Some Syracuse Home Cooking
January 15, 2013
This weekend was spent in Syracuse, which meant a Sunday afternoon filled with delicious homecooked meals. We decided to go with a Greek inspired menu, starting with a flatbread pizza, topped with spinach, feta, tomatoes, mozzarella, parmesan and shredded basil. That was followed by a Greek lemon chicken with mushrooms.
Wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead x
Greek Flatbread Pizza
Greek Lemon Chicken
Montana Kitchen
October 20, 2012
The first snow of the season was falling, and there was nothing quite like staying in, preparing some local Montana fare for dinner. Earlier in the day I ventured over to Babcock & Miles, one of my favorite specialty food shops I had previously photographed, to pick up organic chops of Icelandic lamb from Willow Spring Ranch, feta goat cheese from Amaltheia Organic Dairy and some fresh herbs from their garden. To go with the lamb, we made salad and potatoes. And for breakfast the following day, a berry smoothie and fritadas were the perfect start before a day hiking.
Cheese, crackers and raspberry jam
Goat cheese, crackers and raspberry jam
Garlic
Fresh ingredients
Preparing the lamb
Salad
Smoothies at sunrise
Fritadas for breakfast
Happy Autumn!
October 2, 2012
I don’t know where the time flies. Lately, I’ve been on project overload, and hopefully soon I’ll be able to share with you the things I’ve been working on outside of Camera in the Kitchen. But most importantly, my favorite season is in full swing. I was upstate this past weekend, and the leaves are starting to show their colors, pumpkins are out, and so are the fall menus. Here’s a little taste of our family Sunday dinner.
And now I’m off to Montana. Looking forward to bringing back some great Big Sky dishes to share with you soon! x
Squash
Apple sauce and beans
Rolls & Pumpkin
Stuffed roasted pork
Crillon Le Brave
July 26, 2012
The fresh air and rolling hills, the winding stone corridors, the hourly chimes of the bell tower and the to die for menus are all part of Crillon Le Brave, the quintessential Provencal destination. What was once ruled by Henri IV’s fiercest generals during wars of the 16th century has now evolved into one of Travel + Leisure’s top European hotels for 2012. And well deserved, my time spent there could not have been better. Lounging poolside, a relaxing massage and the impeccable service was all quite lovely, but of course my favorite was the fantastic food shoot that took place with the help of chef, Phillippe Zemour. After our morning at the market, it was down to business in the kitchen. Known for their elegant and refined style, the menu is all locally sourced offering a true flavor of southern France. Although it was difficult to leave, it’s certainly on my list of places that I no doubt will return to once again.
Setting the table on the terrace
Crackelin marinated red mullet and squid, nicoise socca and fennel aioli
Crackelin marinated red mullet and squid, nicoise socca and fennel aioli
Artichoke
Gratin of fish soup
Fricassee of seasonal vegetables, fingerling potatoes and bearnaise reduction
Roasted bull fillet, fricassee of seasonal vegetables, fingerling potatoes and bearnaise reduction
Hotel entrance
Roasted shop veal, green asparagus from olivier’s garden, stuffed potato with white truffle
Terrace view
Bocce ball
Roasted shop veal
Pool area
Asparagus
Fresh bread and rosemary
Seabream in salt crust
Seabream in salt crust
The view
Vegetables from the garden in barigoule refreshed, bacon shavings from bigorre, coriander reduction
Crackelin marinated red mullet and squid, nicoise socca and fennel aioli
Fresh vegetables
Fried cherry with basilic
Fried cherry with basilic
Apricot tart
Apricot tart
Pasta & Shrimp
May 15, 2012
Pasta dishes are always great solutions for dinner parties, they’re quick and easy to throw together for a crowd-satisfying meal. Â Last time I was in Syracuse we served up this fettucini dish with shrimp scampi, eggplant, portobello mushrooms and a garlic butter sauce. Another fun dish I photographed was this side of rice and broccoli.
Fettucini and shrimp scampiÂ
Pasta and portobello mushrooms
Rice and broccoli Â
Pasta and cheese bread
IngredientsÂ
White Barn Inn
April 25, 2012
Nestled in the quaint New England coastal town of Kennebunkport, White Barn Inn was one of my first stops through southern Maine last week, and one I thoroughly enjoyed. An intimate, classic inn setting, I was welcomed with open arms into the kitchen of Grand Chef, Jonathan Cartwright, to taste his Forbes Five Star menu. Feasting on more than my stomach could take, it was too delicious to leave the plate anything but clean. The various courses included an appetizer of Pan Roast New England Quail Breast and Foie Gras with a Basket of Smoked Leg Confit and Forest Mushroom Risotto. Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream with Crisp Fig Fitter as an intermezzo and Local Salmon Filet in a Parma Ham “Jacket” with Bacon Wrapped Scallop, Spaghetti Squash and Maple Dijon Mustard Sauce for the main course. Although it didn’t stop there, as I had to try Cartwright’s specialty smoked lobster dish and finished off with a multitude of desserts. The entire inn was more than welcoming, and certainly a must-stay for anyone traveling to the Pine Tree State. I hope to return very soon, next time booking an extra day to take advantage of their luxurious spa treatments!
