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Today's post is all about the idea of blogging as community. Through blogging, and especially here at Half Hour Meals, I have made some great friends and met some truly amazing people. These people and their friendships mean a great deal to me and I feel very blessed because of them. We may live at opposite ends of the country, or even the globe, but we are united in our love of food, cooking and fellowship. That, my friends, is community, and it's an incredible thing!
So why do we blog? I believe it's not just because we want to express our thoughts and feelings to whoever is "out there". That's part of it to be sure, but I believe there is something deeper that motivates us to blog. I think we are searching for community...to know that somewhere out there, someone has the same thoughts, feelings and interests as we do. I know I often find myself wondering if anyone is reading my blog...does anybody care about what I'm writing? I don't know about ya'll but it just makes my day when I get a new follower or someone leaves a comment!
So let's reach out to each other and say "hello" ok? I would like to challenge each of you to reach out to other bloggers....give them a "follow", leave comments...let them know they really are part of the community! We bloggers are wonderful, caring and generous people...let's not forget to support one another! And to Anne, Theresa, Angie, Tony, Trish, Lady Catherine, Amy B., Chilly and Wanda, Marla, BJ, and all my other HHM family...love you all and thanks for the support!
Thomas Morris is one part lawyer and one part foodophile, something I thought was an odd combination. Thomas set me straight, though and let me in on his foodie life. Read on to learn more about our resident lawyer/cook and his blog, Thomas the Accidental Gourmet.
How does a lawyer wind up in writing a food blog? What is cooking to you - a hobby, an outlet, or a passion?
You'd be surprised about lawyers! Just like anybody else, we all have interests outside of our profession. My wife, Jenn, also likes to cook, but she's more of a follow-the-recipe type of person.
I'd have to say that cooking is a mix of all three things you mentioned. I'm certainly no professional, so I guess it's a hobby. It also is a great way to unwind after a stressful day/week. Finally, I'm very passionate about my cooking. I critique everything I make, and always try to improve. Friends who come to dinner are usually uncomfortable the first time because it sounds like Jenn and I are tearing apart each other's cooking. Actually, we're just figuring out how to make it better the next time.
As for writing the blog, it started more as a personal recipe repository, but I had some friends and family that said they enjoyed it, so I started trying to make my posts (i) more interesting and (ii) more regular. Life does, however, get in the way sometimes...
Have you always lived in Texas? What are other food influences in your life?
I grew up in the little apple, Manhattan, Kansas. My mother is from west Texas, and my father from northeastern Georgia. So, I'd have to say that southern cooking has always been in my household. (The folks used to have to special order buttermilk to make cornbread.)
It wasn't until I moved to Texas in 1986 that I really started to get into the spicier side of things (there simply isn't a good Mexican restaurant in Kansas).
As far as other influences, I've spent time in southern France, Tuscany and the Caribbean. So I'd have to say that I've got a lot of Mediterranean dishes, rustic Italian, and then Caribbean fare, using ginger and fruit with a lot of spices. Stuff I've made includes couscous; panini with tomato, basil and mozzarella; and "goat water," which is what they call curried goat stew in St. Lucia.
What would a day in your kitchen look like?
Morning or night? In the morning, I boil water for coffee in the French press, grind some coffee, then come up with something interesting for breakfast. My wife would be content with cereal every day, so I do the breakfast cooking. (Recently, I've become a fan of spreading avocado on toast and topping it with tomatoes and bacon.)
At night, we usually get home from the office about 8:00. I get the protein I took out of the freezer from the night before, and make something happen with whatever vegetables we have while Jenn cleans up.
On the weekends, the mornings are the same, but we typically cook something fairly involved together.
An unexpected guest stops by for dinner and you had nothing planned -what's your secret for a quick fix?
Stick my head in the 'fridge and come out with dinner! I rarely cook anything using a recipe (some sauces are the exception, but that's only because I don't do a more complicated sauce such as a béarnaise or beurre blanc very often.) So, making a nice dinner on the fly for guests is about the same as any other meal at our house, just for more people.
That being said, if I've got it on hand it's hard to go wrong with a good steak on the grill. Barring that, a pasta primavera with shrimp or chicken is always a crowd pleaser and super easy to make. Can't forget the wine of course! (We have a wine fridge, be we can never seem to keep it full for some reason...)
Name a handful of ingredients you couldn't live without.
