hEArT ohio | Hartzler Milk

HOOKED | HARTZLER MILK

"All milk tastes the same." you might say, if you haven't tried Ohio milk. Ohioans care about milk, as clearly evidenced by the amount of ice cream produced here every year. Columbus is best known for Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Cincinnati's known for Graeter's, Utica for Velvet Ice Cream, Granville for Whit's Frozen Custard, and so on. If it weren't for great milk, there would be no great ice cream.

And this is some great milk. 

What's to love about Hartzler Milk?

1. It comes in a cool glass bottle with two convenient handles.
2. Return the glass bottle, collect the $1.50 deposit, and Hartzler's will REUSE the bottle.
    Not recycle it, they actually reuse the very same bottle.
3. Glass bottles keep milk colder. Yum.
4. It's Non-Homogenized. (keep reading, there's more about this.)
5. It's available at many chain grocery stores, small local stores and farmers markets, meaning it's easy to find. 
6. No chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, GMO seeds, or hormones have been used on the farm
    or added to this milk since 1964, surpassing organic standards.
7. It JUST TASTES BETTER.

It tastes how milk should taste. Creamy, cold, and nutritious.

This has a lot to do with the milk not being homogenized. Homogenization was developed to mix the natural layer of cream that forms on the top INTO the milk, for overall consistency of product. Hartzler milk leaves the layer of cream on top, which can be shaken and distributed before pouring or eaten on its own. (This may just become your favorite part.) The cream gives the milk a clean, full-bodied flavor.

Just like how Coke tastes different in a can vs. from the soda fountain, plastic containers affect the flavor and temperature of milk. We drink out of glasses because glass has the least influence on flavor. An added health benefit of Hartzler's? It's easier to digest. Individuals who'd given up drinking glasses of milk long ago due to upset stomachs can possibly enjoy milk as though they're kids again. 

Get hooked on Hartzler milk. Can be found at:
Green Bean Delivery
Raisin Rack
Westerville Farmers Market
and many more

Want to see more delectable food photography in Columbus? Browse the blog or hop on over to Photo Kitchen.

Photography Internship Columbus Ohio

Photo Kitchen's looking for an intern! Know of someone who loves food and photography? Send 'em our way.

Availability Requirements
10 or more hours a week
Minimum one Saturday a month
3 month commitment
Must have your own form of transportation throughout the city of Columbus

Job Description
This is an unpaid internship. In exchange for your time and efforts, you will receive experience and knowledge in a variety of skills related to the business of commercial and portrait photography, introductions to job opportunities, and a bunch of free meals. If your school requires an internship, we can discuss how to get credit through this internship.

Desired Skills and Experience (must qualify for at least 4 of the following)
File management and basic editing through Adobe Bridge and Mac OS
Styling (clothing, product or food)
Directing people on a photo shoot
Cooking/Kitchen Prep
Prop Shopping
Graphic Design (designing promotional materials)
Blog Writing
Natural Light Photography
Studio Lighting and Equipment
Video (Shooting and/or Editing)
Marketing/Advertising
Brainstorming Photo Shoot and Marketing Ideas

Preferred
Currently enrolled or recently graduated from college with a major in art, photography, culinary, design or marketing.

Key Traits
Excellent Communication Skills
Reliable and Prompt
Multitasking Skills
Diverse Interests
Creative
Organized

To Apply: Please send a resume along with a short introduction describing your interest in the position and qualifications for the position to Catherine Murray at contact at photokitchen dot net.

What's Your Jam? | Columbus Ohio Food and Product Photographer

Your “jam” is the thing you can’t wait to get up in the morning to do. It’s the reason you do all those other things, so you’ll get to do that one thing - the thing you really love.

Kyla and Mark are the makers behind Sweet Thing Gourmet jam. We bet you can guess what their jam is. Yep, it’s jam. Our jam is taking photos good enough to eat, like this photo of jam. You can almost taste it, right? Well, that’s what we do.

Let's take how you FEEL about food and turn it into a 2D photo. Doesn't sound hard. Point and click. When you sit down to devour your next meal, think of all the senses you're using BESIDES your eyes. You smell the food, touch it, even hear it. You turn the plate, lift the lid, stir the sauce, sprinkle on some more cheese, squeeze the bun so the barbecue juices run down your fingers, crack the hardened sugar on your creme brulee. It's easy to take for granted all the little things that collectively become a food experience. 

