Finally! It's Happened To Me!!

Many of you wanted me to let you know when it happened...yes, acceptance. For those of you who walked with me through my woes of Tastespotting and Food Gawker rejection, I want to say thank you! I have now, passed into that new phase of blogger-hood. Yesterday, (after nearly 30 submissions) Food Gawker accepted my Egg-Free Meatball post and today Tastespotting accepted my Orange Iced Mocha post!



I feel like it was a group effort! All your tips on cameras, lenses and photo editing led me to this momentous moment. Thank you, my foodie friends! I love ya!

That's all...just wanted to tell you.

Ice Cold Coffee Confrontation

Over the years I've worked my share in coffeehouses. Mainly small mom-n-pop type places, because that's what I prefer. The connection with your customers, the laid back nature of the shop and the interesting people that floated in and out made them, for me, a delightful place to work.

Working in a coffeehouse usually meant early mornings or late night hours. I was young, 19 or so and it didn't bother me a bit...well maybe the early mornings. I would hype myself up on all the caffeine I wanted and get to work on baking scones, cheesecakes, cookies, danishes, quiches and biscotti for the the day. I would then prep the sandwich station, get the brewed coffee brewed and the espresso machine ready for it's day. Then they would come...the customers, my friends, really.

One reason I would love to own my own restaurant, bakery or coffeehouse someday is for that very reason, the people. I loved knowing my customer's orders without them even having to open their mouths. I loved that it brought a look of relief and comfort to their tired faces as they took that first sip of their piping hot dark brew, mocha, or herbal tea. Chatting with them and getting to know them was a joy for me. I loved catering to their specific idiosyncratic coffee requests and finding out what their morning had been like thus far. You learn a lot about a person through their coffee orders.

One day, I went to work. I locked up my beater Dodge Omni (still my favorite car I've ever had) and walked up to the front door. I saw my co-worker just standing there. I asked why they weren't inside and then I saw the note pasted to the door. The coffeehouse was closed...for good. CLOSED! I was truly devastated. I loved that coffeehouse. It was my home away from home and not just for me, but for so many others. It was a sad day.

I worked at another coffeehouse as I cut, permed and colored my way through cosmetology school. It didn't have the same vibe as my previous place of employment, but it paid the bills. I graduated school, married my man and went off to work in a high-end salon.

A few more years went by, we moved to California and I didn't want to take the extra classes and pay the extra money to get my cosmetology license there, so I did hair out of my garage and worked at...(que scary, dramatic music) Starbucks.

Please don't be offended die-hard Starbucks lovers. This is merely a very biased opinion, by a jaded employee. Once you have worked in a small coffeehouse and felt the effects of a nearby Starbucks on your place of business, you grow to dislike it very much. Starbucks was like a giant, storming through your local neighborhood, eating small, privately owned coffeehouse for lunch. You find yourself vowing that you will never work for "the Giant".

But here I was, in my interview making myself available for the "opening shift", which meant I had to be at the store at 4:00 a.m. It was the shift they were hiring for and I needed a job. Like a lion freshly shaved of his mane, I accepted the meager wage and random hours. The hours was murderous. But I did it. Couldn't say I loved that job, not even "like".  I was looking for my happy coffeehouse memories in a corporate caffeine-dispensing factory coffeehouse.

Maybe it was the ridiculously early mornings, maybe it was the crabby, non-conversational customers growling their tedious coffee orders and ignoring my chirpy morning greeting. Maybe it was that my hands continually smelled like coffee and bleach, maybe it was my terribly butch haircut that I gave myself to combat the woes of early morning grooming (worst haircut to date), maybe it was the shift manager that was on me for anything and everything I did- from how I placed a cheese danish in the bakery case to how I ground a bag of beans, it didn't matter. For my every action, she had an immediate and irritating reaction, usually spoken behind my back to another employee within earshot range. Not the brightest girl.

Well, this was back in the day when I was a bit more timid. I didn't stand up for myself, like I would have now. Having children and being married for 11 years makes you bolder, but since I didn't have that experience under my belt yet, I was slow to tell this woman to get off my back...and it festered.

One day the feces hit the fan. I was tired of her putting me down, threatening me with "telling the manager" on me and bringing her foul attitude into the workplace. I was grinding what felt like a 300 pound bag of Sumatra, when she started chatting it up with another employee about me. Again, I could HEAR HER, even over the grinding of the stupid coffee grinder. I started shaking with anger. I don't know if I had ever shook with anger like that before. It was bubbling up. I was bracing myself for the vomit of self-preservation. There was no way I was keeping this down. Not today, not ever. I slammed off the coffee grinder, plopped down the bag, swept up my coffee grind mess and started rolling up the proverbial sleeves and fantasizing what Laura Croft would do to her.

My face was hot and red. I know you should not confront when you are livid, but I felt if I did not, I wouldn't ever do it. I boomed her name, she turned around to face the sweaty-faced, had-it-up-to-here me. I hardly remember what I said, but it flowed, baby. Oh, it flowed. I may have stumbled here and there at the beginning, but after I got going, I felt empowered. The basic message was, "don't treat me like s@&!". I told her that I saw how two-faced she was and how she singled me out. I stood up for the fact that I was an extremely hard worker and no one else had a problem with me. I reminded her that she was but one rank above me and even our store manager with the most power in this coffee-slingin' joint never treated me the way she did. At this point, someone escorted us to the back room because I was lettin' it all hang out in front of the house. Of course, the other employees didn't stop us. They all had it up to here with this woman and they wanted to see it all go down. And it did.