Onions. Garlic. Oregano. Cumin. Kosher salt. Limes and lemons. Tomatoes. A hard cheese, such as parmesan or pecorino toscano. I also usually have ginger, bell peppers and serranos on hand.
Do you use cookbooks? What is a favorite?
Rarely. My mother in-law gave me "Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making" by James Patterson that I really like. Sometimes we'll crack open "The Joy of Cooking" for a reference. I'd say this is a must-have for anyone serious about cooking.
How are you liking Half Hour Meals so far? What would you tell others about the site?
I think it's great. There are a lot of talented people out there. It's nice to see that quick meals have moved away from the simple to real gourmet. I'd tell anyone that needs a little quick inspiration to check it out!
Thank you, Thomas - and I'd like to tell anyone reading this to head on over to read Thomas' blog or page here at Half Hour Meals - both very worthy reads.
Half Hour Meals member Sandi lives in Dallas, Texas, and authors a fun, sassy blog dedicated to sharing her thoughts on things she loves such as entertaining, shopping, cooking, reading, etc. From snack cakes to Rachel Ray recipes, with tidbits about her family mixed in, there is always something interesting on the menu at Sandi’s blog! Read on to learn more about Sandi:
Your blog, Peel Me A Grape, is a fun place to read about your thoughts on things you love like books, cooking, and entertaining! What inspired you to start your blog and what’s the story behind the name? I love trying new recipes – especially enchiladas. Back in 2008, I sent a picture of my latest attempt to a friend. She replied back stating that I really should start a blog. I had never even READ a blog much less knew how to START a blog. For kicks, I Googled blogs, and within about 30 minutes – I was hooked. I changed the name of my blog from “simplysandi” to “Peel Me A Grape” about a year later. Peel Me A Grape is a song by my favorite jazz singer, Diana Krall. I was thinking of dieting at the time, and the idea of peeling grapes to lose weight struck me as funny. Then, I realized that this title represents me and all things I love – like romance, music, food, and wine.
You live in the great state of Texas (also the home of Half Hour Meals!). What is your favorite recipe that reflects the unique regional flavors of Texas? Fajitas. It combines Texans love of all types of meats from beef to seafood with all the spices that scream Texas – cumin, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder. It is a very versatile dish. Based on the seasoning, it can be mild or spicy. I am constantly experimenting with different marinades to bring out the best flavor in the meat. Just last night I used a Mango Ginger Haberno sauce. The fajitas were awesome.
Do you have a signature dish? What is it and how did you come up with it? This is a hard one. The latest dish that I’ve been serving company is Shrimp Pasta in a Tomato Chile Sauce. It’s an Emeril Lagasse recipe. It has all my favorite spices along with pepper jack cheese for that extra kick and creaminess.
Name 5-10 ingredients you can’t live without. vanilla, unsalted butter, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, light sour cream, cheese (all flavors), Italian bread crumbs, extra virgin olive oil Interviewer’s note: I suspect Sandi was cheating a bit by naming cheese (all flavors), but we like her so much we’ll let her pass!
Surprise! Tony Romo, Quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys is coming to dinner! What would you serve? I’d pick the main course from “The Pioneer Woman Cooks” cookbook - either the rib-eye steak or chicken fried steak. I’d serve it with twice-baked potatoes, lettuce wedge with blue cheese, and banana pudding for dessert.
You have a 23-year-old son. When you make a special dinner for just for him, what do you make? How has being a mom influenced your cooking and your blog? My son has many favorites – mostly Italian, but his ultimate favorite dish is very simple - chicken tenders with mashed potatoes and peas. I use mayo on the chicken then dip them in Italian bread crumbs and bake for 20 minutes. He loves them dipped in bbq sauce. I didn’t cook much when my son was younger. He was a picky eater. As he got older, I found that the more he appreciated good food, the more I liked learning to cook it.
What is your favorite cookbook and why? The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I basically want to cook every recipe in the book. She has updated the classics like “pot roast” or “chicken fried steak”. I recently made her “potato skins” – they were awesome, and it was like I went back in time to the 80’s.
Do you see yourself still blogging several years from now? How do you balance food blogging and life? I am hooked on blogging and really want to evolve my blog. I work full-time, so just keeping my blog up to date was a challenge at first. I have learned to “schedule” postings so that my blog stays current, but the hardest part is finding the time to take advantage of the tools available.
