Review: PhotoTasting's "Art of Food Porn" Seminar

"Do you like food? Do you like taking photos? Do you like taking photos of food?"

That was the opening description of PhotoTasting, a photography class I took on Saturday dedicated to helping L.A.-based food bloggers perfect the art of food porn. Hosted by Pam of DailyGluttony.com; Sharon of WeezerMonkey.com; and Tony, contributor to TripVine.com, this food-focused seminar was one of Los Angeles' first and featured the gorgeous new Winter Seasonal Menu of Checkers Hotel's Executive Chef, Todd Allison.

Lobster Bisque

with wild mushrooms & lobster medallions

I scanned down to the "Cost" portion and was pleasantly surprised that for $45, I would get the chance to network with other food bloggers, hone my photography skizzles – the class wasn't limited to SLRs; my new Point & Shoot was welcome with open arms) –and exclusively preview a mouth-watering, multi-course meal? Count me in!

Ahi Tuna Salad

with pomegranate, blood oranges, & baby Lola Rosa lettuce

Upon arrival at the Checkers Hotel, I was thrilled to see that the class had been set up in the semi-private rear of the hotel's restaurant. The class started at 12:30pm and I snuck in a 12:29, grabbing a seat in the front row. At first glance it appeared that the class was sized appropriately, with between 18-24 students seated in front of a large LCD monitor and laptop station. For the first class of its kind I found the hosts were mostly well-prepared, explaining that the class would be organized into a series of "Talk. Shoot. Eat." sessions. Sounded good to me.

Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly

with roasted shallots & Brussels sprout gratin

Tony kicked off the session, sharing information about the differences between professional SLRs and Point & Shoot cameras. Sharon took over with a detailed presentation ranging from "How A Camera Works" basics to professional White Balance, ISO, Aperture and exposure details. We all followed along, firing up our cameras and experimenting with the various settings and programs. Questions were welcome and due to the intimate nature of the class, explanations were easily heard and for the most part, understood.

Grilled Local Calamari

with Kalamata olives, cipiollini onions, haricots verts & roasted garlic aioli

About thirty minutes in, we got to the good part: the food. Being an L.A. native, I'm always skeptical of downtown L.A. restaurants. Until recently, downtown L.A. was a no-mans land, save for business travelers and throngs of nine-to-fivers who commuted to the high rises. Culinary Mecca, it was not.

Grilled Alaskan Salmon

with asparagus, quinoa, roasted tomatillo & chili relish

Without hesitation, I can truly say Chef Allison's menu was stellar; the presentation was gorgeous, the flavors divine and the ingredients clearly hand-picked from high-quality, local farmers markets. The bites alone were absolutely worth the seminar's $45 price tag.

Myers Ranch Beef Tenderloin

with Bloomsdale spinach, fingerling potatoes & bearnaise sauce

But back to the class: One at a time, the courses were presented on white tablecloth-covered tables placed next to picture windows, optimal for taking photos. When it comes to food photography, natural light is king. We were given about 10 minutes per course to flock to the tables and shoot the food, experimenting with our new-found photography tips and tricks. After the shooting session, we were all able to dig in. Heck YES.

Myers Ranch Beef Tenderloin

with Bloomsdale spinach, fingerling potatoes & bearnaise sauce (presentation #2)

Between courses, Pam led the charge with tips and tricks on Photo Composition, Background and Photo Editing. She shared incredible food photos taken by the hosts at local restaurants, providing a visual for each of the techniques. I'm not sure if my hand-sketched replications will prove as great reminders, but they were worth a shot!

Shortcake & Farmers Market Berries

with fresh mint & whipped cream

Three hours, seven courses and 100-plus photos later, I definitely had more of a handle on my camera. I had learned the major differences between SLR and Point & Shoot cameras, how to adjust almost all the settings on my camera to take great photos in a variety of locales (from dimly-lit bars and restaurants to meals swathed in sunlight), and how compose and retouch my shots. An added bonus? My tummy was happily full of fabulous food from a restaurant I've added to my repertoire. All in all, a win-win.

Coconut Bread Pudding

with Tahitian Vanilla ice cream & Thai banana

Review: HipCooks "Cocktails & Apps" Cooking Class

I LOVE cooking classes. As I've gotten older, my dream vacations have started to revolve around destinations where I can take exceptional cooking classes with professional instructors in spectacular settings. I've already had fabulous cooking experiences in Napa Valley, CA, Madrid and Paris. I'm a very lucky girl.

That said, I believe four elements make for a truly successful cooking class:

1) The class must be taught by someone with a tried and true culinary pedigree;
2) The class must be hands-on; forget this demonstration-only crap;
3) The class must be educational and informative;
4) The class must be engaging, if not altogether fun.