At first she tried to fight back, but her nasty words just bounced off of me like I was Iron Man. Once she realized she couldn't bully me anymore and that I called her bluff; her eyeballs started bulging and she was dumbfounded. She FINALLY shut-up!

After that she was, of course, annoyed. I was relieved. I didn't give a flying fig what she thought. I was freed from her stupidity. She didn't work that next day, which I was glad about, but she showed up anyways. I was less than amused.

I was working my shift, taking orders at the register and she gets into my customer line.What was she doing in my line? Didn't she see that I didn't want to see her, talk to her or take her discounted order? She better not ask me to grind her free bag of coffee beans.

She steps in front of my register. Her face was different. She looked timid, even a little scared. I stared blankly back at her. She quietly asked me if I could talk with her during my 15 minute break. I said I would. I was very curious about her visit.

We sat down outside. I didn't say a word. She looks up at me and with tears in her eyes says, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so mean." Then she starts bawling! I was shocked. This brick wall of hurtful words and snide remarks collapsed into a pool of insecurity.  My heart was touched. I felt for her. I felt so bad. She was honest and truthful. She wasn't hiding behind anything. I quickly accepted her apology. I found myself comforting someone I once viewed as my arch-nemesis and loathed. I was humbled by her honesty and her openness about her heartache. We talked a bit more and then she left. After that talk, we weren't what you call "friends", but we respected one another.

Many lessons learned. Growing up in Starbucks...who knew?

With that said, I'm serving up a little drink that I feel encompasses the best and the worst of both above named places. I took my favorite drink, the iced mocha, and mixed it with my favorite syrup that Starbucks used to have, Valencia orange. Together it encompasses the good times and bad, irritating and victorious,  all into one icy cold, caffeine injected, chocolaty, orange-y drink. I like making them at home because it's my way of "stickin' it to the man". I put on my mad scientist cap on and came up with a ratio for the syrup.

Orange Chocolate Syrup

1 part water
2 parts sugar
1 part cocoa powder

So I did this:

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
zest of one orange
pinch of salt
dash of vanilla extract

Mix together water, sugar, cocoa and salt and bring to a boil then shut off heat. Add orange zest. Let it steep for 20-30 minutes. Strain. Add vanilla. That's it! As it cools it will thicken. Store it in your frig for weeks.

To make the Iced Mocha:

Note: this is how I prefer it. Adjust according to your tastes.

1/3 cup freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee
5 tbls. orange chocolate syrup
6 oz. milk
enough crushed ice to fill the cup up (Sonic's ice is the best, or Whole Foods crushed ice)
orange slice for garnish

Place syrup and coffee into the glass. Mix the two together, making sure the syrup is well incorporated into the hot coffee. Pour in your milk to fill it approx. 3/4 of the way full. Stir well. Add ice to fill it to the top. Garnish!

P.S. If you would like to vote for my "Just for the Halibut: Alaska Seafood Post" click here to go to the page with all the listed entries. Click on my post and buzz it! The dish with the most buzzes wins. You do have to sign up with Foodbuzz.com to create an account to vote. Don't worry, it's super easy. Thanks for all your support! If I win, I get to go to San Francisico for a weekend!

Have a great weekend, Foodies!

Something's Rank in Denmark

Okay, not really, not that I know of anyway,  I just happen to love Shakespeare and Hamlet is my favorite play of his. The drama unfolds in Denmark and as much as I am Italian, I'm Danish as well.  It just makes sense. (I know, your going, "huh?"...just roll with it) Anyway, when something stinks, the above title is usually my response to whatever it is. It's a complete paraphrasing of a couple lines from the play, so don't quote me. This time around I had to say it in my head and do some deductive reasoning.

So Food-sters, (like my new name for you? I seem to be into naming everything lately.) if you are by nature squeamish about poop or talking about it, do not continue on. I'm going to talk about UN-appetizing things this post, but surprisingly it's still about food! It's always about food, really...except maybe for the Bump-it episode, no, wait, there was something about chowing down on crap food, if memory serves me right.

Moms and Dads, you will be able to relate especially well to this story. Not-yet parents you will too, because inevitably everyone has encountered a nasty diaper at one time or another.

We were in the waiting room. With 3 toddlers, your always in a waiting room for something. I find it's my home away from home, so when we go, I pack big. I've got an arsenal of snacks, drinks, enough diapers for a small country of babies, wipes, natural antibacterial hand spray (it's made of thyme oil! who knew? Whole Foods is where you can get it), extra underwear (for the 3 year olds), extra clothes, usually an over-ripe banana stuck in the side pocket, phone, business cards, toothpicks with tea-tree oil, trash, stickers, my wallet, camera, Epi-pen, Benedryl, ibuprofen and my journal with a handful of Sharpies...of course. Don't know why I felt so compelled to share the entire list, but I certainly feel much better now that I did.