There's a bit of magic in creating photos to mimic real life. That's our jam. Tell us, what's yours? 

I eat Sweet Thing Gourmet jam by the spoonful, no accompaniment necessary. Need something to go with your jam? Try this simple biscuit recipe, topped with jam and homemade whipped cream. 

Classic Baking Powder Biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2/3 cup cold milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sift together dry ingredients. Work the cold butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse meal.

Form a well in the center. Pour in milk and stir gently to just incorporate. Knead gently 3-4 times to bring dough together in a ball. Be careful not to overwork (stern voice!)

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Using the palms of your hands, flatten into a disk roughly 1/2 inch thick. Use a 2 inch cutter (or a drinking glass) to cut out biscuits. Gather up scraps and repeat process. Makes about 10 biscuits.

Place on baking sheet, evenly spaced. Bake until golden, about 13 minutes.

Serve with your favorite Sweet Thing Gourmet jam!
(Featured: Strawberry Champagne Jam)

Check out some Behind-the-Scenes from this photo shoot! 

*What's even cooler about this particular jam company is they'll print personalized labels for you. Jars of jam make great wedding favors, gifts for teachers, employees or your favorite clients.

Mini Ground Cherry Pies | Food Stylist, Photographer, Blogger

When typing the title above, I accidentally typed Ground "Cheery" Pie, and considered keeping it, because these mini pies ARE cheery little things. I was introduced to ground cherries last year at the farmer's market. They were described as a cross between a tomatillo (because of their husk casings) and a grape. I wasn't sure what to do with them, until I found a recipe on Vegan Yum-Yum for these mini pies. I ate one mini pie myself, and gave the rest to my two favorite little girls who giggled when they saw them. I giggled some, too.

Since I have yet to perfect a pie crust recipe for myself, I used a store-bought pie dough and simply made the filling to put in them.

Mini Ground Cherry Pies
Makes six

Pie crust of your choosing
2 cups Ground Cherries, de-husked and washed
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp flour

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Spray cupcake tins, or use cupcake liners and then spray the liners. Place a small circle of dough in the bottom of each up. Press the dough to form the bottom and sides of the crust.
Fill each cup to the top, slightly overflowing, with ground cherries. Sprinkle equal amounts of the sugar/flour mixture into each cup, over the cherries.
Cut remaining dough into flat circles with the top of a glass or a cookie cutter, then place on top of each mini pie for the top crust. You can smoosh down the edges to connect to the bottom crust.
I always top my pie with a tiny bit of butter and some sprinkled cinnamon.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool a bit before transferring, so they are a little more solid. 
 

The final product is a somewhat indefinable taste. Not cherry, not grape, not tomato...just a sweet, mild, fruity flavor. Can't imagine anyone could have a complaint about them. Besides, the cuteness factor wins everyone over.

Pita Pizzas | The Perfect Lazy Dinner

I've been making this simple twist on a Greek classic for over 10 years. Everyone I've shared it with has fallen in love, so now it's your turn. My very first job in high school was at a small family-owned deli around the corner from my house. While most of my friends were busy hating their jobs, I loved mine so much I stayed for 7 years. What can I say, I fell in love with food.

After going vegetarian, I was getting pretty bored of my grilled cheese options. We had a wonderfully convenient sandwich oven at this deli, and typically we'd throw a pita in it for a minute or two before topping it with standard gyro toppings-sliced lamb, feta, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and tzatziki sauce. Well, I wanted my cheese to be melted, so I topped my pita before throwing it in the oven. A pretty simple adjustment, but it made a world of difference. So the next time, I decided instead of rolling the pita up into a wrap, I'd leave it flat and top it like a pizza. 

Lazy Pita Pizzas
(serves 4)
4 large pitas (not pocket pitas)
8 oz. feta (I like a lot of cheese)
8 slices cheddar cheese
8 slices of tomato
a few handfuls of lettuce
gyro sauce (recipe below)

gyro sauce:
6 oz sour cream
chopped up garlic (I use jarred garlic)
salt and pepper to taste

optional topping variations:
chopped lamb meat
red onion
kalamata olives
mild banana pepper rings

Mix up the gyro sauce a day ahead, if possible. Lay pitas flat on a cookie sheet or pizza stone. They can even be frozen if you forgot to take them out of the freezer in time, just cook them a little longer. Spread a liberal amount of the gyro sauce on the top of each pita. Sprinkle feta over it, then lay cheddar slices on top of the feta. Place in the oven at 400 degrees for 7-12 minutes, until cheese is fully melted and bubbling a little. Take out of the oven, cut each pita into 4ths and top with lettuce and tomato.

