Wood roasted mushrooms

Our friend Mark from Sydney was in town last week, so that was a good excuse to fire up the wood fired oven. Mark has a wfo on his farm in Illinois, and it was unseasonably warm, so that was all the incentive I needed. The landscape was bleak, but our hearts were warm.

Shiitakes in the inferno

Most of the meal was cooked in the oven, starting with shiitake mushrooms, with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. The main course was a rolled pork loin, stuffed with chard, fennel, leeks, and picholine olives. An uncooked walnut/bread sauce was an unusual but tasty accompaniment. Wood roasted brussels sprouts, potatoes and onions, and grilled ciabatta completed the warm parts of the meal. The recipe instructions for rolling the pork were not very clear, so I turned Mark loose with a rolling pin and he was able to flatten it within a half inch of its life.

A simple green salad was followed by a small cheese course: Emmenthaler, Neal’s Yard Blue, and Tomme, served with pear chutney. The wines weren’t bad either, as seen below.

'95 Chambolle Musigny, 2000 Haut Carles, and '96 Prunotto Barolo

Eloise in full stride

We photographed some dogs last week, and one part of the assignment was to catch the dogs running. When it comes to action photos, you never know what you are going to get, and in the case of the little bulldog at left, our first try out of the box was pretty funny. She was a live wire, and Lisa the dog trainer said it was like handling a ham with four legs. She looked like a hungry alien to me.

Mojito

I’m liking the way 2012 is starting out. We are busier than last year, and have some new clients to boot. I just hope those tricky Mayans aren’t lulling me into a false sense of security before December. One of our new clients is McGowan Crain. I consider them new, even though I’ve worked with Todd, Ben, and Jeff when they were at other agencies. This is my first job with them at their new place. We did 5 cocktails for packaging for one of their clients, so I hope they and the client like our work and come back often.

Steve shooting, Lisa wrangling, photo by Greg Landrum

We photographed some dogs for Nestlé Purina this week, and I worked with an animal trainer who was new to me, Lisa White from Kansas City. As soon as she walked in the studio, I thought she looked familiar. She reminded me that she was formerly a model, and had modeled for me several years ago. She transitioned from modeling to animal training, and loves it. Her dogs performed beautifully, and we got lots of good photos. I’m looking forward to working with her again next week. I found a print of her in my archives, looking pretty glamorous.

Lisa White, from the studio archives

Photo: Rick Forrestal

Tonight's menu

We have been members of the Rogue Underground Dining Society for a couple of years, and last Saturday hosted one of their dinners at the studio. This was the first time a cooking class was included, so I signed up. Eight of us met at 4:00 pm and prepared 5 of the 6 courses, and at 7:00 we let the chefs take over and joined 13 others to become diners. The theme of the menu was pasta, and included ravioli, bucatini, gnocchi, spaetzle, and vermicelli.

Our chef-structors shared some molecular gastronomic tips, such as how to make tarragon “caviar” and smoke blue cheese. We got to play around with agar agar, smoke guns, and other scientific marvels. One highlight was deglazing the lobster bisque pan with brandy, and getting some good old fashioned flame. There was also a mixologist on hand to give us a brief lesson on cocktails, ice, alcohol temperatures, and how to make a really good margarita.

Deglazing the lobster pan

Traditional caldera, on charcoal burner

Last week I traveled to the Dominican Republic to document the work that Dede and Albert Pujols are doing for the people in the village of Batey Aleman, as well as other neighboring villages. Dede is coming out with a line of cookware inspired by the designs of the calderas used in Dominican kitchens, the profits of which will support their Pujols Foundation.

Dede and Nanny in Nanny's kitchen

I was inspired by the villagers, especially the women who cooked with Dede. There were five women chosen to demonstrate recipes with Dede, and they were all accomplished cooks in spite of using very basic equipment. There were no cutting boards in sight, just their bare hands. Their knife skills were impressive, especially when using machetes! The cooking heat came from a variety sources, including gas stoves, charcoal burners, and open wood fires. All the cooks were fastidious, cleaning all the ingredients with water, checking the rice for stones, squeezing oranges over the fish, etc. Dede gave each of the women a pot from her collection filled with ingredients, and the pots were well received. At the end of each kitchen session, we got to try the food, and it was wonderfully tasty. Later this week we will photograph the cookware in our studio with some of the recipes Dede brought back from the Dominican – I’m looking forward to that!

Another one of their endeavors is helping a group of local women learn to sew aprons, so that Dede can include a Pujols Kitchen apron with her cookware and support a cottage industry. To help with that effort, Dede brought her friend and seamstress Isabel Turner from St. Louis, who spent 3 days instructing the ladies. I learned that “Batey” is a word for a village settled by Haitian immigrants who came over to work in the sugar cane fields.

Seamstress

I salute the Pujols for the difference they are making in the lives of these people.

At the end of the shoot we stopped at the market in San Pedro de Macoris, and got some photos of some colorful characters. There are more photos from the trip here.

San Pedro de Macoris vendor

A busy kitchen at the studio

It’s a party! We recently photographed a cover for St. Louis Magazine, the best dishes issue. Sarah Norwood, the art director, wanted to represent several of the favorites in one shot, so we contacted 14 chefs, and 11 were able to come. They were told to come during a one hour time period, so it was not too chaotic with all of them arriving at once.

Chef Kevin Nashon of Sidney Street Cafe

We instructed them to bring all the elements for their dishes separately, and that Carol Ziemann, the food stylist, would help with plating. Some had to cook an item or two, but for the most part they brought everything ready to shoot. Many of them were either friends or knew each other by reputation, and were a most congenial group. I would hope that a group of 11 photographers sharing a small studio would be as well behaved. After shooting the cover, which went remarkably smoothly, we also did a story opener photo that required a couple of hands. Gerard Craft, of Niche, was still here, and has very nice hands, so we recruited him as a hand model. His and Sarah’s hands will be famous soon. Look for the February issue of St. Louis magazines next month, and buy it!

Sarah Norwood and Gerard Craft, hand models

Here is the cover:

St. Louis magazine, February 2012 issue

Spring Salad

It was a challenge to get to the studio for our 3 day photo shoot for the spring issue of Everybody Cooks, due to icy roads. There was a light snowfall combined with falling temperatures and warm pavements that created havoc on the highways. Two of our crew with longer commutes were on the road for 3 hours. In spite of the weather outside, we were having a good time in the studio. One of the stories in the magazine will be about pizza, and I am very excited that one of my pizza recipes will be featured. Once the issue is published, I’ll post a photo here.

Carrie Underwood's microphone

It is always exciting to get a new client, and last week we did our first shoot for Heil Sound. They manufacture microphones for musicians and amateur radio use, and they needed some photos for an upcoming catalog. Michelle, the art director, is based in Buffalo, NY, so we used phone, email, and skype to communicate. Bob and Sarah Heil delivered the merchandise, and it was fun to get to know them. Bob has a long history in the music business, and has been involved with some of the biggest names in rock and roll: The Who, Grateful Dead, and Joe Walsh, among others. He invented the Heil Talk Box, which was popularized by Peter Frampton and Joe Walsh. They assemble the microphones in their Fairview Heights facility, which is noted on their packaging: “Assembled by those who care in Fairview Heights, IL”. Bob is the only manufacturer invited to exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Some of their clients like to have microphones customized, and Heil has someone who can create almost any finish. This one was for Carrie Underwood, which matched her dress.

Whose mic?

Another microphone that caught my eye was this one, and if you can identify the artist, I’ll buy you a Pabst Blue Ribbon. Hint: He wears a really big hat.

They were a very fun group to work with, and I hope to see them many times in the future.