This is the bag I affectionately call "The Pit".

We do the usual wait time and thankfully, this particular waiting room is awesome. Movies, tons of play stuff and other kids to play with. The toddlers are toddling and Tiny is teetering. He's trying to keep up with his brother, but he looks more like Frankenstein that's had one too many margaritas. So freakin' cute. I see a lot of moms sitting and staring blankly at their iPhones the whole time and I'm sitting there staring at my kids, to make sure they don't eat some one's half eaten toasted O off of the floor, shove a piece of trash up their nose or steal an unsuspecting baby's snack. When ever I try to be cool and hip and look like I'm busy on my phone, something always happens, so I rarely do it anymore. I gave that up and now I'm elbowing kids out of the play kitchen and fighting a 4 year old for the metal strainer. She knows nothing about pappardelle.  Once a foodie, always a foodie.

We were wrapping things up and it was time to leave. I was chatting with one of the women that works there and all of a sudden there was a wafting of something. You know when you get a whiff of "something" and it comes and goes so suddenly that you dismiss it? That's what it was the first couple of times and I thought someone had just "cut the cheese", as it were. You know kids, always rippin' 'em, wherever, whenever. No biggie.

Then this smell became fouler, ranker, nay, straight-up wretched. I was now looking around, trying not to look to obvious, but really wanting to know where it was coming from. It was growing like a big shadow on the wall, like in an old black and white horror movie. It was slowly encompassing the entire waiting room. It got so bad that I actually stopped the conversation with my friend and started calling my kids over to me one by one.

I went first to the youngest as he's the most apt to pooping his pants. I pick him up, holding him like a piece of lumber and peek into the leg of his diaper. Clear. I call over my other two, really not expecting to see anything, because they don't poop in their underwear anymore (thank God!). I check both of them and they were clear too. Hmmmph. All the while my friend is looking at me a little confused. For our entire conversation, I've had my face contorted and sniffing the air like Bambi's mother and it was not for a human with a gun but a human with a dump. I was dumbfounded. I just figured that somebody else's kid pooped their pants and we tried to continue the conversation.

She finally acknowledged the now-overwhelming smell. Okay, now this is where I'm going to get kinda gross. One must always define a smell when telling a stinky smell story, it's absolutely paramount. What it smelled like was a mixture of airplane toilet, rotten fish and death.

My friend goes into the office to grab me a handout on something and when she comes back out, she's surrounded by an aura of revelation. That smell, that horrid smell was some body's lunch being microwaved into a gastronomical version of the atomic bomb. Oh my! I gasped as she told me. The mystery was solved and I was even more confused than before.

It never occurred to me in the slightest that it was FOOD! I've smelled many a dishes over the years, but obviously not enough. As far as poo goes, I'm the queen. I've see it, smelled it, cleaned it all...trust me. Regardless of my poop qualifications and love of food, I still would have guessed it was the result of a bodily function not culinary chaos. If I was dangling over a cliff by my eyelashes and had to answer the question: Is this a poo smell or a food smell? I would surely plummet to my death.

So we meandered off the beaten path today. Yes, it involved food, what kind I have no idea. I truly hope it tasted better than it smelled for the sake of the consumer.

Some days we just have to do something different.

Cheers my dears!

The Winner with a Side of Egg-Free Meatballs

Let's get to it! Marisa...Ohhhhhhh SNAP! YOU ARE THE WINNER, of the Foodie House "Name My Camera" Contest! Yay! I loved the name "Snaps". It's spunky and fun, just like my girl...well, Snaps! Marisa, email me and let me know when you would like to post your guest post. Can't wait to hear what it is! Check Marisa out at her blog, Cook's Book.

Thank you everyone for your ideas. Honestly, it was really hard picking the name. I liked so many of them! I had a lot of fun. I hope you had a good time too. I'll be having another contest soon...and it will have a tangible prize next time.

So...

I love meatballs. I love them with all different types of meat or poultry. I loved them before they were trendy and before they had resturants dedicated to their meaty meatballness. They are a perfect platform, nay, a canvas for the culinary paintbrush! (I'm pretty sure Shakespeare loved meatballs.)

Well, I've mentioned before, my youngest son has an egg allergy, so that has forced me to take some of my favorite recipes and transform them into egg-free delights. So far it's been working out pretty well, thanks to a nifty little idea I found online: flax seed. I talked about this in the Blueberry Pancake post, where it worked out beautifully. It was my first run with it and I had very low expectations. I was happily surprised by the outcome! No one seemed to miss the eggs and my Tiny could eat all he wanted. So why not apply the same idea to meatballs?

Meatballs need egg, or some sort of binder. So I put the flax seed concoction into effect. I made my traditional meatballs and swapped the egg for the gooey flax seed. Let me tell you, they turned out fabulous!

There's cute lil' Bob again.

The Goo

Not only is the flax seed so healthy, it's a great binder. The sticky consistency of it made the meatballs hold together perfectly. If you are looking to find a lower fat/cholesterol meatball recipe, you could use this and substitute the beef and pork for turkey. And if your looking to pay for some singing lessons, these could also come in handy.