This is a great family meal, because each individual can choose their own toppings. I've made these into Italian pizzas, Mexican pizzas, and Reuben pizzas. Best part is, you can keep the pitas in the freezer for whenever you want them and there's no pizza dough to wrestle with.

Grilled Cheese Croutons | Best Food Photography in Columbus

This is a fun, quick spin on a typical lunch. Grilled cheese and tomato soup is boring, you say? Not anymore. You'd think it'd taste exactly the same, but it doesn't. I've never really liked dipping my sandwich into soup, but this I LOVED. It helps that the soup was homemade, too.

Over the last few years of honing my cooking skills, I've noticed how even the smallest of changes can make a big difference. This includes how things are cut. When you make a potato salad and dice the celery and onions really small, it tastes different than when they're rough chopped. We make fun of kids for having their sandwiches cut diagonally instead of straight in half, yet it does change the experience they have eating it. The same principle applies here.

Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
Serves 4 Adults

Ingredients
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes (with green chiles)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
1 tblsp dried basil
dash of ground cayenne pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream, optional
12 slices of sharp cheddar
12 slices of white bread
spreadable butter for grilling

Directions
         Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
         Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, to taste, drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.
         Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, vegetable broth, bay leaf, basil, cayenne and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add cream, if using. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth.
        The simple explanation for the croutons is this:
Make a double-decker grilled cheese. Cut the crusts off then cut into 4x4's. Place in the soup and eat!
        The long explanation goes like this:
Before eating (or reheating) soup, begin making the grilled cheese croutons.
For each serving, you'll use 3 pieces of bread and 3 pieces of cheese. Butter one side of 3 pieces of bread. Place first slice butter-side down in a large skillet over medium heat on the stove, then lay two pieces of cheese over it then place the other piece of bread butter-side up. When first side is browned and the cheese is starting to melt, flip the sandwich over with a spatula. Then add another piece of cheese on the top and the last slice of bread butter-side up. Once the other side is browned, flip again. When the grilled cheese is done, cut off the crusts, then cut into 4 sections each way, so it creates little cubes. Place onto the hot soup and eat!

Some tasty variations:
Havarti and Thyme on Multigrain with Creamy Potato Soup
Goat Cheese on Sourdough with Creamy Fennel Soup

Eye Candy for a Food Photographer | Fine Art in Columbus, Ohio

When I decided to redo my kitchen, I knew I wanted a collage wall. I've seen them all over Pinterest, and have been drooling over them for months. With the help of a cutting board, a flowery platter, old disks from a food chopper, recipes and cutouts from my mother and grandmother, and 7 Photo Kitchen prints, I had my collage wall. The varying shapes, sizes, textures and colors really pop together. All of the  photos you see here, and many many more, can be purchased from our online store.

Not sure what size to print photos for your wall? Simply take white copy paper and tape it to your wall and combine more pieces until the size looks right for from a distance. Then measure the combined pieces and choose a frame that size. As you can see, framed pieces don't always need a mat. Photos with a lot of detail can use the extra "breathing room" while photos with less detail can be framed right up to the edge. You can't really go wrong, it's all a matter of preference.

When creating a collage, measure the wall space you'd like the collage to remain inside, then lay all of the pieces on the floor within that same measured space.  This will help you get a sense of how they'll look best arranged together before putting them up on the wall. Once you choose the general composition, have one person hold the pieces up to the wall while the other person is judging distance and composition. Since I did mine by myself, I took a pencil and drew the general shapes and sizes onto the wall. This worked fine, too. You can remove pencil off of semi-gloss paint with a washrag, dishwashing soap and water. NOT AN ERASER, as I found out, um, after I tried it.

 

1. Peach Cobbler $20

$12 5x7 Print

$8 Storebought frame

2. Wheatberries $62

$20 8x12 Print

$42 Silver Curved Frame, Non-Glare Glass, White Mat

3. Raspberries and Cream $56

$20 8x12 Print

$36 Silver Ornate Frame, Non-Glare Glass

4. Sage $20

$12 5x7 Print

$8 Storebought Frame

5. Apricots $45

$35 11x14 Print

$10 Storebought Frame

6. Beeting Hearts $45

$35 11x14 Print

$10 Storebought Frame

7. Buddha’s Hand $45

$35 11x14 Print

$10 Storebought Frame

In case you're wondering what my kitchen looked like before, here's a view into the past.