If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them? Half Hour Meals is a great site to get quick and easy recipes as well as share your own. It’s appealing to look at and easy to navigate. I do not feel overwhelmed at all when I go to it. So many sites have so much information, you do not know where to start.
My deepest thanks to Sandi for letting into her world for just a bit. I hope you all will stop by and visit her page at Half Hour Meals, and be sure to check out her wonderful blog as well!
Half Hour Meals member, Nancyscooking is the author of not just a food blog, but an entire site dedicated to food. Read on to learn more about Nancy and her husband Matt and their exciting food adventures!
Your site, Food Tastes Yummy, is not just a blog, but an entire website! How do you keep up with such a large undertaking?
I realize that most bloggers don't blog everyday but I manage to keep it up by planning my meals ahead of time. I make sure that, most of the time, I'm not re-creating a dish specifically only for the blog. I want the recipes to be one one of my daily breakfast, lunch, dinner or desserts. Also, grocery shopping once a week also means that planning needs to be involved for a grocery list to be possible. I absolutely love food and cooking so I don't consider this really a large undertaking.
Are all of the recipes posted your own creations? What inspires you when creating a new recipe?
Most of the recipes on the blog are my own creation, but of course when I do post a recipe from another source I always make sure to give credit where credit is due. Cookbooks inspire me, food and cooking websites like Half Hour Meals inspire me, going grocery shopping inspires me. Really I could be just walking outside and a recipe will pop into my head. Luckily, I always carry a little notebook with me just in case.
Take us through a usual day in your kitchen.
The usual day in the kitchen really is no different than any other home cook out there. I make sure to have a good breakfast, and have my morning coffee. Once I have those I'm set for the rest of the day. I just make sure to cook around the same times every day so I can keep a daily routine going.
Name 5 ingredients you can't live without.
Oh this is an easy one.... olive oil, garlic, tomatoes (can never have too much of this), salt and cheese. Most recipes call for one or more of these ingredients. These are definitely my must haves in the kitchen!
Your husband also writes, but about beverages rather than food. It sounds like a match made in heaven - is it really?
Yes! Matt was buying the occasional wine or beer so he can enjoy it at dinner time. He almost always had an opinion about what he was drinking, which then got me thinking. Matt also happens to be a terrific writer as well (I do realize here that I am little biased) but really he was a natural fit for the blog. Needless to say, we are very much enjoying the blogging ride together.
Food Tastes Yummy is only 5 months old, but very full so far. Do you see yourself still blogging a year from now? What are your plans?
Most definitely! I always wanted to start a food blog but didn't know how to go about starting one until 5 months ago. I plan to blog about my love for food and provide recipes for all those home cooks out there for years to come. I am in the preliminary stages right now of re-designing the blog for next year. I plan to make the blog more interactive and hopefully I will start posting videos next year as well. I am currently working on holiday recipes and will have some guest Christmas food bloggers posting their favourite holiday recipes soon.
Have you tried others' recipes from Half Hour Meals?
I have tried several recipes from Half Hour Meals and really thoroughly enjoyed them. The lemon bars I made recently were really delicious. I have a personal notebook full of recipes I love, and I wrote down several of the Half Hour Meals recipes that I plan to make again and again!
How would you describe Half Hour Meals to others?
I consider Half Hour Meals to be a website that assists people to find tasty recipes so that they can make a fast meal at home. I just love the idea of homecooks and foodies coming together on a website, and helping others just like themselves to cook satisfying meals during the busy work week. I have recommended this site to quite a few people that are always stuck on what to make for dinner. They haven't complained since.
Thanks so much for sharing your blogging life with us, Nancy! Please stop by her blog or her page here at Half Hour Meals to find out more about Nancy.
Half Hour Meals member FujiMama is Rachael who blogs at La Fuji Mama, a life blog that transformed into a food blog. Her photos are beautiful and her recipes accessible and innovative. One trip to her blog and you'll be back for more, guaranteed. Read on to learn more about Rachael, and when you're done, be sure to visit her Half Hour Meals page and her blog. You can also find her on Twitter as @fujimama and become a fan of La Fuji Mama on Facebook.
Your blog, La Fuji Mama has been up and running for nearly 3 years, what
is the inspiration behind your blog?
