Food styling is an integral part of food photography. It sets the mood. These beautiful shots are from the 2010 Calendar from la Fédération des producteurs de lait du Québec. I shared them with you because they illustrated a good trick when it comes to food photography: pay attention to the backdrop. In this case, they aim to create a cohesive mood instead of a minimalist approach.

Start collecting bold wallpapers, fabric coupons, and gift wrapping papers to create your backdrop scene. The stylist for Le Lait calendar was not afraid to opposite modern patterns to traditional plates and utensils.

Get inspired by the food and the tableware you use. If you find a strong pattern, you can repeat the main color of the food on your backdrop. You can also select a pattern that repeats the food shape. At other times, playing with contrasting colors works better. It is a game of trials and errors until you get it right. The key is to experiment. Therefore, always have on hand several options ready to be used.

Be Careful that the Food is Not Lost

The cream puffs stand against the busy backdrop because of the contrasting colors. On the other hand, the black and white pattern used for the cupcakes is not the best choice. I feel that the small cakes get lost. A bright yellow and black backdrop would have been more effective. I suggest yellow because it complements the creamy tone of the white chocolate curls.

This lesson is not only for food photography. It also applies when you design a buffet table. Simply think about Amy Atlas. A stunning pattern backdrop is a signature of her dessert tables.

MORE:
+ photos by Le Lait – click here to download the calendar (only in French)

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Except for the William-Sonama printed signature (I would prefer something like Bon Appétit!), I really like the look of this white porcelain plates that are perfect to serve a sandwich, a single serving cheese plate or a small tray of antipasto.

The plates can also act as a message board. A customer commented on the W-S site that she writes notes or her menu on them with dry erase markers. A simple wash will clean up the remaining marks. It is a good alternative to the chalkboard.

And I would love to receive for Christmas a set for 8 of Laguiole Flatware in ivory ($79 for 5-piece place setting).

+ French Pantry Appetizer Plates $20 for 2

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I wish the fruity fine pastry skewers by Fou de goût were available in Canada. They would be awesome for the dessert table I am preparing for my husband’s 40th birthday party. Can you believe that these marvelous fruit pastries are available at the frozen counters at Monoprix?

Once again, it shows the big gap in the level of the products available at the typical grocers in France and what we get in North America. In both countries, people are challenged with time. There is also a need for frozen upscale food here. Imagine how it would simplify your life to keep superbly presented fine desserts in ready to use portions on your freezer. Inviting guests at the last minute would not be as stressful.

Let’s hope Fou de goût cross the Atlantic in a near future. In the meantime, you can steal the design when you bake your own pastry.

+ photos: Fou de goût

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I bought for the first time a package of Kumato yesterday. Called the brown tomatoes, the fruits exhibit darker green, brown up to a darker red. It is sweeter than the red tomatoes that we are accustomed. The producer of Kumato, Sunset says it has an intense aroma and surprisingly sweet, juicy flavor.

The Kumato grabbed my attention because the color is perfect for a fall table. Serving a Caprese salad is a time saver but a Caprese salad feels like summer. Plus, the classic row presentation is too simple for a chic sit-down dinner. Not anymore. Look at how Sunset dished up their Kumato Caprese salad. I would slightly modify their recipe by adding some basil in the middle of the stack.

You could mix two or three kinds of tomatoes in a stack to add even more dimensions to your salad. If you do, make sure to select tomatoes with the same diameter.

Three Mozzarella Slicers and an Egg Slicer

We all experienced it. Making consistent slices of mozzarella with a knife is hard. This is where a mozzarella slicer comes to your rescue. I listed three slicers that people seem to appreciate. Except for the Tomato and Mozzarella Slicer by Rösle who catches juice in the base, the other mozzarella slicers on the market look like high-end egg slicers. I am curious to know if we can do both with one slicer. Does anyone know the difference, if any, between a good egg slicer and a mozzarella slicer?

1. Mozzarella Slicer at Williams-Sonoma $25 USD
2. Rosle 12755 Tomato and Mozzarella Slicer $29.95  USD
3. Mario Batali The Italian Kitchen Collection Mozzarella Slicer $24.99 USD
4. Leifheit Pro Line Stainless Steel Egg Slicer $13.99 USD

MORE:
+ Sunset Kumato Caprese Salad recipe

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I love this picture. The superb crafted table, the breakfast scene, and the angle of the shot. I dream of having enough room in my house for an extra-long dining table. You save space by putting benches and stools instead of chairs.