The green and teal served me well for 4 years, but it was time for a change. 

Vegetarian Family Meals | Food Photographer Columbus Ohio

Casseroles, tacos and spaghetti are still great staples for feeding a family, but one week you'll be desperate for something different. Here are two great vegetarian dishes to feed you family--or in my case, my single self and three hungry, willing friends.

It's always smart to do two recipes in the same week that require at least one of the same ingredients. In this case, it's brown rice. Cooking rice takes a bit of time, so if you only have to do it once and you can make two meals with it, then that's one less thing to think about.

Many people are either afraid of tofu or have tried it once and didn't like it. Tofu can be prepared in many, many ways, and not all of them will appeal to you. It comes in a different consistencies and can be used in anything from smoothies to faux egg salad to a dish like this. I've had bad tofu dishes and good ones. I find the easiest way to experiment with food is to try a bite of someone else's dish when you're at a restaurant. I'm not a big fan of mushrooms, but I have found many dishes that have changed my mind. I don't always like to be the guinea pig, so when my friends order a mushroom dish, I take a bite.

This tofu dish was a huge hit. The sauce of this dish is like something straight out of a fine dining Asian restaurant and the tofu was perfectly crisp and firm. The second time I made this dish, I adjusted the original recipe and what you see in the photo. The black pepper that was originally added to the sauce is better showcased if the tofu is rolled in it before being fried.

Black Pepper Tofu
Adapted from the book Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi

4 cups cooked brown rice
2 packages extra firm tofu (I like Trader Joe's tofu)
vegetable oil for frying (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 tblsp butter
4 small shallots, thinly sliced
3 fresh red chiles, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 tblsp chopped fresh ginger
6 tblsp sweet soy sauce
1 tblsp sugar
2 1/2 tblsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns
2-3 green onions, diced, green part only

Pour enough oil into a large frying pan, wok or electric skillet to come 1/4 inch up the sides and heat. Mix together the cornstarch and black pepper. Cut the tofu into large cubes, about 1x1 inch. Toss tofu in the cornstarch and shake off the excess, then add to the hot oil. You'll need to fry the tofu in a few batches so they don't stew in the pan. Fry, turning them around as you go, until they are golden all over and have a thin crust. As they are cooked, transfer them onto paper towels to remove excess oil.

Remove the oil and any sediment from the pan, then put the butter inside and melt it. Add the shallots, chiles, garlic, and ginger. Saute on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients have turned shiny and are totally soft. Net, add the soy sauce, green onions and sugar and stir. Serve hot, with steamed brown rice. Serves four.


Greens with Carrots, Feta Cheese and Brown Rice
From Whole Foods

4 cups cooked brown rice
2 carrots, shredded
2 bunches dark leafy greens (kale, collard greens or Swiss chard), tough stems removed, leaves very thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled
fresh lemon, to taste

Put carrots, greens, onions, 1/4 cup water, salt and pepper into a large, deep skillet and toss well. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until greens are wilted and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Toss with feta cheese and lemon juice and spoon over brown rice. Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.



The great thing about this recipe is it is so easily adapted to what you have on hand. Use any cooking greens you like, you could add tomatoes, turnips, radishes...just like a casserole, anything goes. Pull from what you have and presto, dinner.

Bleu Cheese Chips | Lifestyle Food Photographer

I've made these chips many times over the years, thanks to my friend Jenna who introduced them to me long ago at Cap City Fine Diner. They are so addictive, I've eaten an entire plate for dinner before.

If you're making them to take to a party, I'd suggest getting the ingredients together, than assembling and baking on-site-if there's an oven available, of course.

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My recipe is as follows:

Bleu Cheese Chips

1 large (approx $3.79) bag of Kettle Style Potato Chips
1/2 jar of store-bought Alfredo Sauce
1/4 lb. crumbled bleu cheese
2 green onions/scallions, chopped (optional)

Pour the chips into a rectangular oven-safe casserole dish (metal or glass). Top the chips with the alfredo sauce (in dollops, try to distribute evenly across the chips.) Sprinkle the bleu cheese (and optional green onions) over the chips. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the chips are slightly browned on the edges. Serve immediately.

