Thoughts on Food Styling & Photography

So, last year I purchased a fancy camera with intentions and high hopes for doing some food styling for this blog.  Yeah, well....

I had an epiphany this morning.  I like to eat and cook food, I like to grow it and pick it.  I like to read about it and try new things.  I am not a food stylist nor do I think I want to be.  I look at blogs that have lovely half eaten dishes, cutesy tableware and hands holding the "bounty" of whatever and think "THAT is just not me".  I am a real person that is trying to keep the dog out of the trash, a complete meal (hot, please) on the table that everyone enjoys, laundry, gardening, a blog, running multiple businesses, paying bills and possibly time for romance in my 23 year old marriage.  I won't mention children, parents, employees or political telephone calls.

I've decided I just want to share our food with you.  Recipes that taste great and get you interested in new foods, flavors or techniques.  I won't "highlight" any words for my recipes that will take you on a wild goose chase, I won't have perfectly plated dishes or perfectly grown vegetables, we have dishes that don't always match, weeds and bugs.  I will snap a photo with my hands holding the camera, not a "staging" area with lights and "props"....it's like human modeling for food.  Beautiful, but probably unrealistic in my realm.

I have a multitude of photographer friends that are amazing with a camera.  I don't think I love photography  enough to spend too much time on it, and I love food too much to let it grow cold or limp in pursuit of a lovely picture. It's all about balance.
 
If you're into food styling, great, go for it!  I love to look at cookbooks, magazines, etc.  Isn't life always about choosing what works and is right for you?  I hope you enjoy my less than perfect attempts at food styling and the recipes I share.  (Notice I didn't put any photos in this one! :))  

New Friends

Over a year ago, I was looking for a puppy and deciding which breed was right for me.  I ran across a blog written by Juli, from Los Angeles California.  Juli has 3 Pugs and I have since enjoyed communicating through our blogs (www.teapotsandpolkadots.blogspot.com ) about our dogs and life.  Juli has given me great advice for raising Pierre and  I have enjoyed seeing her slice of California life!

After posting pictures of Gina's graduation from the University of Michigan, Juli contacted me and revealed that her son would be a Freshman at Michigan this year and they would be coming to move him into the dorms!

We discussed the logistics and Juli's family decided to stay at our Inn On Evans above The Boulevard Market and we met them there on Sunday evening with Pierre.

I have to admit, this was a bit strange for me as I've never had an internet friend before and I wasn't sure what to expect.  Blogs are an interesting peek into someones life.

Juli was just as warm and friendly, chatty and personable as I expected!  We slipped into friendship as if we had known each other forever!  We were able to carve a bit of time out of preparing their son, David's, dorm room to go to Downtown Home and Garden (I thought Juli would love this place) and have supper together.

Juli and her husband Jeff, were so thoughtful to bring us a taste of their California, local cheese and goodies, and a gift for our Pierre....

The cheese was from "Andante" of Petaluma California and with a stellar reputation of which I had only read about, I was so excited to be able to have a piece of my own!  Simply Fabulous.  Their local "ThinKrisps" Savory Sage Parmesan...unbelievable.  Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookie...sinfully fantastic! 

I was absolutely enchanted by her selection of "sweaters" for Pierre, including a Los Angeles hoodie!  They are ridiculously cute and SO Juli! (I can't wait to return the favor..don'tcha think the Pugs would look amazing in maize and blue ;))    Each sweater is cuter than the last.  I need an extra set of hands to corral little Pierre into each and take photos.  I will be posting them soon!

      
 We had a lovely visit and it was time to say "good-bye", yet Juli is writing blog posts already and it's as if she is around the corner!