If you have a hankerin' for some meatballs and want to see me teach you how, you can watch my "Mama's Meatballs" video (click here) and use your imagination that I am putting in flax seed substitute instead of egg.

Egg-Free Mama's Meatballs

prep time:20 min
cook time:45 min
serves:9

1 lb. ground pork

1 lb. gr. beef (85/15)

1 c. breadcrumbs

1/2 large onion, finely chopped

1 tbls. fresh basil, minced

1 tbls. fresh parsley, minced

2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced

2 tbls. ground flax seed combined with 1/2 cup hot water

1/4 c. milk

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 tbls. olive oil

3 24 oz. jars of your favorite marinara (I use Bertolli Organic Tomato Basil) and yes, I cheat.

Combine all ingredients using your hands. It's truly the best way to incorporate all the flavors.

Roll out the meatballs into golf ball-sized portions. It makes approx. 28. I freeze half if I am cooking just for my family. I count 3 meatballs as one serving. When I use only half of the meatballs, I use only 2 jars of sauce.

Pour your marinara sauce into a pot and start warming it over medium heat.

Get a heavy saute pan nice and hot over med-high heat. Add your olive oil and start searing your meatballs. Set them in, leave them alone! Don't touch! The goal is to get caramelization on the outside of the meatballs so they are flavorful and juicy. Also, do not over-crowd your pan. This will cause the meatballs to steam and become dry.

Sear on each side then take the meatballs directly from the saute pan to the marinara sauce. They meatballs do not need to be cooked through. We are only searing them then cooking the rest of the way in the marinara. This makes for a very moist meatball.

A totally optional step is to pour the grease from your meatball pan into the sauce. If you are concerned about the fat, by all means, skip this part. I do it for the flavor. It's fantastic!

Put a lid on it, slightly ajar and let them simmer for a good 30 minutes.

And just because it's so good to dip in the sauce, like any good Italian girl would...some garlic bread. Takes 10 minutes, is all fresh and so tasty.

Garlic Bread

6 slices Italian or French bread

2 tbls. olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced and smashed into a paste with a pinch of salt

2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced

salt and pepper

Get your broiler on. Mix up all the ingredients, except for the bread, of course. Brush it onto the bread, toast under the broiler and mangia!

Love ya, Food-sters!

Just For The Halibut: Alaska Seafood Post!

When I got the email from Foodbuzz that they had accepted my proposal for the Alaska Seafood challenge, I was so excited. It had been one of those really dumb days when I was crabby, the kids were crabby, constipated, teething and tantrum-y. That email just turned the day around...well, at least for me.

One night, before slipping into a restless night's sleep, I envisioned how I would prepare a slab of halibut. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever cooked halibut. I didn't want to use salmon, for the mere reason I wanted to use something different. Crab legs, although delicious, scared me. So halibut it was! I wrote out my special dinner, composing it of what I would like to see on a menu in a restaurant and pressed "send". I then laid awake for three hours obsessing over the fact that I forgot to save my proposal. I actually tried to write it down in the dark with a sharpie and on what I hoped wasn't-something-important-scrap-of-paper. Not surprising, I could barely read it the next morning. Thank God, they sent me a copy of it in the acceptance email. Phew.

The halibut arrived in a timely manner on my front doorstep. Three pounds of halibut, what a treat! The pieces were ginormous! Everything was perfectly frozen, thanks to the dry ice and well-thought out packing. There was tons of literature that I found very useful in preparing me for the commencement of the halibut cookery. (Cookery, now that's a great word. I'll add that to my list of new favorite words.) Here's the dish:

                                                                

Herb Rubbed Halibut

Over 

Roasted Asparagus,

Surrounded by a Classic Beurre Blanc with Tiny Tomatoes and Fresh Basil

and

Topped with Crispy Fried Shallots

Aren't I fancy? It's ridiculous, really. Normally I find long-winded menu items pretentious, but since I was flowing with the creative juices, I just went for it and I guess it worked. With proposal accepted and the halibut resting peacefully in my freezer, I started to shake in my boots...a little. I've made all these things in some form or another, over the years, but never together and never with 3 small children around my legs. So I called in the troops...or troop, rather.

My neighbor Teri came over to watch the kids so I could prep and set up shop, as it were, for photography and cooking. Such a relief. I paid her with a halibut meal. To bad you can't pay bills that way.

I waited until last night to prepare this momentous meal and good thing too. The two previous nights were filled with robust thunderstorms and irritating power outages. Last night was perfectly lit and wondrously clear. Yay.

I started by making my herb rub for the fish. It's as follows:

Herb Rub

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

zest of one lemon

1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced

2-3 tbls. extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Mix and set aside.

Roasted Asparagus

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Trim 1 pound of fresh asparagus and placed it on a half-sheet pan. Drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside. Roast the asparagus when you put the halibut into the oven.

The Halibut

Okay are you ready for this? DON'T DEFROST IT. You heard me. COOK IT FROZEN! It's a super cool way of cooking your fish to perfection without having to thaw it. And if you're a hair-brained mommy like me, then many days you find yourself standing in the middle of your kitchen, ready to make meatballs and alas, no defrosted meat, because you're hair-brained and you forgot. Now what? C.I.F, of course...the fish, not the meatballs.