My inspiration is my love for food and family and for trying to live life
to its fullest. I started my blog right after the birth of my oldest
daughter, while we were living in Japan. I started blogging as a way of
journaling our experiences living overseas. When we moved back to the US a
little over a year ago, I went through a period of a few months where I had
no idea what to do with my blog. I finally realized that the longer I had
been blogging, the more food showed up. I've always loved to cook and eat,
so food blogging was a natural transition. My blogging still is heavily
influenced by my time in Japan as we still eat a lot of Japanese food, or
incorporate Japanese flavors and ingredients into our meals.
Having a family can be very challeging for a food blogger. How do you
make it work for you?
I try to make what I write representative of what we're actually
eating/doing. The wonderful thing about blogging is that I'm not having to
blog every single meal that we eat, so I can constantly have new content.
I use my cooking time as an opportunity to involve my oldest daughter in
the kitchen. The actual writing usually takes place during naptimes or in
5 minute increments here and there. I keep a laptop in my kitchen, so if I
have a thought, I can run over to my computer and type it out.
Walk us through a typical day in your kitchen.
It seems that for the most part, there is no typical day in our kitchen!
My girls are still so young (3 years old and 10 months) that it's hard to
predict what any given day is going to be like. We always start the day
with a simple breakfast--usually oatmeal, miso soup, or fruit and yogurt.
Depending on what we're having for dinner that night, I may start cooking
early. Lunch is often leftovers from dinner the night before, or a quick
recipe I've been dying to try out. We've got a rice cooker sitting on our
counter that is always filled with fresh rice, so several times a week we
have onigiri (Japanese rice balls) for an afternoon snack.
(http://www.lafujimama.com/2009/03/onigiri-squirrels-favorite-oyatsu.html)
Depending on the day of the week I also make bread. About an hour before
dinnertime I usually put the baby in her highchair with a snack so that I
can have my hands free to finish/start cooking dinner, and my oldest
daughter comes in and helps or watches. There seems to always be something
going on in our kitchen, and as a result, it's usually a bit crazy. My
rule is that I can't go to sleep with a dirty kitchen, so I usually spend
some time after the girls go to bed cleaning up.
Name a handful of ingredients you can't live without.
Fresh basil, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, butter, yeast, flour, and miso
paste.
How many cookbooks do you have and which is your favorite? Why?
I have no idea how many cookbooks I have--too many! Chocolate and
cookbooks are my biggest weaknesses. LOL I have several favorites,
depending on the type of food I'm making, but one of my favorites that is
currently getting the most use is "Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home
Kitchen" by Elizabeth Andoh.
The book is basically a master class on Japanese approaches to prepping
ingredients for cooking, the basics of the different techniques used to
cook those ingredients, and the equipment required for each procedure. I
started a group called Washoku Warriors to start cooking through the book. The book is gorgeous and is a
fabulous reference source. It also makes cooking Japanese cuisine very
accessible, even to someone without any previous knowledge of the cuisine.
It's been wonderful to strengthen some of my existing skills and learn some
new ones!
Do you see La Fuji Mama still running in a few years? What are your
plans?
Yes, La Fuji Mama is around for the long haul. My current plans are to
keep doing what I'm doing and exploring this crazy huge world of food.
I love your recipe for Chipotle Pork Quichelettes. I know they were
devised for a dairy challenge and I think you hit the mark! Without an
impetus like that challenge, what else inspires you to create original
recipes?
I get inspiration from a variety of sources. Sometimes it's a recipe that
looks good, but I rework it to fit the ingredients that are already in my
pantry. Sometimes it's a particular ingredient (like the Diary Challenge).
Sometimes I take a dish and try to think of new ways of looking at it or
thinking about it. Sometimes I taste something at a restaurant that I then
try to recreate at home. I also occasionally do a theme week where the
entire week is devoted to a certain ingredient, type of food, etc. This
forces me to come up with new ideas (ex: Pumpkin Palooza, Cupcake Week,
Tofu Week, etc.)
Have you tried any others' recipes from HHM?
I'm relatively new to the HHM community, but I have tried several recipes
from other members. Though my favorite activity is lurking on the
discussion board...
How would you describe HHM to others?
A community where you can go for recipes, advice, inspiration, and ideas
and where we're all normal people with a limited amount of time!