Now, this is not a follow-the-rules kind of recipe. You can adjust and experiment with these 3 simple ingredients until you've found the right mix for you. I've tried homemade bechamel sauce in place of the alfredo sauce. (I felt it was bland and much more labor intensive.) You can buy a really nice bleu cheese and add more or less bleu cheese to suit your tastes.

Want more variations? What about Kettle Chips topped with Barbeque Sauce and Cheddar Cheese? Or Thousand Island Dressing and Swiss Cheese? Try out your own creation, and make sure to tell us how it turns out!

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze | Midwest Food Photographer

You could call this a palette-cleansing cookie. That's Top Chef talk, right there. See, reality t.v. is educational. The reason I was drawn to this cookie is because of Northstar Cafe's Cloud 9 Pancakes. Baking with ricotta is not something I would've considered before trying their incredible pancakes. I can't do sweet without savory for breakfast. Adding cheese to pancakes seems to bridge the gap for me, so I thought, why not try it in a cookie? Besides, I love all things citrus. Lemon is so refreshing and light.

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Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
Cookies:
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 lemon, zested

Glaze:
* 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 lemon, zested

Directions Cookies:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Directions Glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container. Yields 2 dozen (or more)

Egg Nog Snickerdoodles | Commercial Food Photographer

Two perfect reasons to make these cookies:
1. You love Egg Nog.
2. You hate Egg Nog but someone left it at your house.

Either way, you'll like these cookies! If you don't, take them to work and make your coworkers eat them. They're really light and the flavors are subtle, a nice contrast to the majority of holiday treats.

Love this photo? Buy a copy from Photo Kitchen. 

The paper trees in the background have been my favorite part of this holiday season. I've really enjoyed making them, thanks to fellow photographer and blogger Davina Fear, who happily shared the idea. Those of you who are parents, Davina has some of the cutest crafts and activities I have EVER seen.

Eggnog Snickerdoodle Cookies
www.whatkatiesbaking.com

1 ½ c flour
½ stick butter
½ cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup egg nog (I used soy Silk Egg Nog, and it worked perfectly.)
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 cup sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon for rolling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and 1/2 cup sugar. (I used the paddle attachment like it says, but I used a regular beater for my next cookie recipe (also to combine butter and sugar) and it worked just fine.
4. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.
5. Add egg and eggnog, and beat to combine.
6. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine. Don't overmix.
7. You can chill the dough for an hour or more to make the dough easier to scoop, or go ahead and scoop them a little messier.
8. In a small bowl, combine 1/8 cup sugar and 1 tbsp ground cinnamon.
9. Use a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon to form balls of the dough, and roll in cinnamon sugar.
10. Place about two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
11. Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after five minutes. The cookies will feel a little doughy when you touch them, but trust me, they're finished.
12. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack as soon as they are cool enough to not fall apart. Yields 18-20 cookies.

Thumbprint Cookies | Food Photography Columbus Ohio

Thumbprint Cookies are maybe the easiest cookies in the world to make. I don't eat many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but I often find an open jar of jam in the fridge that needs to be used up. This is my preferred way to get rid of unwanted jam.

OR, if I feel like splurging, I use Sweet Thing Gourmet's jam. This jam is so good, I can't see myself ever wasting it on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I often eat it on a banana or with cream cheese and crackers, or of course, in these cookies, so I can truly enjoy how fantastic it is without covering it up with other flavors. My favorite (shown here) is the Brandied Apricot Jam. I swear, I don't love it just because it's orange.

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Thumbprint Cookies
from Betty Crocker

 

¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup shortening
¼ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup finely chopped nuts (optional)
Jelly of your choice

Heat oven to 350ºF. Mix brown sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla and egg yolk in medium bowl. Stir in flour and salt until dough holds together. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Beat egg white slightly. Dip each ball into egg white. Optional: roll in nuts. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press thumb deeply in center of each.
Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Fill thumbprints with jelly.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie | Professional Food Photographer

My first experience with sweet treats made spicy was actually in Mexico, in 2002. We were at a resort that served Mexican Coffee after dinner, and it had cinnamon and something some type of pepper in it. It was wonderful. It took a few years before I saw anything similar back home, and that was of course Jeni's Queen City Cayenne ice cream. I always try the most unusual flavor on any menu, and when I saw chocolate and cayenne together, I had to have it. Sometimes I love unusual things just because of their uniqueness factor, but later the novelty will wear off. Many years later, Queen City Cayenne is still my favorite of Jeni's signature flavors.