Quick sidebar: I've yet to take a cooking class in L.A., for no other reason than I haven't found any that truly interest me. That all changed in December when Mario Batali's Pizzeria Mozza – one of my absolutely fave local restaurants – announced its new-found "Scuola di Pizza," a cooking class taught by none other than Mozza maven Nancy Silverton and Executive Chef Matt Molina. When I got the email announcing their first class I announced to Bryan, "I HAVE TO GO TO THIS!" He took a bit of the wind out of my sails by asking one simple question: "How much is it?" I scanned down the page to see that a three-hour class was $150. Wow. He then asked if it was hands-on. I searched through the email and couldn't find an answer. His response was valid: "That's a lot of money to sit and watch someone cook for three hours."

Bryan had a very good point, so we decided I would forgo Mozza's inaugural class and see what the next email announcements held. Well, guess what? Three weeks later the next email arrived with a bright red section entitled, "IMPORTANT!" followed by two rules:

1. "Classes are demonstration only, there will be no hands-on participation."

2. "No alcoholic beverages will be served."

Clearly I'm not the only potential cooking-class attendee who believes that classes should be hands-on. And for God's sake, if people can't participate at least let them drink. While Nancy Silverton is one of my favorite chefs in the U.S., if not world, there's just something forgettable about observing and not being able to partake in the action. After all, like the Latin proverb says, "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I will learn." Isn't that what learning to cook is all about?

So long story short, when my friend Christine asked me to go to a Cocktails and Appetizer cooking class at HipCooks, a Los Angeles-based cooking school that "feeds the minds, imaginations and tummies of hip Angelenos," I was interested but needed to do some background research. After reading through their site and checking out some of their class options – "My Big Fat Greek Cooking Class," "Dim Sum & then Sum" and "Thai One On," to name a few – HipCooks definitely seemed to throw the pretense out the window and appeal to true home cooks. Cooks, not chefs, who want to entertain family and friends in a fun and relaxed setting; throw together a fabulous meal for an unexpected guest; or learn the planning and organizational skills necessary to throw an unforgettable dinner party for 20 guests.

HipCooks' "Have FUN in the Kitchen" mantra seemed like something I could get behind, even if it was for one class. Heck, at the very least I'd have a great time with my friend and leave with a tummy full of appetizers and cocktails. That's a win-win situation in my book.

I reserved my spot in the class, which was taught last night. When I arrived at the HipCooks West L.A. location – they also have a downtown L.A. and Portland location – my first impression was one of warmth and comfort. Despite its cavernous square footage, the space was inviting, colorful and bright. The employees, busy prepping and organizing the evening's Mise en Place, greeted us with smiles, sign-in information and a choice of lemon-mint tea or ice water. To top it off, the aroma was incredible. I don't know what had been baking, but I wanted it. And I wanted it now.

As the class filled to its 12-person capacity, we put on our aprons and surrounded the demonstration table. After brief introductions of the instructors, assistants and "students," we were all set to begin.

The class was themed "Winter Cocktails & Appetizers," meaning we would be preparing two appetizers at the cooking station, then moving to the bar area to prepare the matching two cocktails. We did this three times for a total of six appetizers, six cocktails and one impromptu dessert.

The appetizer menu was diverse, if not fairly typical of cocktail party fare:

• Port-Glazed Walnuts
• Baked Baby Apples with Gorgonzola & Walnuts
• Pears wrapped with Sage, Manchego & Proscuitto
• Mushroom, Goat Cheese & Thyme Empanadas
• Pastry Cups with Caviar, Crème Fraiche & Chive
• Parmesan Crisps with Seared Filet, Watercress & Horseradish Cream
• Classic Sugar Cookies

The cocktail menu was fantastic, filled with a mix of classic and modern winter favorites:

• Rosemary Pomegranate Gin Fizz
• Holiday Dark and Stormy
• Sangria
• Spicy Mulled Wine
• Hot Apple Pie
• Creamy Winter Martini

Port-Glazed Walnuts

Pastry Cups with Caviar, Crème Fraiche & Chive

The instructors were knowledgeable, down-to-earth and clear in their instruction. There was no need to take notes; all of the recipes would be emailed to us, in great detail, the following day. The class was paced well; just enough time was spent at each station enjoying the food, cocktails and conversation, but without a lull or lag time. Each student was able to get "hands on," wrapping and filling empanadas, mixing blue cheese for baked apples, flipping a pan full of port-glazed walnuts or creating one of the six signature cocktails.

Mushroom, Goat Cheese & Thyme Empanadas (pre-baked)

Mushroom, Goat Cheese & Thyme Empanadas (baked)

While the class certainly wasn't perfect – the filet should have been cut into smaller, more manageable bites and instructor committed a big-time culinary faux pas of extracting caviar with a metal spoon – everyone was involved, laughing, supporting their fellow students and overall enjoying the intimate atmosphere. The space felt like an extension of one's home, so much so that I could easily envision making each dish for my own hungry friends and family.

Parmesan Crisps with Seared Filet, Watercress & Horseradish Cream

Baked Baby Apples with Gorgonzola & Walnuts

Classic Sugar Cookies

Towards the end of class I'll admit I was losing interest but only because it was 10pm, I'm not a sugar cookie fan and I was fighting a cold. Other than those reasons that prove I'm an old fuddy-duddy, I loved the HipCooks class. I'll definitely be taking another one soon.