Half Hour Meals Member Kris lives in New York and writes a fun, flirty, blog dedicated to her all-consuming love for chocolate. One look at this fun and lighthearted blog is enough to convince you that this lady is serious….she really loves chocolate! In fact, her blog profile states that her first love is chocolate and her second is words, which explains why she lists her profession as “journalist/chocoholic”. Read on to learn more about Kris and perhaps join her in her devotion to chocolate:
Your blog, Married to Chocolate, is dedicated to your intense love of chocolate as well as your passion for journalism. What inspired you to start a blog that combines your two passions? Married to Chocolate was part of a grad school project at Syracuse University where I got my MA in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism. We launched a magazine and web site targeted at divorced women (get it? Married to Chocolate!) That's the long answer. The short answer--I followed my heart!
What is your earliest chocolate memory and how did it spark your lifelong love affair with chocolate? Lucky for me, I grew up in a house where my grandparents baked cakes on a regular basis. I remember our kitchen table being a constant mess of flour, eggs, and cocoa powder. And chocolate cake was my grandfather's specialty! He would make an extra batch of fudgy chocolate icing for me, and a tub of homemade caramel for my sister. Come dessert time we would each grab a spoon and dig in. How we didn't grow up to be morbidly obese, I don't know.
If you could eat your favorite chocolate anywhere in the world with anyone you wanted, where would you go, who would you take, and what would you eat? That's a loaded question! Eating chocolate is such a normal occurrence to me that I can't really isolate it into this single momentous event.. but I'm dying to go to Tuscany to meet chocolatiers Alessio and Cecilia Tessieri of Amedei. I've been salivating over their pralines for some time now. And I would probably take my favorite guy in the whole wide world with me-my three-year old nephew Logan. He's a little chocolate-lover too!
You obviously love chocolate in pretty much any forms and flavor. If you could have only one thing that is chocolate from now on, what would it be and why? One thing? Wow. I'm actually not a fan of all flavors of chocolate--I appreciate the creativity but I'm not crazy about the spicy ones. I also tend to favor chocolate I can chew (hot chocolate is purely a Christmas indulgence for me). That said, if this nightmare were to come true, I would have to choose dark chocolate truffles--the soft ones--dusted with cocoa please.
White chocolate. Is it really chocolate or not? No it's not and that's exactly why I don't like it! I take my cocoa content seriously. I like my chocolate deep and dark.
So what’s your obsession with Red Velvet Cupcakes all about? The reason why I love Red Velvet Cupcakes--and this I found out after I fell in love with them--is because they have cocoa in them. Figures! And hello, cream cheese frosting? What's not to love? To me, it's just one of those flavors that works. Pure genius.
I just love your “No-Bake Mondays” posts…each one featuring a delightful way to enjoy a no-bake chocolate treat! Where do you get the inspiration for your no-bake recipes? I once lived in a studio apartment with a tiny kitchen. I had a toaster oven but it couldn't do hardcore baking so I had to be creative.. I was also a student then and I couldn't exactly splurge on Callebaut chocolates and whatnot.
I look at recipes, strip them down to the basic ingredients, and play mix and match. I like recycling leftovers (leftover Halloween candy or cranberry sauce) and turning them into quick and easy desserts. No-Bake recipes have limitations (like no eggs, usually), but once you know how to work around them, there is so much you can do with ingredients that are probably already in your cupboard. I really believe no-baking is an underrated art- you just have to use your imagination!
Your recipe for No-Bake Microwave Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins looks amazing, quick, and oh-so easy. What is your absolute favorite no-bake treat? I'm a HUGE fan of fridge cakes! Graham crackers and vanilla yogurt can go a really long way if you're creative. My favorite to-date is the bastardized Nigella recipe I made--vanilla yogurt, whipped cream, dried mangoes, graham crackers--I swear by it! The Frozen Smores Bars were not too bad either.
Do you see yourself still blogging several years from now? I would like to think that as long as there is chocolate in the world, Married To Chocolate would be around. In the future though I do want to develop this into a full-blown chocolate extravaganza with a full editorial team of chocolate-obsessed people like me. I need someone to split the calories with.
Why did you join Half Hour Meals? It was a pleasure to be invited by TonyB!
When did you join Half Hour Meals? Pretty sure I joined the site in October.
What's your favorite thing about the site? I'm a huge fan of quick and easy stuff. Who has more than half an hour to cook anyway??
Have you tried others' recipes from Half Hour Meals? Unfortunately, not yet, but I do hope to try the desserts soon. I saw a No-Bake CHocolate Fudge Tart recipe on there that looks very, very tempting.
If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them? The go-to web site for people who don't want to slave away in the kitchen all day and still come up with pretty amazing stuff! If you want to spend more time on the dining table than in the kitchen, this web site is for you!
