who’s spent time in Syracuse can tell you how Pastabilities’ Hot Tomato Oil could quite possibly be the best dipping sauce that exists. I always try and bring some extra back with me whenever I visit the area. Other favorites for those cold days include my father’s homemade chicken noodle soup and Wegman’s chicken potpie for a quick pre-prepared meal that tastes just as delicious as if you made it yourself.
Pastabilities' Hot Tomato Oil and Sun-Dried Tomato bread
Chicken Noodle Soup
Wegman's Chicken Pot Pie
A Rustic Post-Thanksgiving Picnic
November 27, 2011
It’s that time of year for my second seasonal themed dinner party. For autumn, I decided to go with a rustic outdoor picnic, inspired by my family’s leftover Thanksgiving food and style inspiration from my great grandfather’s fishing gear. For the ingredients I couldn’t find in the fridge, I spent the morning in the quaint village of Cazenovia getting fresh, local food from Troyer’s, a general store opened by the Amish (I have a whole other post on this I’ll share soon).
The Menu…
Drinks: Pellegrino Sparkling Orange Drink and Saranac Craft Beers
Appetizers: Maple Popcorn, Roasted Edamame, Vegetable chips and Homemade Trail Mix from Troyer’s Country Store
Main Course: Roasted Turkey Sandwich with homemade toasted bread, lettuce, tomato, basil infused mayonnaise, provolone and caramelized onions
Side: Saratoga country fried potato crisps seasoned with oregano
Dessert: My mother’s chocolate Italian roll cookies and homemade banana bread
Styling Tips…
• Pack each meal individually in a small cardboard to-go box for an easy transport to your great outdoor picnic location. Cut gift wrap from Anthropologie in thin strips and adhere to the sides of the box and label the menu on a strip of tape on the top of the box
• Birch bark as name cards and propped up at each place setting with one of my grandfather’s fishing lures
• Brown paper bags folded over, tied with ribbon and a burlap bow make for great serving bowls for snacks
• Sprinkle the center of the table with leaves and pine needles
• My great grandfather’s blanket from World War I as a table cloth
• Centerpiece floral arrangement, dried hygendra with a plume from ornamental grasses
Roasted turkey sandwich
Table setting and packed lunches ready to go
Homemade Trail Mix from Troyer's
Floral arrangement
Roasted Edamame
Country fried potato crisps with oregano
Boxed meals and Saranac Craft beer
Maple popcorn and birch bark place cards
Dried vegetable chips
Roasted Turkey sandwich
Drinks and cookies
Chocolate Italian cookies and banana bread
A Year in Review
November 18, 2011
A Camera in the Kitchen turns 1 tomorrow! I cannot thank you all enough for your support and enthusiasm you’ve expressed to me. It’s been such an amazing year capturing and sharing the art of dining. I’ve dug through my archives to compile some of my favorites that I think best reflects this. From tasting California’s fresh fruit while dancing at the Coachella Music Festival, to chowing down on a burger in Montana after a day of snowshoeing in the Beartooth Mountains, or grilling Wahoo from Aruba’s local fish market in celebration of a friend’s birthday. It has been such a learning experience for me, and I only hope to bring more exciting things to the site in the year to come.
Above all, I’ve learned a meal is more than just satisfying your hunger, it’s about the experience, the culture, and most importantly the people you are surrounded by. Whether grabbing take out for an evening home with the roommates, or sitting at a cafe in Reykjavik with new friends, I always make the most of the moment, and the meal, and that’s what I aim to capture here. I hope my photos inspire you to take time in your own life to appreciate the moments shared over that dish. You may get too full for that last bite of pasta, but you can never be too full of great memories.
Some of the dinner parties we've hosted-- big and small
Travels to Iceland, Montana, California, Miami, Beacon and Newport
Travels continued through New Jersey, Montana, Iceland and Brooklyn
I Heart NY
November 11, 2011
This morning was one of those, “I love NY” moments while I was walking to work. The sun was out, the fall colors at their peak, and I just finished shooting last night’s dinner. Part II of my autumn pasta is finally here. I tossed together the pasta with olive oil, some seasonal herbs and goat cheese, adding in arugula, almonds, raisins, apple chardonnay chicken sausage and topped it with asiago cheese.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Fresh arugula
Salted almonds
Pasta with Apple Chardonnay Chicken Sausage and Arugula
Salted almonds and raisins
Oktoberfeast
November 2, 2011
My friend Donna and I cooked up a seasonal menu the other day featuring some of our favorite ingredients like pumpkin, sage and cranberries. It was one of those quintessential autumn days with crisp blue skies and cool temperatures, so I enjoyed my afternoon outside making my way to the farmers market and then taking the ferry over to Long Island City to relish in the beautiful day.
Cranberries and Maple Sugar Candies
Butter & Sage Pumpkin Ravioli
Farmers Market Ingredients: Ardith Mae Fresh Chevre and Bread from Hot Bread Kitchen
Pumpkin Nut Bread
Butter & Sage Pumpkin Ravioli
Cranberries, Apples & Pears with Bread & Fresh Chevre
Pumpkin Nut Bread
Bread & Fresh Chevre dipped in Pumpkin Bisque
Cranberry Chutney on Bread
Lunch in Miami
October 26, 2011
I escaped the cool weather this weekend and spent my time soaking up the rays at Miami’s beaches and rooftop pools. My friend, Victor, and wonderful host, was kind enough to prepare lunch on Saturday. My new favorite snack, fried plantains, are delicious topped with anything from goat cheese and mint, to pico de gallo and queso blanco. We also had tasty hard boiled eggs with paprika, cayenne pepper and curry powder, and he whipped up some seasoned ground turkey wraps. Certainly enough to keep us filled until dinner and give us a taste of that local Miami flair.
Fried plantains with goat cheese and mint
Plantains
Fried plantains with Pico de Gallo and Queso Blanco
Hard boiled eggs with paprika, cayenne pepper and curry powder
Onions
Cilantro
Seasoned ground turkey, goat cheese and pico de gallo wrap
Seasoned ground turkey and Queso Blanco
Fall Harvest Pasta
October 21, 2011
How cute is this pasta? Knowing my love for this time of year, and anything autumn, my mom sent it to me the other day, and I’m so excited to make a festive pasta dish in the coming days. Now I just have to brainstorm a recipe.. Happy Friday! x
Pumpkin and Leaf pasta
Garlic & Pears
Pasta
a camera in the kitchen 