When I saw Martha's take on a spicy sweet treat, I jumped on it. The only downside to these cookies was the need for a warning label, so kids wouldn't assume they were just chocolate cookies. Oh well, it makes for cuter packaging with the little warning label attached.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie
from Martha Stewart

    * 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    * 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    * 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
    * 1 teaspoon baking soda
    * 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
    * 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    * 1 3/4 cups sugar
    * 2 large eggs
    * 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    * 1/2 teaspoon chile powder (I used ground cayenne)

Directions

   1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down side of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.
   2. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and chile powder (if using). Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place, about 3 inches apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Makes 32. Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

Homemade Orange Rolls | Columbus Ohio Food Photographer and Stylist

Pillsbury Orange Rolls have always been an all-time favorite of mine. I'd eat the entire can in a sitting if no one was watching. So, when I had leftover orange icing (recipe included below), what better to make than Homemade Orange Rolls? They would beat the store bought kind, right? Yup, they did. And I had just as hard a time  sharing them with others.

Warning: This is one of those recipes you have to let "rest." Which means work, then wait. Work some more, then wait. There's a wait time of an hour and fifteen minutes, then another wait time of 25 minutes, so don't expect to do this in a hurry.

Here's a picture to entice you.

Making the dough was easier than I thought it would be. Historically, I don't have much luck with homemade dough. This one came together just as the recipe said it would.

This recipe has you roll each of the rolls (I couldn't see how to avoid saying that!) individually. Since I'd never made rolls from scratch before, I followed the instructions, but I recently watched someone else make cinnamon rolls, and they laid the dough out in a rectangular sheet then poured the filling over it, and rolled the whole sheet up and cut it into pieces. This seems much faster. The knife might smoosh the rolls as they're being cut and the butter might squish out the ends, but I will try it that way next time anyway.

I might cook them just a little less next time. I like them a little gooey-er and less brown on top, but once I put the icing on and it all melded together, there was little that could be done to make them more perfect. The dough TASTED homemade, in the best way, and the icing was amazing. The rolls grew HUGE, so each roll was equivalent to 2-3 of the store bought kind.

A special recipe to share around the holidays, but consider making them on a normal weekend. Whomever you choose to share them with will be indebted to you. 


Homemade Orange Rolls (from myrecipes.com)

Ingredients

   Dough
* 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
* 1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
* 2 tablespoons butter, softened
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
* Cooking spray

   "Filling" For Dough
* 1 stick butter, melted
* 3 tablespoons grated orange rind
* 3 tblsp cinnamon
* 1/2 cup sugar

   Icing (from Wilton.com)
* 1 stick butter, softened
* 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
* 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (about 2 lbs.)
* 1 tablespoons milk
* 1 tablespoon orange juice
* 1 tablespoon orange zest

* You can prepare icing ahead of time and refrigerate, covered. (Icing directions are listed at the end.)

* To prepare dough, dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons softened butter, salt, and egg, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 cups flour to yeast mixture; beat until smooth. Add 1 cup flour to yeast mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky).
 
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour and 15 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)
 

A Food Photographer's Holiday Gift Guide to Columbus: Top 10

Tomorrow is small business Saturday, and I'm here to suggest some great gifts from 10 of my favorite Columbus small local businesses.

1. To make the most of your local restaurant giving, Dine Originals has gift certificates at discounted prices, While you're at it, buy a few for yourself. This dessert is from Deepwood Restaurant. Yum!








2. For a nice bottle of spirits, check out our Cocktail Couture Series, featuring Watershed Distillery, Middle West Spirits, Camelot Cellars, and Tessora Limone (shown). There's also Brothers Drake Meadery, and local breweries, such as Columbus Brewing Company. Attach a cute recipe card to the bottle for a personal touch.









3. Celebrate Local is a new pop-up shop at Easton, a one-stop-shop for local gifts. Here's a partial list of vendors selling at Celebrate Local. For more information, fan them on Facebook.

 4. The Candle Lab might not serve food, but tell me you don't smell toasted marshmallows and cranberry sauce when you walk in. Leave the mixing to the experts or create your own. I made a Campfire, Mulled Cider and Leather mix on a night out with friends. Entertainment and gift shopping in one.









5. For the kitchen dweller in your circle, grab some spices from North Market Spices. They're super friendly and would love to help you find the perfect mixes.

6. Grab some sweet goodies from Sugardaddy's . Now with 3 store locations (Polaris, Downtown and Easton), they're hard to miss.