Thanks for sharing with us, Kris! I hope you all will stop by and visit Kris’s page at Half Hour Meals, and be sure to check out her wonderful blog as well!
Half Hour Meals community member Enzie isn't just a food blogger, she is also a portrait artist who does beautiful work which you can see at her World Market Portraits blog. That beauty carries over easily into her food blog, Sur la Table Cuisine. Her blog is filled with beautiful food photography and delicious and varied recipes. Enzie shares more with us about her food blog and her photography.
Sur La Table is nearly a year old. You have several other blogs, as well
- what was the pull to blog about food?
When you love food as much as I do, you tend to collect just about every
cookbook and recipe you come across to eventually try it out. This has led
to a collection of books and huge binders filled with recipes. Frankly it
all got out of hand, making it almost impossible to remember where which
recipe was housed. I started Sur La Table Cuisine as a place to organize my
recipe collection. When my daughter and son moved away, I realized that I
can also share their favorite recipes through the blog. Little did I know
that friends where looking up my recipes as well, which in turn spurred me
to get really organized and put more effort into Sur La Table Cuisine.
Do you have a family? If so, how does it change the way you blog?
My husband and I are new empty nesters. My daughter resides in San Francisco
and my son attends the university there. My children like to look up their
favorite recipes on my blog now, which amuses me greatly, since they both
were rather fussy when it came to food. Because of them I took better care
to make the recipes easy to follow and have searched for a way to make the
recipes printable. Since I am a professional artist and very visual what I
prepare has to taste great and be presented even better. I really put some
time in thinking about how to present the food I serve. My husband loves
this, because he usually receives the signature plate (the one that is
nicely decorated and photographed). He now actually prefers to dine in
rather than out!
What is a usual day in your kitchen like?
My studio is at home, so I work until about 1PM before I take a lunch break
and stop work between 6-7PM. Then it is a mad dash to the kitchen and quick
thinking about what to prepare. I have a friend who jokingly says I am like
a mad scientist in the kitchen, pots and pans fly everywhere and food is
prepared at lightning speed. My recipes tend to be for the busy chef, who
loves great food, but needs it to get done in about 30 minutes or less. When
I entertain, I start cooking at 6am with a big cup of cappuccino at my side
and usually cook up a storm until about 3PM when the kitchen gets cleaned
up. It's called Marathon cooking ~ but I love it!
Name 3 ingredients that are always in your pantry.
Spices, vegetable stock, tomato paste.
Do you use cookbooks? If so, how many do you have and which is your
favorite?
Yes, I use cookbooks when I draw a blank or crave something to excite my
taste buds. I have way too many cookbooks and really no particular
favorite. Since I am so visual, the photo sells me first, a quick glance at
the ingredients gets me excited and if it was easy to make and tasted out of
this world, it is added to the favorite list.
Your Mediterranean Veggi Sandwich is something I'd make for myself. Do
you use a lot of Mediterranean ingredients? Are your recipes your own
creations or adaptations?
I come from a family that is a true melting pot. Being half Iranian and half
German, we also have other countries, such as Italy represented in our blood
line. Having lived in and travelled to the Middle East, Europe and Asia my
taste buds have been introduced to a variety of different cuisines and this
has taught me that there are so many ways similar ingredients can be paired
to prepare something entirely new. I like to use old time favorites and put
a new spin to them to suit my taste and cooking style. When I entertain
there are usually no less than 20 people present and the food served has to
be appealing to variety of age groups from different nationalities. Our
Christmas dinner for example is a pairing of German, Iranian and American
dishes that all have to make sense and taste well together. To avoid
repetition, this just calls for a creative new recipe by moi to keep
everyone smiling.
Help the rest of us with food photography; what is the best tip you can
share for taking great photos?
As a portrait artist, I had to learn how to proper light and photograph
models. This learning process is ongoing since taking photos of food has its
own challenges, like with cream melting before you have zoomed in. I found
preparation is the key and I try to stick to this game plan:
1. Make sure camera is fully charged and is set up on a tripod. (If you
don't have one, invest in it!)
2. Camera Model is not as important as proper lighting and a focused photo.
3. Decide on your color scheme, props and set up ahead of time.
a. Color scheme - use complimentary colors to enhance the colors of the food
b. Props create atmosphere. Props can be different dishes, beautiful
silverware, nice tablecloth, etc.