Take your your lovely pieces of frozen halibut. (Remember to have your oven preheated to 400 degrees.) Cut open the pouches and rinse the ice glaze off the fish. Pat dry and liberally rub on olive oil to both sides. Sear on one side for 3-4 minutes in a very hot pan that is oven safe, flip, THEN brush on your herb rub. It's sorta backwards (to the traditional way of seasoning and searing), but according to C.I.F doing it this way gets the seasoning into the fish better. So that's what I did. It worked beautifully. I also made sure I seasoned with salt and pepper in addition to the herb rub, because this was a big, honking piece of fish. 

After I flipped it and added my rub, I popped it into the oven for 15-20 minutes. Check it after 15 min. Look to see that the flesh is opaque when you test it with a fork. When it's opaque its done.

Classic Beurre Blanc with Tiny Tomatoes and Fresh Basil

When I was thinking up the sauce, I thought summer ingredients. I mean, nothing says "summer" like tomatoes and basil. It also supports my culinary point of view, that being of the Italian persuasion. (Hmmm...sounds like something I would say if I were on Next Food Network Star, standing in front of Tuschman, Fogelson and Flay. How ridiculous! I would never waste my time thinking of such things. *Awkward cough.*) 

In reality, (not that reality) I really was thinking summer ingredients and also a way to cut the heaviness of the beurre blanc. As you will see, it's simply loaded with butter. It's so rich, it needed fresh elements to pop in your mouth and bring a bit of acidity. So the tomatoes and basil bring the freshness it needs.

2 shallots, finely minced

1/4 c. white wine (dry is best, I used a BV Chardonnay)

3 tbls. vinegar (I used plain white vinegar, but you can use white wine vinegar or red, but it will make the sauce a pinkish color)

scant 1/4c. water (or you can use cream, but you don't need it. It aids in emulsifying the sauce, but you can easily do this without it.)

1/2 lb of butter (2 sticks), cut into 1" cubes

2 good handfuls of tiny cherry or pear tomatoes

10-12 leaves of basil, cut into very thin strips but only right before serving. It turns brown.

Combine the wine, vinegar and shallots together in a heavy saucepan. Let them cook down until the liquid is nearly gone, like 90%. Turn down the heat to low. Then add your water or cream and start whisking in your butter, one cube at at time. You don't have to be scared of adding the butter too fast. This is not what "breaks" your sauce. What will break it, is if the heat gets too high. It will separate. If this happens whisk in some reduced cream. But you can save it only once. Pretty much, you can by-pass all of that if you just keep the heat on low. Whisk in all the butter then turn off the heat. I added the tiny tomatoes whole and just to warm them. Not to cook them. Keep it on the stove to stay warm or in a double boiler. It really isn't that hard. I just make it sound that way.

See that clumpy thing hanging down under the bowl, right there? Yeah, that's my clubby, shallot ring finger. You're not dredging right, unless your fingers look like mini clubs when your done.

Crispy Fried Shallots

Meanwhile get to work on your baby onion rings. Seriously, these are so cute.

In a small heavy saucepan, bring 2 cups of canola oil up to temperature, about 325-350 degrees. While it's heating, slice your shallots into 1/8" to 1/4" rings. Depending on size, I would say 2-3 large shallots.

For the dredge:

1 cup buttermilk, or 1 cup milk with 2 tbls. vinegar

1 cup rice flour seasoned with salt and pepper

So easy, a cave girl could do it. Dip the rings into the buttermilk then into the flour mixture and straight into the hot oil. These cook up so fast! I'm talking a minute. So keep your eye on them. Sweet delish little rings of onion joy. Salt right as they come out of the oil. Do this right before you plate.

Your fish has most likely finished cooking by now and it ready to be plated. If you want to be fancy, do it this way: asparagus down, slightly fanned out; nice chunk of halibut on top; spoon a generous amount of beurre blanc around  the asparagus, so it looks like it's taking a nice bath in the buttery sauce (make sure to get some of those tomatoes on there too); top with the crispy shallot rings and garnish with angel-hair thin strips of basil. Voila.

Or, you can eat it like I did: Wad of fish, some sauce and a handful of shallot rings that I crammed in my face, while holding my overly tired, screaming 13 month old baby boy. Classy.

I've gotta say, I ended up being pleased with this dish. Everything came together, regardless of my slightly frazzled state. I especially enjoyed the crunchy shallots with the meaty texture of the halibut. And of course, how can you go wrong with a buttery sauce and asparagus? The basil was the number one flavor that brought the whole dish together. It was bright, fresh and accented each layer of the dish. I suggest getting a bite with everything: crunchy, buttery, sweet, salty, soft, meaty and...okay, I need to stop. Wait for it. Top Chef is calling, yup, they need a new judge.

The halibut was fresh and the texture was great. As far as the C.I.F., it's a fabulous idea and best of all it works! Alaska Seafood supports sustainable fishing too! Click here to see their site. Thank you to Alaska Seafood marketing board and thank you Foodbuzz.com for choosing me to do this post and sending me such a wonderful product! I had a blast and everyone enjoyed the fish.