A walk along Kennebunkport's rocky coastline and White Barn Inn
Smoked lobster
An extra dish from the chef
Lounge area
Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream with Crisp Fig Fitter
Inn interior
Pan Roast New England Quail Breast and Foie Gras with a Basket of Smoked Leg Confit and Forest Mushroom Risotto
Local Salmon Filet in a Parma Ham "Jacket"
Bacon wrapped scallop
Salmon
Front Porch at May's Annex
Grand Chef, Jonathan Cartwright's signature smoked lobster dish
Grand Marnier souffle with chocolate sauce
Grand Marnier souffle with chocolate sauce and sorbet
Espresso
Front porch
Maine blueberry sorbet
Breakfast Quiche
Fresh bread
Muffins
Fresh berries
Breakfast meat selection
Sunday Sauce
March 23, 2012
One of my favorite days of the week are Sundays. Nothing beats a morning browsing the farmers market and and an afternoon cooking with friends or family before yet another work-filled week begins. After hearing such great things about D.C.’s Eastern Market, it was on my list of places to check out. Comparable to New York’s Brooklyn Flea, but with a great indoor food market as well, we explored the cute streets of Capitol Hill, shopped and stocked up on fresh food to make homemade sauce for dinner. I couldn’t have asked for better hosts, as they prepared a delicious salad, sauce and pasta all the while I had fun shooting and using their fantastic Anthropologie-inspired kitchenware. Happy Friday and don’t forget to explore your own local farmers market this weekend! x
Foccacia and fresh basil
Salad with dried cranberries, blue cheese and nuts and garlic
Eastern Market
Fresh basil and a Capitol Hill garden
Eastern Market mushrooms
Cooking up the sauce
Taste test on toasted foccacia and garlic chive cheese
Eastern Market asparagus
Short ribs and pasta
Grapes for dessert
Sunday Family Dinner
February 29, 2012
This weekend I was back in Syracuse spending time with the family. Sunday was the perfect winter day with crisp blue skies, a few inches of freshly fallen snow, a fire in the fireplace and the aroma of my father’s Northern Italian dish for dinner filling the house. We started with a couple fresh loaves of Columbus Bakery bread, followed by an antipasto platter with lettuce, tomato, greek olives, cucumbers, salami, ham, provolone, blue cheese and topped with a white balsamic vinaigrette. The main dish was homemade marinara sauce with tomatoes, chicken stock, fresh garlic, onions, zucchini and a touch of sugar. After simmering for a few hours with the chicken breast and thigh meat, it was poured over fettucini and garnished with parsley and parmesan cheese.
Marinara sauce with chicken and fettucini
Antipasto platter
Columbus Bakery bread dipped in olive oil
Grating parmesan cheese and Columbus Bakery bread
Antipasto platter
Bread and Pasta
White balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
Pasta and bread
Antipasto
A Dish for Grandma
February 3, 2012
I’ve spent the past few weeks Upstate with my grandmother during her final days, and with my family once she passed away. Now that I’m back to work, I’m looking forward to getting my food shoots up and running again. I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off my return than with a tribute to the amazing woman she was. One of her favorite meals was pasta and meatballs, an Italian classic that happens to be one of my favorites as well. I had so much fun pairing the vibrant red sauce with some old B&Ws of my grandmother and her sisters on their 4th of July holiday in the city circa 1941.
My Aunt Nici and Grandma sightseeing in NY
Aunt Flory, Aunt Nici and Grandma getting off the subway
Grandma, Aunt Nici, Aunt Flory in the park
Aunt Nici, Grandma and Aunt Flory strolling down Broadway
Land & Flowers
January 8, 2012
My friends and I took advantage of the unseasonably 60 degree sunny January day, and threw a little afternoon roof gathering with some of my favorite Thai food from Land and beautiful floral arrangements done by my friend, Jess. Using an old Pantone book and library books as inspiration, we shot Atlantic baked salmon with bean paste, napa cabbage, snow pea, carrot and caramel soy sauce, caramelized chicken curry puffs, root vegetable egg rolls and satay beef and chicken skewers before chowing down and catching those summer-like sun rays.
Chicken Satay Skewer and Baked Salmon
Baked Salmon
Vegetable Egg roll
Vegetable Egg Rolls
Floral Arrangements
Salmon & Chicken Curry Puffs
Chicken Curry Puffs
Beef & Chicken satay skewers and Vegetable egg roll
a camera in the kitchen 