4. Lay everything out and do a quick dry run making sure the lighting is
good and the camera settings are in the right mode.
5. When the food is served, move quick and take several shots from different
angles.
Have you tried any others' recipes from HHM?
I just joined HHM and have bookmarked several recipes that have caught my
eye to try over the holidays.
How would you describe HHM to others?
Half hour meals is a well organized web site that offers food recipes for
the busy chef. I really like the idea that dishes have to be prepared under
30 minutes, because let's face it we are all super busy, but love to eat
well. HHM is definitely a place to explore!
Thank you so much for sharing a bit of your food life with us, Enzie! Please do go and visit her page here at Half Hour Meals as well as her beautiful blogs.
Half Hour Meals Member Billie Jean (“BJ”) writes a playfully informative blog about breathing life and love into the daily necessity of eating. With a focus on teaching and inspiring her readers, BJ’s passion and enthusiasm shine through in her posts and recipes, and convey her desire to bring people together around the table. Read on to learn more about BJ and be inspired by her wonderful blog:
Your blog, Cook. Eat. Love, is dedicated to cooking, learning and inspiring. What inspired you to start a this blog? I decided to start this blog because cooking is a real passion of mine. Cook-Eat-Love is a way to direct my food-loving and creative energy. I talk about food all the time, I might as well write about it.
What is your earliest food memory and how did it spark your lifelong love affair with food? My mother was a great cook. She is the kind of cook who never used recipes but could pull together cabbage rolls, meat pie, curry etc and it tasted excellent. My first real food "experience" happened when I was living in Belgium and I got invited to a Christmas Eve Dinner. I journaled about it later because it was one of the most magical evenings ever. The dinner was the main event and we ate from 7pm until mid-night, each course prepared with excellence. I could go on but I should stop myself.
The recipes on your blog are an eclectic mix of International cuisines. Do you have a favorite? I do not have any particular favorite cuisine. I find them all interesting and tasty. I appreciate how each culture expresses itself through food.
You mention your love of kitchen tools. If you could only keep one, what would it be and why? Only one eh? It would have to be my kitchen aid stand mixer. I am not sure if that counts as a tool or not but the mixer could not go. I also need good knives...
How long have you been blogging and how has blogging changed your daily life? I have been blogging for 1 year. My daily life has changed in that I am more dedicated to the art of what I cook. Photographing food has become very important to me. When I plan my menu, I always want to stretch myself to do something new.
I really like the way you provide information, background and anecdotes in your articles and recipes. Your blog entry “About Pye” is a wonderful primer on the art of making a perfect pie crust, and is informative for both beginners and experienced cooks. Do you have experience as a teacher? Have you ever considered conducting cooking classes? I do not have any experience as a teacher and have not thought about cooking classes.
Your recipe for Belgian Waffles looked delicious and made me want to grab the maple syrup! What is your favorite breakfast recipe? My favorite breakfast recipe would have to be home-made granola. There is nothing like created and baking your own granola. It makes all the difference in the world.
Do you see yourself still blogging several years from now? I will continue blogging as long as it continues to be a passion of mine. I don't doubt that it ever won't be. Cooking is such a huge part of who I am and I hope to continue to make art of it.
Why did you join Half Hour Meals? I really enjoyed looking at all the different recipes and blogs. I appreciate any cooking style so it is great to be able to check so many out
When did you join Half Hour Meals? I joined HHM in September or October.
What's your favorite thing about the site? I really enjoy seeing the daily features, it catches my attention.
If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them? It is a great site for recipes and community.
Thanks for sharing with us, Billie Jean! I hope you all will stop by and visit BJ’s page at Half Hour Meals, and be sure to check out her wonderful blog as well!
As Thanksgiving approaches, my stress level reaches its annual high as I worry about my menu, the number and size of turkeys I have yet to cook, and whether or not everyone will fit comfortably around my dining room table. I share this day, as many Americans do, with loved ones in the comfort of my home. I fill myself with all the holiday delectables and spend the remainder of the day either pretending to watch football or chatting with family and friends.
I must confess that I am often guilty of losing sight of the underlying spirit of this holiday: giving thanks for all we have. I become consumed with the myriad of tasks and ultimately the celebration, overlooking the millions of less fortunate Americans unable to similarly celebrate. Their fears are unlike mine. Many worry whether or not they will even have a next meal. They are not strangers living on the other side of the world. They live in every community, their children attend school with mine. With Madoff, the stock market crash, the unraveling of U.S. financial institutions, and the failure of the auto industry, this country has witnessed unemployment and homelessness reach epic proportions.