So there you have it my dears. I hope you've enjoyed this. It's a great meal for sharing with friends that rescue you (like Teri) and your family, who cheers you on. Nothing like hearing my kids say, "Yay, Mommy! You did it!" Like I had just gone to the potty for the first time. These are the people I love to cook for.

If you feel so inclined, please vote for me on foodbuzz.com. "Buzz" me where you see my post. I'd so appreciate it. I could win a trip to the Foodbuzz Festival in San Francisco in November! Lord knows, Mama needs a little break.

Cheers, Foodie Friends!

Sequel: Here's Your Top Food Blogging Tips!

The advice is in. TONS of it! What a wonderful response you all had to the Top Ten post! Definitely a Foodie House record. Thank you to everyone who shared their ideas and hearts on the subject we all love: Food Blogging. I am so excited to present to you a new, beefier version of my somewhat anemic top ten. Way to go Foodie Friends!

*Just a note on the links: For whatever reason, Blogger is annoying and only sometimes highlights a linked word. So you know, everyone mentioned below is linked to their blog, regardless of whether it's highlighted or not.*

Why there is garlic next to the coffee filters? I will never know.

Suggestions for Best Lenses for Food Photography:

Ben said...
On Nikon, I would get the 50 mm f/1.8, because it's cheaper and slightly sharper than the f/1.4. Might not be the case with Canon, since people are recommending 1.4. However, it's important to note that the differences on both cameras is likely very subtle.

I also really love the Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 macro (which Nikon calls "micro"). I would definitely check out the Canon equivalent.
 
Chef Dennis said...
As for a lens I shoot with a normal lens, and I think the big difference will be using a macro lens, I do think that is a must, I am saving for a good macro lens now. Also stay with the same brand lens as camera you purchase, off brand lenses are ok, but I think for close ups with food you need a quality lens. Also research the lenses when you get close to purchase, some are made with plastic parts which aren't always bad but something to consider.

Lisa said...
The 1.4/50mm is a great lens, as we discussed. And I highly recommend it. Its great in low light. Thats the only lens I use (= Originally I bought it to take photos of my son bc it doesn't require flash (flash being bad for babies eyes).

Flashes and Lighting
 
For photography in a dark kitchen, which many of us have problems with, here's a great post and product that Bridget at Bake at 350 shared not to long ago on her blog. http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/2010/08/taking-food-pictures-at-night-works-for.html. I thought this light was genius!
 
Amiee said...
Thanks for this great article. I just want to point out (because I see people writing it everywhere) that a flash can be a good thing, if you invest in a high quality one. I have a fairly dark kitchen, and would never use my on-camera flash for light, so I'd be left with these low-lit dim images of food, which really looked washed out and lacked vibrancy.

I followed some wonderful advice from Deb at smittenkitchen.com (great photos), and bought the flash she recommended, which makes everything look like it was taken in natural light. I'm still practicing with it, but let me tell you...my photos have improved a lot. My website is www.winekitchens.com.

Just wanted to share this piece of wisdom... Not all flashes are created equal.

Bec said...
Really great and helpful post. I've been getting the hang of food photography myself over the last year, and love the 1.4/50mm lens. It's great for portraits, too, for when you take the camera out of the kitchen! I know everyone feels differently about using a flash, but the Canon speedlight is awesome, if you're willing to make the investment (and you end up taking most of your photos at night). Thanks for the helpful tips!


Business Cards
 
I got a huge response to the business card idea. I told the hubs and he was quite pleased with himself...ugh. I hate it when he's right. Anyways, here's some really great suggestions, and cheap I might add too, on getting some business cards.
 
Lisa said...
With regards to the business cards...did you know that in the Foodbuzz resource center you can get free ones? Called Moo Cards. Not as cool as yours but you can get them. The Foodbuzz resource center has a ton of helpful tips. Take a look.

Debbie said...
I have been caught a few times handing out torn pieces of paper as well. I know you can get close to free ones on vistaprint.com which I think I will go do now!

Koci said...
I'm so glad that I subscribed to the comments on this post! I took Debbie's (and your) tip on business cards and put some together over on vistaprint.com. They're on their way and I'm thrilled. :D

Photography at 6 a.m. in a badly lit pantry is no fun for anyone...well, actually it kinda is.

Cameras: Point and Shoot or DSLR?
 
Baking Barrister said...
Also, if you can't invest in a really nice DSLR, learn to use your point and shoot! They all pretty much have a manual mode that allows you to play with aperture, lighting, white balance, etc. If you have lighting issues, build a light box. There are some very cheap options to improve photos.
 
Jacob said...
And unfortunately for our little world of food blogging, pictures are paramount. A DSLR will certainly hedge your bet toward producing fabulous photos, but they are certainly not a prerequisite. Some of my favorite bloggers, who have what I consider to be some of the greatest pictures use point and shoots just like me, and some who have professional cameras produce lack luster photography. It is still all about the time and energy you are willing to invest in learning how to use the camera that you do have, and finding a post editing software that you can use effectively. If there is a blog that you find especially inspiring, drop the author a line and ask them for advice. I have found that most all of the foodie bloggers out there are tremendously supportive and gracious to us newbies.

Postings: How Often?
 
