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. 

Bite-Sized Photo Shoots: Hug-Your-Mom Day

If your mom is anything like my mom, she's always wishing she had more family photos but never wants to impose on us to actually do it. She thinks it'll be uncomfortable to force a family moment or that we won't want to spend the money.

Well, every once in a while you should indulge your mother. She's worked hard, she deserves it. For this Mother's Day, give your mom the gift of your faces together, in a photo, to remember forever. Even better? It's CHEAP and FAST! Spend a half hour mini session with us and then take your mom out for a nice meal.

And let's have fun with it! No stiff posed shots, just you and your family interacting and being yourselves. Give your mom a hug-on camera. I bet she'll put it on her fridge.

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!

Food Photographer in Central Ohio: Design*Sponge Post!

I'm really excited to be featured on Design*Sponge this week! It's a site I've admired for a long time, and it's a great fit with Photo Kitchen. Here are the photos that were featured, and a few extras that were left out! If you haven't seen the full article, with the delicious local honey recipes including Ohio Honey Oat Bars (like granola bars, but better) and Homemade Ricotta and Honey Over Biscotti, click here!

Local Foods Holiday Gift Ideas!

Buying local for Christmas is easy! Even more perfect for out-of-town friends and family who may miss their Ohio favorites. Don't see YOUR favorite on the list? Please add your own, this is just a small, small segment of what Columbus has to offer!

1. For some seriously ingenious sweets, check out Sassafras Bakery's gift packages menu.

http://sassafrasbakery.com/seasonal.html

2. Taste of Belgium sells waffles by the bagful. They're even good to eat plain!

http://authenticwaffle.com/

3. Honey makes a sweet gift--and it never expires! At least not at my house.... Honeyrun Farms just started selling on Etsy, prefect timing!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/honeyrunfarm?ga_search_query=honeyrun+farm&ga_search_type=seller_usernames

4. Middle West Spirits makes some kick-ass vodka. Easy way to cross off the men on your list!

http://www.middlewestspirits.com/index.php/products/

5. For an obsessive cheese lover (like me), Oakvale Gouda is really worth the splurge. You may not believe me, but you should.

http://www.oakvalecheese.com/html/product_list___ordering.html

6. It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: Jeni's Ice Cream makes a great gift, and it's pretty cool to receive a package that requires dry ice.

http://www.jenisicecreams.com/

7. Pattycake Bakery isn't just for vegans. Check out their Mint Chocolate Whoopie Pie, yum!

http://www.pattycakeveganbakery.bigcartel.com/

8. The Olive Orchard makes olive oil and other items perfect for gifting. Everyone needs olive oil, how can you go wrong?

http://theoliveorchard.com/

9. Though I don't think they have an online store, you could stop into Crazy Goat Coffee in Gahanna and pick up some beans, a mug, or a gift card for your loved one!

http://www.crazygoatcoffee.com/menu.html

10. Camelot Cellars makes a great variety of wines, and you can design your own label! I did this for a friend's birthday, and really enjoyed the experience.

http://www.camelotcellars.com/

11. Even though Cheryl's has gone big, they're cookies are still locally produced!

http://www.cheryls.com/

12. Sweet Thing Gourmet has my favorite jams. I like them because I don't even think about putting them on bread, they're just too good for bread. I like their brandied apricot on bananas and their hot raspberry jam with cream cheese on Nut Thins crackers.

http://www.sweetthinggourmet.com/gifts.html

13. Last but not least, it's not a local food but it's certainly local-food themed, you could always get them a subscription to Edible Columbus magazine.

http://www.ediblecommunities.com/columbus/subscribe/subscribe.htm

Issue 4, for Libraries!

Libraries are a huge help for me and my business: I borrow photo books, business books, hold meetings there, use their internet when mine goes out, I've even taken a few portraits at the library! Please vote yes for Issue 4, it's important!
http://nateriggs.com/2010/09/19/columbus-metropolitan-libraries-issue-4/

Edible Columbus Fall Issue, available now!

The latest issue of Edible Columbus came out this week! We're so excited to get our second cover image published on Edible! There are some terrific recipes in here, the squash lasagna is fantastic, and the pumpkin soup is the best I've ever had!
Looking for a copy of your very own? Check out this link of locations!
http://www.ediblecommunities.com/columbus/blog/the-fall-issue.htm
Other locations: Tasi Cafe, The Refectory, Surly Girl Saloon, Due Amici, Barrio, Basil, Barcelona, Mezzo Italian Kitchen and Cotters at the Arena.