+ Via July 2007 edition of Living etc

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When my eyes first saw the soft-cooked egg with caviar photo recipe of Chef David Chang, I thought “What a cool way to serve a Camembert”. The French girl in me is never very far. In the September 2009 of Bon Appetit, David Chang explained the story behind his signature dish. Like he said, eggs (caviar) in egg is funny.

You can find his signature Soft-Cooked egg with Onion Soubise, Caviar, and Potato Chips recipe on Bon Appetit. It will also be published on its upcoming cookbook titled Momofuko. His cookbook will be in stores October 15th, 2009.

For my Camembert dishing idea, I still have to perfect it. It can sit on a bed of caramelized onions. You are welcome to share your ideas.

SOURCING:
+ Momofuko by David Chang $26.40 USD

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Dressing up a soft drink table for a party deserves as much attention than setting a regular bar. Both have to be pretty and inviting. This week provides delightful examples of what you can do to make it grand.

That quest started by this Old fashioned soda bar featured on Project Wedding. The concept was to find several old-style soda bottles. They collected 14 soda drinks. They made it beautiful by lining the sodas by color. This is a merchandising trick that you often see at fine stationery stores. They also suggest to not put them on ice. Instead, keep them on the fridge until the last minute.

Like they say, the hardest thing is to find the old-fashioned bottles. If you have relatives who live in several parts of the country, ask their help to expand your collection.

Print Your Own Soda Labels

Inspired by that project, Amy of Eat Drink Chic made templates to print your own soda labels. They are available in two font styles. It may be simpler than looking for the old style brands. You could buy bottles from different brands for a more realistic effect.

Homemade Lemonade Stand

Finally, the appeal of the old-fashioned homemade lemonade stand does not die. Here they used big jars with tags and ladles to serve the lemonade. Anyone with some carpentering experience can build a cute lemonade stand.

Fabric pennant banners hanged on the stand mimics the vintage look. You can follow the instructions on Mommy Diaries to learn how to sew your own banner or head to etsy to find one that you like. You can refer to some of my favorite flag pennant banners.

MORE:
+ Project Wedding
+ Eat Drink Chic
+ One Love Photo

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If you are looking for a twist of the typical muffin cups, look at these Tulip baking cups. They are designed to fit the standard 2-inch muffin pans.

These four-petal cups are made of Swedish greaseproof white or brown paper. They come in three sizes. Make sure you get the tallest model (2 3/4) since it is the only one that form a uniform tulip shape. The smallest sizes are randomly folded. Plus, taller muffins look more sophisticated.

You may want to revisit my tall muffin presentation where I discussed how to make your own tubular muffins. The raffia string creates a modern rustic look. For a more stylish look, replace the raffia by a beautiful paper band hold in place with an elegant ribbon and a decorative button.

SOURCING:
+ White Tulip Baking Cups $3.95 USD for pack of 24
+ Brown Tulip Baking Cups $3.95 USD for pack of 24

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I like the motto of Sillycone. This shows again that silicone has revolutionized the way we cook. You can use silicone trays to shape any food or liquid.

You can perfectly shaped Jell-O, butter, chocolate, cheese, bite cakes, brownies, Rice Crispy treats and so much more! It opens a world of possibilities for entertaining like this Jell-O wish on a birthday cake.

Sillycone specialized in letter, number, symbol and the Greek alphabet. Their trays are made from high-gloss FDA tested silicone. Each tray is oven-safe to 550ºF and (-50ºF) is cool to the touch within minutes after baking.

For more shapes, look at Lékué. This Spanish high end brand makes silicone ice cube trays in form of a star, heart, dolphin, penguin and shell. Look at the cool colored ice cubes that Better Homes and Gardens did for the Fourth of July last year.

SOURCING:
+ Silicone Alphabet Letter Ice / Bake Tray Set $14.95 USD for 3 trays
+ Silicone Number Ice / Bake Tray $7.49 USD
+ Sillycone Single Number Ice / Bake Tray $10.13 USD
+ Silicone Symbol Ice / Bake Tray $14.99 USD
+ Lekue Silicone Ice Cube Tray, Star $2.95 USD

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If I had to resume in a few words the work of Donna Hay, I would say: Time-saving and Special Touches. Donna Hay’s philosophy fits very well within my way of life. This is probably why I am a long-time fan.

