My Supper Tonight

I'm still waiting for the final copy. In the mean time I'm finished and perfecting the photography. Certainly I am less crotchety than yesterday and thought i'd take just a moment to share some of these shots from today this is from the Orange and Clove Chapter so you can see whats for my supper tonight! Slow Roast Belly of Pork with Orange & Cloves and for my husbands packed lunch tomorrow it's a Lemon Chicken Rice Salad.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

A new kind of beach bag

On Friday night we set off to Wales. To the Gower Peninsular to have a beach weekend and do some food photography on the beach. What more could a recipe writer need than three hungry children, a beach and a strapping husband to carry the picnic. The shots were going to be romantic, perfect sandwiches, divine chocolate cakes, steaming hot chocolate and wholesome chicken pasties all being eaten by smiling happy clean children on a sunny beach.

In the first instance I forgot to pack the picnic hamper. No plates, cups, knives, forks or spoons. Never mind. In the second instance the first day was pretty much off for pictures. It was grey, and the children, who were beside themselves with excitement would not sleep in the car. It was 11pm by the time we checked in the B& B. Saturday was not going to be smiley happy children.. it was grumpy, winey horrid too tired children not fit for a photo… I began to wonder if this was a good idea!

Fortunately the next day the sun and smiles came out after a good nights sleep. We really did spend a delightful Sunday on the beach at Port Eynon

The authentic setting for the food shots made photographing more than a little hazardous. There was sand in almost everything. My son particularly enjoyed the crunch texture asking if we could take some sand back to season his jam sandwiches at home. The lighting was harsh. Full sun, followed by clouds ensued by intense bursts of sun. My aperture and speed settings swung from one end of scales to another in seconds. The wind blew the napkins everywhere. The children kicked sand in the pasties. Husband shouted at them. I dropped the cake. My youngest fell head first into a rock pool. Luckily I was photographing the cardamom hot chocolate and a steaming sweet mug cup saved the day turning a cold wet child and buckets of tears back into smiles again.

It occurred to me that perhaps I should shoot some of the food shots in a more controlled environment at home. I filled a bag with sand, pebbles, seaweed and shells. Aside from carrying Isobel on his shoulders, three baskets, two fishing nets and a rugby ball back my husband also had to cart a large holder of welsh beach back to the car, whilst I quipped about it being a beach bag.

Now all I need is some proper sunshine and to mock up the beach on the patio at home and when the photos are done my son can season his sarnies with the leftover sand.

Salvaged Fallen Mirabelle

I salvaged a basket of fallen Mirabelle yesterday at the side of a quiet country lane. As I arrived home I set to on the computer and totted up the numbers. I realised that there are still 96 more recipes to write up and 50 more to photograph. So there is still a long way to go. The deadline is December.

I am excited today, because I am going to Rococo in Weedon Northamptonshire, where Stephanie and her husband (I have yet to meet him) have a salvage yard. I’d like to have some pictures of one of the salad recipes on white washed aged floor boards. I know exactly what I want the photo to look like. I, or rather Bunny and I, will need to chop and saw and drill to get a small working floorboard prop for my mocked up studio in the lounge. I am however wondering how I am to get a reclaimed floor board back home in my car. There is a comedy moment looming. What treasure I will find .. and what fun.

In the mean time - I am about to cook a Mirabelle pie, as a thank you to Stephanie for allowing me to use her yard as a shoot location. These Mirabelle, rescued from the roadside,are so beautiful, bright, plump and shiny.. it almost..almost a shame to cook them.

Shoot now, Eat later

Tidy clean, tidy clean, cook cook cook. Getting the opportunity to write anything this week so far has escaped me. Although the photo shoot went really well on Tuesday, the preparation and the clearing up afterwards was significant. I acknowledge my husband publicly at this point for his help. As I promised to honour and obey in my wedding vows, I recall he promised to wash up and skivvy.. no really .. I am sure he did.

It’s been about five years since I last did any photography with a very talented and artistic chap called Tony Hardacre; I find him as dynamic and responsive as ever. Thank goodness... because when he arrived to see the piles and piles of food ready waiting to be shoot he looked a little apprehensive. This look turned into a brief moment of fright as I presented a list of 14 different recipes that I wanted to get done in just over 2 hours. I was convinced for a moment that he was going to grab his camera and make for the door at speed. Luckily the instinct to eat is great, even in alarmed photographers ... it must have been the delicious smell of roasting chicken, fresh baked bread and quiche that persuaded him to stay and we got to straight to it.

If you could do a photo shoot at 100 miles an hour this was it. I am tickled pink with the results, and even Tony admitted that despite the initial shock at the speed of the whole process there is some serious “life” in the pictures. I am a firm believer that controlled pressure hones your instincts and the focus results in spectacular work in life, and in the kitchen. This certainly was the case with these shots. Thank you Tony.

I shall put some up with each new post as tasters .. but sadly I will have to stay diciplined and save my favourites for the book ... ahhh the anticipation.....


Tony’s website www.thphotography.co.uk