7. How about a Clintonville Farmer's Market favorite that can be ordered online? Brezel Pretzels are fantastic, and a fun, unexpected gift.

8. For some dishes to eat all that food on, and much more, The Swanky Abode is a stylish, eclectic place to shop. (These cute coasters came from The Swanky Abode.)

9. Cooking classes are a fun activity to do as a couple, with friends, or with the kids. Here's a list of the best cooking class resources in Columbus, all with local businesses.









10. An easy gift that made it onto my list last year as well, is a subscription to Edible Columbus.












11. This is a top 10 guide, but how could I leave out Photo Kitchen, with an online photo library of over 10,000 photos to choose from and 150 products to print them on, you're sure to find the perfect gift. Search by subject or browse the collections, from oceans to skeleton keys, peaches to honey, and a whole lot in between.

Cocktail Couture: Tessora Lemon Cappuccini

The second in our Cocktail Couture series with Jenna Sais Quois is Tessora Limone, a wonderful liqueur I've just recently been introduced to! It's new to the scene, but has already landed in over 100 restaurants and bars around the city and is available in over 30 stores by the bottle!

It's not easy to describe Tessora, as it's a one-of-a-kind drink. You can read a bit about their history, but if I were to describe it, I'd say it's like a lemon creamsicle. Creamy like Bailey's Irish Cream, with a nice lemon flavor-not tart or bitter, just smooth and a little bit sweet.  I'd be afraid to sit down with a bottle next to me, it might disappear faster than lemonade!

This recipe is straight off Tessora's website and was created by Craig Loose, the bartender at Black Creek Bistro. (Who, by the way, serves all sorts of local spirits!) Since I knew so little about Tessora, I wanted a trusted recipe source. Well, I lucked out. This drink is my favorite of the series. I love unusual drinks, and this fits the bill. I would never have thought to combine lemon and coffee flavors, but this is just brilliant.


Lemon Cappuccini

Distinctive Cappuccino flavors with hints of lemon and cream.  1 bean for luck, 1 bean for life, and 1 bean for love.

2 oz Van Gogh Double Espresso Vodka, chilled
3/4 oz Tessora Liqueur, chilled
Garnish with 3 Espresso Beans

Mix and serve in vintage cocktail glasses. These glasses came from a shop in Sunbury, Ohio, Village Square Antique Mall. There are many vendors inside one building, and one in particular, NouVeau Bohemian, that I love to shop with. She always has something I didn't know I needed, but now can't live without.

In making this a second time, I'd play around with the proportions, maybe adding more Tessora. Once it chilled in the refrigerator for a bit the flavors married nicely, so you could prepare a bunch overnight for a party the next day.

The jewelry is from my Cocktail Couture partner, Jenna Brucoli. I got to prop shop in her amazing collection of vintage accessories, and these immediately caught my eye. I love clothing that mimics food, and these strands look like wonderfully colorful hard candy. She's created a beautiful design around the photos and added her own style to the story. Make sure to check out her post!

Don't forget about our previous Cocktail Couture post for Watershed Gin!

Cocktail Couture: Watershed Gin Pumpkin Drop

We Cbusr's sure do love our hometown booze! Columbus is getting some well-deserved local and national recognition for our distilleries, wineries, and breweries. In honor of these fine establishments, I've partnered with fellow Edible Columbus contributor Jenna Brucoli of the fantastic design and fashion blog, Jenna Sais Quois, to bring you Cocktail Couture.

Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing, usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques. Well, in relation to these cocktail and accessory pairings, the hand-crafted alcohol is couture. The creators are dedicated to their craft, making award-winning bottles of gin, vodka, whiskey, wine and Tessora (similar to limoncello.)

Our first recipe uses Watershed Gin. Even gin-haters will enjoy this cocktail! (I have proof, I tested the cocktail out on a number of gin-haters.) This makes a fun punch, or if made more concentrated, it's great for shots or mini-cocktails. It's a perfect fall drink, and could be made even more fun with floating spider rings, a sugared rim, or served in hollowed out mini pumpkins.

Pumpkin Drop

1.            1 oz. Watershed Gin
2.            1 oz. pumpkin puree
3.            1 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
4.            1 1/2 oz. simple syrup
5.            Ginger Ale


Combine the gin, pumpkin, lemon juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice, and shake briskly until combined. Strain into a shot glass or small highball glass and top off with Ginger Ale. The Ginger Ale can be substituted with champagne, sparkling wine, or cream soda. They're all good!