Jacob said...
I used to feel a strong pressure to post every single day, and I did for several months. But I am realizing that it is ok to give myself a break now and then, when I am otherwise too busy with work to devote much attention to it. Post only your best stuff (which isn't to say that you can't/shouldn't post about your kitchen failures as much as your triumphs... we have all been there, and it makes us human. In fact, I find, like Julia Child's old cooking shows, making mistakes is often even more inspirational... it makes us feel like, hey even I can do that.)
 
Carolyn said...
I don't have time to post more than 2-3 times a week, and I just have to hope that the people who like my blog don't mind!

Pam said...
I love that for every rule there's the exception. My favorite blogs, Lottie + Doof and 101 Cookbooks, each post maybe once a week. Sometimes less.

Baking Barrister said...
I think that as time goes on, you can slow your posting down. First build up a small archive and then get into a regular posting schedule. I currently post every 3-4 days because not everything I make is particularly exciting and sometimes I just don't have any interesting stories or tidbits to share with my reader. I find stories about the food or the blogger really make me want to come back--it's that glimpse into someone's kitchen that makes it fun. So if I'm not amusing, I won't post.

Photographing: Time Crunch 

For moms, food blogging and photo sessions can be especially difficult. A couple of you voiced your frustration with being able to get some good shots while you've got the kids and hubs ready to eat. I know the feeling, this was my suggestion:
 
I would have to say on photographing in a time crunch with hungry kids, is to have your set up (mine being foam core board "studio" set up on a table by the window, as well as your camera and tripod) ready before you cook, so as soon as it is done and right before you serve it, you can just plop it down and shoot. Also, I'll reserve some food to give to the toddlers to keep them happy. Somedays, I feel as though I work at the city zoo at feeding time, rather than at home. And the hubs...well, he just has to wait. And he's never too happy about it either, but I remind him that I'm a blogging star in the making and that usually buys me a couple more shots.
 

Other Avenues For Getting Your Blog Out There/ Resources
 
Lisa said...
There are sites called pro-blogger and other sites that help with blogging tips. ( I have to visit myself to get some tips too).

I read a lot of mommy blogs and they have really, I mean really good advice. And there are plenty of resources that you can read up on. You just have to find the ones that you like. Merely asking people for advice does nothing. Research is key...check out Serious Eats, not just to put photos on Photograzing but for the resources.

Also "like" your favorite chefs, bloggers etc on your facebook page so you can get idea's and learn from them. Observation and reading is so important. If you look at my progression, wow you can definitely tell that I have learned throughout my blogging. From photos to even writing.
 
Baking Barrister said...
My #1 bit of advice is TWITTER. I resisted so hard but got one for the blog. It is a great way to interact with readers and other bloggers, find new blogs, get input, etc. It's really improved my readership. Just uh, keep in mind that it's for your blog, not your friends who understand that warped sense of humor...heh.
 
Kate said...
I thought of one more thing... learn to use Stumbleupon. Add their toolbar so you can stumble your own posts and others you like. Every once in a while I'll actually get a hit on my blog from a stumbler. Thanks to Kathy for starting me on the stumble path :-)

Sara said...
The one tip that I would add to the list would be to strive toward building a community. Inviting comments, starting a newsletter signup, Facebook group, events, etc. The blogs that last are the blogs that have a family :)
 
Well said
 
Pam said...
Content creators... That's the term I'm learning to adopt to loosely define bloggers. We get to say what content we publish!!! Yeah!! Well written, poorly written, gorgeous photos, crummy photos, controversial or sweet, it's all mine to say!!! Hurray!

Nobody likes being told "no".

Photo Rejection:
 
Koci said...
After that, I'd say just be yourself and don't take yourself too seriously. Some of my favorite photos have been mercilessly rejected from food sites, citing the dreaded "composition". Like I learned through years of AP English classes, judging a creative work is highly subjective. Just write about all the silly stuff that you don't think anybody cares about, because that's what people actually find incredibly interesting.

We All Agree, Keep It Light and Relax!
 
Lisa said...
I'm a mom first, blogging for me is a creative outlet. To fill in the time when I'm not spending it with my son. Food blogging....everything has already been done in my opinion. Its the visuals first then the content. Unless you're some super chef coming up with new recipes that no one has ever tried, then you must do something to make yourself stand out.
 
Pam said...
Very few of us ever really make money at this gig. If I get a free case of wine, some bottles of juice (hasn't everyone by now??) some good books, comped invitations to nice events or dinner at a winery because of this, that's terrific by me. Some bloggers are seriously looking for income, and I'm glad that I love my day job and can avoid that pressure.
 
Janis said...
I think that it is great to have a blog but it also kind of annoys me when people do act like it is a business. I lose interest once it becomes too slick. I rather be more like a voyeur looking into some ones life rather than reading too thought out prose. Also, I like the pictures to feel less slick than many of the ones I see. I want to see what it really looks like and not just some photoshop version of the food. I also hate artsy takes on food. It is food for gods sake, not a da Vinci.

This is why I blog...to keep both our mugs smiling. Well, Tiny just looks confused.

Content, Keepin' It Real:
 
Jacob said...
I, too, am very new to the business of blogging, and definitely had that moment of "is this just for fun? to attract more local business? or to share my passion for food with other foodies out there in the world?" I'm not sure if I ever really consciously answered those questions for myself. What I can say is that, as is the case with most everything else in life, do what you love to do. Follow your own passion with reckless abandon, and people will be drawn in by the energy of it.


