BEHIND THE SCENES

How long do you think it takes to create a photo you see on food blogs?


Planning,cooking, styling, taking photos, shopping of course for ingredients and props.........

Food bloggers are either mad or they just love what they do ;) I think I'm both - barmy and devotee of good food and good food photography!

WELCOME TO MY WORLD!

Photography is all about LIGHT right???!!!This actually can be very, very, very tricky!Especially if you live in ENGLAND ;)

Believe me, the sun was shining 5 minutes before this photo was taken, I set the scene, ready for photo shoot and......upsss.That's what you call  ENGLISH WEATHER!

It takes a long time to set the scene and take satisfying photo.....And some house mates or husbands -  to be more precise get very impatient.....especially if the delicious smell fills in the house from top to bottom ;)

Working from 7 o'clock on Sunday,all day long can sometimes be exhausting....but it all doesn't matter when you see the photo on the screen of your laptop and it's exactly what you wanted to achieve.

And then you happen to walk into a kitchen.....rub your eyes.....rub your eyes again.....OMG!What happened in here?

Anyone volunteer to help????

APPLE AND BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE

This recipe supposed to be added on my blog ages agoooo!I'm not sure if you will be able to find any blackberries anywhere now, if not, simple apple crumble is as nice ;)

 

INGREDIENTS:

FILLING:

500g/17.6 oz apples

500g/17.6 oz blackberries

1 TBSP fresh lemon juice

3-5 TBSP brown sugar

CRUMBLE:

200g/7oz butter(cold)

150g/5.3oz plain flour

100g/3.5oz oats

50g/1.7 hazelnuts, chopped

100g/3.5 oz brown sugar

METHOD:

1.Prepare crumble first. Place the flour, oats and hazelnuts in a large bowl and then rub in the butter until it resembles crumbs - leave a few lumps of butter so that the topping is not too fine. Add the muesli or oat/seed/nut mixture and the sugar and mix through.

2.Preheat oven 190C/!70C FAN/GAS 5

3.Place chopped apples in a pan over medium heat.Add sugar and lemon juice and cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.Add blackberries and cook  for another minute.

4.Place the fruit mixture in a oven/pie dish and bake for 40-45 minutes.

5.Cool for few minutes before serving.

Eaten NECESSARILY with custard ;)

I prepared this recipe and some more for  AUTUMN GREEN CANOE  
http://issuu.com/greencanoe/docs/gcs-jesien_2013

It's in Polish but I hope it will be translated to English one day!It's truly amazing!!!

CHICKEN & WHITE BEAN SOUP

Flavoursome, heart-warming, comforting soup - ideal for these cold and dark autumn evenings.Enjoy!

Inspiration: bbc good food

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS FOR STOCK:

 2 free range chicken legs(leave out for vegetable stock)
1/2 onion (small), browned sligtly on a clean frying pan
celeriac,(small piece - 30g)
1/2 stalk celery
1 medium carrots
1/2 parsnip
2 dried bay leaves
allspice(2 berries)
3 black peppercorns
2 and 1/2 - 3 l water
 
Method:

1.Cover the chicken legs with water and bring to boil.Skim off any scum that has formed.Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to boil, turn the heat down and simmer for around 1-2 hour.

2.Remove the legs from the pan(we will use them in this recipe), and drain the stock.

Why not double up the ingredients and freeze half of the amount for next time....

INGREDIENTS FOR SOUP:

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 free range chicken legs, cooked(I used the ones from home made stock)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots(medium),finely chopped
3 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1.5 l home-made vegetable or chicken stock
600 g cannellini beans, drained
 a bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped, to serve

METHOD:

1.Heat the oil in a large pan, add onion, fry until soft.

2. Pour stock into the pan, add bay leaf,carrot and celery.Cook for about 15 minutes.

3. Add beans and cook for another 10-15 minutes .Remove the meet off the bone and mix in big chunks into the soup.

4.Served with chopped parsley.

AUTUMN SMOOTHIE

KEEP

 CALM

and

 LOVE

 AUTUMN

 FLAVOURS

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:

for 1 glass

1 pear,peeled, cored and chopped
2 plums, stoned,chopped
180 ml orange juice
pinch of cinnamon
1-2 tbsp oats
1 tbsp flaxseeds

Method:

1.Place the ingredients in a blender and mix on high speed until smooth ;) So simple, so delicious ;)

NUTTY GRANOLA

The colourful leaves falling from the trees are dancing in the wind, goodbying the Summer.
Crisp mornings, cooler evening all signal that AUTUMN is here. Time to relax....wind down....reflex.
Welcome back warm slippers, knitted jumpers and cosy blankets ;)
I like Autumn, it balances my life somehow; after active summer I can loosen my busy schedule a  little bit and I have a pretty good excuse - it's ''me'' time.
I sink into the armchair wrapped up in my favourite blanket, sipping warm green and lemon tea with my best autumn friends - books.And I want time to stop in that moment.....it's perfect....

AUTUMN changes the ingredients on my plate too. Hello heart - warming, comforting food.

Hello honey, cinnamon and nuts ;)

Nuts about NUTS?

HOME MADE GRANOLA

RECIPE:

150g jumbo oats
100g pumpkin seeds
150g nuts
1 egg white
1 tsp cinnamon
100 ml good quality honey(alternatively agave nectar or maple syrup)

METHOD:

1.Preheat oven to 190 C/ 170C fan/Gas 5

2.Mix honey with cinnamon and stir in the oats, seeds and nuts until mixture is evenly coated.Whisk egg white in a small bowl until frothy and pour over granola and stir until all ingredients are well combined.

3. Spread out evenly on a baking tray(lined with baking paper) and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring with a wooden spoon occasionally.

4. Cool, break it in clumps and store in a jar at room temperature.

Mind that this granola doesn't contain any oil so it may get a bit ''stiff'' when stored in a jar, just stir with a spoon before serving.

Forest Fruit SMOOTHIE

RECIPE:

for 4 glasses

INGREDIENTS:

300ml/1/2 pint milk
150ml/5fl oz natural yoghurt
150g/5oz bluberries
100g/3 1/2 oz blackberries
150g/5oz wild strawberries
50g/2oz oats
1- 2 tbsp honey

METHOD:

1.Mix all the ingredients in a blender for few minutes.

Easy peasy ;)

PUFF PASTRY TWISTS with basil and cheese

Goooooooood morning everyone! ;) ;) ;)

RECIPE:

For 18-19 twists

INGREDIENTS:

200g / 5.3oz puff pastry
40g / 1.4oz grated cheese
fresh basil, finely chopped

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven 190C/170C fan/Gas 5.Lane 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

2.Roll out the pastry into 32cm x 45cm (12,5 x17,5 inch) sheet. Cut in the middle (of the longer side).

3.Spread the cheese onto one piece of pastry and sprinkle basil on the top of it. Cover with the other piece of pastry and press down delicately.

4.Cut the pastry into 1cm/1 2/3inch, hold the ends and twist ;) and twist again ;) and again ;)
Place on a baking tray and press the end so that they seal to the paper. Leave spaces between the twists.Bake for 18 minutes.

Served with boiled egg.