The current issue, which is not yet available in Canada, will be her Entertaining Issue. While I am looking for it, I browsed her site for great simple plating ideas that you could do at home. Individual serving dishes instantly add a special touch. You probably noticed that they are in vogue.

+ Donna took further the individual serving trend with this simple green salad presentation. To reproduce, collect small juice or water bottles. Make sure the small bottles all look the same since it is the fact that you are repeating a simple object that elevates the look. Pour the dressing in the small bottles. I suggest that you make more dressing than you need because you need to fill about 1/3 of the bottle for the optimal look. If you are against throwing away food, you can serve one bottle per couple or 2 guests.

+ Instead of serving a cheese platter, make a single-serve cheese board for each guest. You could split the cheese plate with its wild fig compote on an original way.

MORE:
+ Donna Hay

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Naming a restaurant Basil and Cacao is a sure way to grab my attention. I had the pleasure of eating a wonderful gastronomic at Basilic et Cacao located in Eastman, Quebec last Friday night. Friends who were vacationing in the region invited us. We are glad we drove from Montreal to experience a delightful meal. Since our cottage is in the Eastern Townships, we took this opportunity to relax a bit.

The restaurant is run by the husband and wife team. Mario does the service. Monique is the cook, an outstanding cook. It is good to know that the woman who prepared us these fabulous creations is not a Chef. We were all astonished by her talents. I am telling, you will take notes on how to dish your plates.

The menu is one prix fixe menu per night. It costs $50 per person. They served nothing else. They carry a nice wine list. The 5-course dinner is made of an amuse-bouche, a soup, the appetizer, the main meal and the dessert. Do not worry, when you call to reserve that will inquire if you have allergies or strong dislikes.

Since we were in season, the herbs and vegetables were freshly picked from their small garden. They grow out of the ordinary varieties like the maroon carrots and the very long French beans. Each course was a refined composition of food and presentation. Everything went well together.

We had rolls of foie gras and a fig for the amuse-bouche, two tapenades that complement the soup, an ostrich carpaccio and its local cheese mousse decorated with an ostrich chip before we received a superb duck entree with lightly cooked vegetables. A chocolate waffle with a chocolate sauce filling topped our dinner. It was exquisite! I will definitely return during the ski season.

MORE:
+ Gastronomy at Basilic et Cacao

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To get the wow factor, I suggest you set up an ice cream sandwich bar where your guests can select their own cookie and ice cream combination. This means that you have several options when you wish to serve ice cream sandwiches at a party:

• Make everything from scratch – it is wonderful but who has the time
• Bake the cookies and buy premium ice cream  or Buy the cookies and make your own ice cream- it is manageable for many
• Buy the cookies and premium ice cream – the no-fuss way

I say to do whatever fits your skills and your schedule. Make sure to serve the ice cream sandwiches in either ordinary waxed paper or go the extra miles and get professional grade food paper. You can make your cookies square, round or any almost-square shapes. For a kid birthday, use a butterfly cookie cutter or a castle cookie cutter.

I attached photos of professional made ice cream sandwiches to know what to aim for. Paul of Sweet Paul shows us that waffle cookies adds a twist. I like the look but I prefer the taste of real cookies. The New-York bakery Milk and Cookies sells 6 flavors and plus the flavor of the week.

Coolhaus Concept

Two Los Angeles girls in their twenties start selling ice creams at festivals on their converted postal truck. Instead of paper, Freya Estreller and Natasha Case imagined the Coolhaus ice sandwiches in edible wrapper. Made of rice paper, the wrapper can be branded with soy ink. This is a cool idea for events. They twitter their truck location.

You can order the sandwiches straight off the menu or mix the flavors to your liking. This is one thing that you could do if you are having a big bash. Assembling an ice cream sandwich only takes a few seconds.

CREDITS:
1. Waffle and strawberry ice cream sandwich by Sweet Paul
2. Coolhaus $3 USD without edible wrapper, $3.50 with edible wrapper- more photos on Yelp
3. Milk and Cookies $4.95 USD

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