With these things in mind, this Thanksgiving I am pledging to make a difference in the life of others less fortunate and honor the true meaning and spirit of this holiday.
My motto for this Thanksgiving: DONATE. PREPARE. DELIVER OR SERVE.
There are so many different ways to help. Here are just a few:
Volunteer in a local homeless shelter, soup kitchen or food bank.
Organize a food drive and donate the food to a soup kitchen.
Visit a local hospital and spend time with patients alone this holiday.
Visit a nursing home. Bring your kids and spend time with the elderly reading a book, taking a walk or playing a game.
Contact the Red Cross, Salvation Army or other non-profit organization in your area and ask how you might help.
Instead of bringing flowers or a gift to your Thanksgiving host, give a donation to your local food bank, soup kitchen or organization helping those in need. Check out Feedingamerica.org.
Thank our soldiers by sending them care packages through organizations such as TreatsForTroops.com.
Sign up for a Turkey trot or community run or walk that donates its proceeds to those in need.
Or join me, along with HHM and BlogCatalog.com as they unite to help the hungry with their BROWN BAG PROJECT. Bloggers will unite by using their blogs to inspire others to help those who need it most. During the week leading up to Thanksgiving, take some time away from your holiday preparation. Contact your church, synagogue, clubs or school and ask them to help you locate needy families in your community. Then pack up your brown bags with non-perishables such as stuffing mixes, boxed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, canned corn, cranberry sauces, coupons for a turkey and pumpkin pie. Fill the bags with practical items in addition to delicious goodies. Get your kids, neighbors and friends to help you hand deliver them to these families. Attach a card saying "from someone who cares about you." It’s not about getting credit for what you did, it’s about making one day special for someone in need. Take pictures of you and your helpers packing these bags. On November 21, 2009 join us on HHM for a community discussion, share your experiences, and post your photos. If you can't take time to PREPARE, PACK OR DELIVER, please consider making a donation to a local food bank or other non profit organization.
Remember, now is the time to start making a change. As Anne Frank said, "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." Please join me!
'Happiness is back' according to Christian O'Dowd, but judging by his own upbeat attitude, I don't think his happiness ever left. Husband, father and caterer extraordinaire, he is energetic, engaging and passionate about food and it was nothing short of delightful speaking with him via phone last week. His outlook on life is downright enviable and his talent evident, from the posts on his blog, Catering Talk to the clip of him on MyFox NY, he has an air about him that is at once high-class and average nice-guy.
Leaving high school early to travel and learn from life, he made his own way and eventually settled down to start The Cantering Caterer, Westport, Connecticut's premier catering service, and has been going strong for 9 years. With 140 event staff, they handle everything from the small and cozy to the large and upscale with ease. His most recent gigs had him serving 200 at a Coney Island party complete with a competitive eater to a benefit for Earthplace Nature Discovery Center along with weddings and estate parties thrown in the mix.
I asked Christian what's good for the 2009 Holiday Season and his answer was immediate: comfort food with a twist. People are wanting the comforts of home with a little extra thrown in; not just macaroni & cheese, but macaroni & cheese with black truffle. His hottest and most requested dessert right now is his own grandmother's bread pudding. And, while you may think, as I did, that budget is King, O'Dowd is seeing just the opposite.
Living as close to Wall Street as he does, he gets to experience upticks and downturns before much of the nation and his call, and the behavior of his clients supports this, is that things are on the upswing. Companies are opting for larger holiday parties to boost morale and even smaller clients are looking for a bit more luxury. Everyone is tired of scrimping, and this catering season is showing it.
Beyond the recipes that Christian already has uploaded to Half Hour Meals, I asked him what his choice of a quick meal would be and he responded with, "What my wife and I had last night. Homemade Cavatelli (previously frozen) tossed with capers, tomatoes and garlic, deglazed with a pinot noir and finished with lots and lots of butter and grated cheese." Perfect!
What's next for this Cantering Caterer? A full-scale Thanksgiving feast for 90 people who would otherwise not be able to have Thanksgiving Dinner and an overfull roster of clients for that day as well.
Keep your eyes out for this caterer and his fabulous offerings and if you live in the Westport, Connecticut area, you know who to call for your next big (or small) event. And don't forget to check out Christian's page here at Half Hour Meals.
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