Pam said...
Oh... one more thought. I'm coming to believe that the best posts come from authors who actually get out from behind their computers and live a little. Coming back to the keyboard with something cool to say, in terms of observations, research findings and experiences, means more to me as a reader than to read something thin and lifeless every single day. I just don't have time for those posts, and quickly learn to avoid those blogs. Again, just my preference.

Just Food Snobs said...
The best advice I can give is stay true to yourself and write from the heart. Share personal stories because we all have a story we can relate to. Don't overthink what you are going to write just let it flow naturally. Anyone can post a photo and a recipe only, but without the human connection all is lost. It seems like you have learned alot and offer great tips, good luck and look forward to following your future posts!

Thank you again to everyone! I hope you find these tips as helpful as I did. I love learning new things and other people's views on the subject. Feel free to continue adding advice and ideas. We can never have too much.

Cheers, my dears!

Oh, and keep a look out on Friday for my post with Wild Alaskan Seafood! My proposal got chosen and I'm making the meal tonight. I've got the jitters, only because we've had thunderstorms every night this week and it makes for terrible pictures! So, whether it turns out good or not I'm postin' it, baby! (but I really hope it does.)

Contest: She Needs A Name! Who? My DSLR (Yup!)

I want to shout it through the rooftops! I have found her, the one I love! My very own Canon Xsi and a 1.8/50mm lens.

I was not expecting to get her yesterday. I call her, "her" because she is a girl. I think it runs along the same lines a calling a car a girl too. It was a surprise, early birthday present! (And most likely, Christmas present too.) Anyways, so I got her from Houston Camera Exchange. If you live in or around the surrounding Houston area, it's totally worth driving in to check this place out. I had a wonderful guy help me, Will, and the prices were great.

Originally I was going to get it from Amazon. But my sister in law Heather at Home:Made Simple, told me about how you can get used and refurbished cameras over at HCE. So, I called up there yesterday and low and behold, they had a used Canon Xsi, just the one I wanted for a great price. The lens I got was new. I jumped back and forth between the 1.4/50mm and the 1.8/50mm, the difference being $250 between the two. After much chatting with others, I decided to go with the 1.8/50mm ($100 instead of $250). I'm extremely happy with it.

Speaking of extremely happy...I was a total dork yesterday, and most likely will continue to be for the next week. The hubs has now dubbed me "Picture Page" for my relentless photography of everyone and anything. The minute I stepped in the door, I ripped the camera out slapped on the lens and have been driving everyone in the house nuts, even more than usual. What can I say? I've turned into a mommy (and slightly cuter) version of a camera-crazed Gollum.

What makes this even more appropriate, is that last night the electricity went out, from around 6:45 to 8:00 p.m. from a nasty thunderstorm. It was a bit light outside so I could still see my camera and take pictures of my feet, a book on a coffee table or really anything in my line of sight. Then the electricity came back on. There was shouts of glee all over the land! It was on for about a half hour and then it went off again. UGH!

Frustration grunts arose from the pitch black. No internet, no t.v., no lights. Nothing. It was a risky situation, drinking hot, scalding tea in the dark, but I found the quiet to be quite refreshing regardless. The hubs, however, was bored. As I was caressing my used, but new-to-me camera, the hubs went to find his Mag-lite flashlight. Possibly so he wouldn't feel left out on this electronics love fest? Or maybe so could see. It''s possible. At one point, he was laying on the floor shining the light up onto the ceiling and fireplace and singing "Reunited". Was there anything lame about this picture? Yes.

All I needed was the bulbous, glowing green eyes of Gollum to make me just as obsessed as he was with his precious. I couldn't even see and I was still trying to look at my camera. I tucked her in next to me, in the recliner, like I would one of my kids. Shoot, I might as well have read a bed time story to her, but I couldn't see.

My very first pictures with my camera:

My sweet baby boy.

My baby girl. She's breath-taking.

My handsome little man. (who refused to be nothing BUT a giant, hence the tough-guy look.)

I adore this picture. As most you parents know, you cannot take the slightest "nap" without at least one child trying to wake you up! They all just piled on top of Daddy. So sweet.

My very first food picture with my new camera.

I wanted to say a big thank you to all of you who helped me through the camera shopping experience! I big thank you to Lisa at Korean American Mommy and Ben at You Fed A Baby Chili. You both were really helpful. I appreciate it. Many more of you gave out your suggestions and I truly thank you!

Contest!
Just for poops and giggles (doesn't have the same finesse when you switch out the cuss word for a kid-friendly word), I want your suggestions on what to name "her". What's the best name you can think of for my new friend? Here are some adjectives to get you rolling: She's fast, medium weight, super cute, has lots of buttons, user-friendly menu and mine.

Let's see what you've got. Be creative, fun and outside the box, please. The winner will receive a guest post here at Foodie House! The contest ends Aug. 31st, so you've got one week friends, get your thinking caps on! I will be choosing the winner based solely on the name you submit. She's a darling camera. She has a good home, now she needs a good name.