Here's the link to Jenna's post, with a twist.

In honor of Halloween, I couldn't resist adding a few of my favorite pumpkin photos. Keep an eye out for more Cocktail Couture to come!

Emeril Lagasse's Cookbook Sneak Peak: English Cottage Pie with Root Vegetables

I had the pleasure of partnering with Shawnie Kelley, the talented woman behind the Insiders' Guide To Columbus and the fun food blog Manges! Mangi! You should check out the event she's organized for tomorrow night, Fete Blanc--a pop-up picnic for 350 people all dressed in white!

Shawnie introduced me to this Emeril cookbook, so we decided to partner up--she did all the cooking and I did all the photography, then we both ate all the food. :)

We started out with this English Cottage Pie. As she was busy cooking, I said "This looks a lot like a Shepard's Pie" and she responded that a Shepard's Pie is made with lamb, hence the shepard, and that all other pies of the sort can be called Cottage Pie. So most of you who had thought they made a Shepard's Pie but used ground beef, you were wrong! It's a Cottage Pie. I am also guilty of this, but who cares: Americans aren't exactly known for keeping to tradition.

Shawnie has this brilliant little device for getting the skin off of garlic. (It's that tube looking thing above.) You just roll this Garlic Peeler around with the garlic inside and voila! No more peel. I love gadgets like this that are small but immensely helpful at doing tasks I hate.

She also has that potato ricer (with handles, above) that I thought could really come in handy. But I'm sure I'd be lazy and use a spoon to mash them instead.

You might notice that Shawnie also likes the color orange--there was orange food, orange dishes, orange towels, I was in orange heaven. It's my favorite color (notice the orange cake banner image?)

So, even though I didn't eat this cottage pie, the spices smelled incredible coming out of the oven, and Shawnie could hardly wait until it cooled down to take a bite. She was very happy with the result. I think this is a crowd-pleaser recipe. There's nothing scary or adventurous about it, it's just good, hearty food, perfect for a cold winter day.

The finished result is below. It looks nice plated, more like a lasagna than a big soupy mess, which is what mine usually look like. I can't be in a pet household without taking pictures of the pets. It would be rude, right? See, kitty loved the cottage pie, too!

You can find more recipe tests from Emeril's cookbook Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders in the 2 previous posts (quiche and soup), on Shawnie's blog, and on The Secret Ingredient's Facebook Page.

English Cottage Pie With Root Vegetables

5 tblsp unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
2 tblsp vegetable oil
2 lbs lean ground beef
1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for cooking the potatoes
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 c. diced onion
1/4 c. minced garlic
1 1/2 c. diced turnip
1 1/2 c. diced carrot
2 tblsp tomato paste
2 tblsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tblsp dried thyme
1 tblsp dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1 tblsp plus 1 tsp dry mustard
1 3/4 c. beef stock or canned low-sodium beef broth
1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
3 lbs Idaho potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/4 tsp freshly ground white pepper
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 c shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese

Grease a 3-quart baking dish with a small amount of butter and set aside.
Heat 1 tblsp of the butter and 1 tblsp of the oil in a deep 5 quart saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the ground beef, 1/2 tsp of the salt, and 1/4 tsp of the black pepper. Cook the meat until browned, breaking it into pieces with a wooden spoon, 10-12 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.

Return the pan to the heat and add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter and the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring until soft and lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Add the turnip, parsnip, carrot, and 1/4 tsp of the remaining salt and cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 4 minutes. Return the beef to the pan and add the tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring for another minute. Add the dried herbs, bay leaf, mustard, stock, and Worcestershire and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat so that the sauce barely simmers, cover and continue to cook, stirring once midway, for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, remove the bay leaf, and season with 1/2 tsp of the remaining salt and the remaining 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cover and set aside.

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 F degrees.

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by at least 1 inch. Bring the water to a gentle boil, season with salt, and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Immediately drain the potatoes. Pass the potatoes through a ricer into the same pot (or mash until smooth using a potato masher) and return the pot to the stove over low heat. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons of butter, the half-and-half, white pepper, nutmeg, and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Stir to mix well and cook until heated through.

Transfer the meat mixture to the prepared baking dish. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the meat mixture and, using the back of the spoon, smooth the top of the potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the mashed potatoes. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet and bake until browned and bubbly on top, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

8-10 servings