More info on HipCooks:

HipCooks West L.A.

2833 South Robertson Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90034

310.341.2738

www.hipcooks.com

Crumbs of the Day: Thursday, Feb. 4

What's the secret to sinfully soft, silky and fluffy cakes? Whipped cream in the cake batter! -Kitchn.com

Want your face plastered on L.A.'s first double decker world food bus? Only one day left to enter! - GrubstreetLA

Foodie nerds unite! Vintage 1978 Star Wars-themed Sea Chicken Commercial. What makes it even better? It's Japanese! - SeriousEats

Bryan will love this. Sneak Peek into The Surly Goat, a new beer bar to open in WeHo. - LAWeekly.com

Welcome to the 4th wave of coffee; a review of the $18,000 Slayer espresso machine. Incredible. - SeriousEats

Fun in the Kitchen: Peel & Stick Chalkboard Panels

I LOVE Paper Source's removable chalkboard panels. Luckily for me, they were a Christmas stocking stuffer from my in-laws. Forget about keeping grocery lists on paper stuck to your fridge, or on a white board or even on your phone's digital "Post-It Pad." These chalkboard panels are adhesive yet 100% removable without leaving any residue. How do I know for sure? Because I've got them in our kitchen and have moved them several times. They keep their adhesive and add flair to any space, whether it's your kitchen, home office or laundry room.

The chalkboard panels come four to a pack for $19.95. Buy one and put them on your refrigerator, like I have for grocery lists, funny notes and to-do reminders. Or buy several of them and put on your walls or cabinets, automatically giving an outdated kitchen a fun face-lift.

Photo courtesy of Re-Nest.com

Even more fun? The set of bright pink, orange, white and purple Bistro Markers ($12.95) that are perfect for giving your chalkboards "colorful" personality.

Small Bites For the Big Game #5: The 24,000 Calorie Snack Stadium

Okay, perhaps a 24,000 calorie snack stadium isn't technically a "small bite." But this edible Super Bowl stadium is constructed from a variety of popular snack foods, so in this case the whole is NOT greater than the sum of its parts. Which makes it akin to eating a lot of small bites. See my logic?

I'm blown away by this and had to post it. The good people at Holy Taco have come up with the self-proclaimed "Greatest Snack Food Stadium Ever Built." And after looking at this guac/salsa/queso dip football field with wiener/cheese players and Twinkies/chips/pretzels/Cheetos stadium, I have to agree. Seriously, just take a look at this snackalicious masterpiece:

Even better, you want to make it for your very own Super Bowl party? Here's how. If anyone does make it, I want a full report! I've got my hands full with about 50 sliders and 3 pounds of guacamole!

The Field:

• 1 Pound of Guacamole
• 15 Oz. Queso Dip for one end zone
• 15 Oz. Salsa for the other end zone
• 2 Oz. Sour Cream for the Field Lines

The Players:

• 15 Vienna Sausages
• Helmets - 3 Oz. Sharp Cheddar Cheese

The Goal Posts:

• 1 Slim Jim for Each Goal Post
• 1 Oz. Monterey Jack Cheddar To Anchor (each)

The Stands:

• 58 Twinkies
• 1 Pound of Bacon
• 1 Bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos
• 1 Bag of Cheetos
• 1 Bag of Corn Tortilla Chips
• 1 Bag of Chex Mix

The Blimp:

20 Oz. Football-Shaped Summer Sausage (optional) (on second thought, no, this isn't optional. Go buy one.)

Nutritional Info: You might not want to read this. I'm not kidding.

• Total Calories: 24,375
• Total Grams of Fat: 1,285
• Total Cost: $86.47
• Total Deliciousness: 1 Billion trillion, dude. One billion trillion.

Take one pound of guacamole and smear it on the center of a baking tray, leaving a section on either end for the end zones.

It's important here to fill one end zone with the salsa filling, and one end zone with the queso dip, so that neither team receives home field deliciousness.

Transfer sour cream to a piping bag or large Ziploc with one corner cut off (makeshift piping bag!) , then squeeze gently to make the yard lines across the field. You can even pipe on the numbers for the actual yard lines if you want!

Vienna sausages make delicious players, and tiny cheese wedge helmets help keep them from getting concussions. In my opinion, use the small end of a melon baller/scoop to create the cheese helmets. Two different types of cheese helps to distinguish the teams. The goal posts are made from cut up Slim Jim's that were adhered with tooth picks. Monterey Jack cheese was used as an anchor to keep them standing, with a tooth pick linking the two together.

Now that the field is finished, you can begin constructing the stadium around it, which you will also eat. Definitely do this on a large platter so you don't ruin your table top (e.g. Holy Taco's example below). You can make your stadium as large as you want, depending on how many Twinkies you have at your disposal. We had 58 but probably could have used 90. Use tooth picks to secure the Twinkies to one another. This outer stadium wall will provide a delicious dessert when the contents of the stadium have been eaten.

The bacon wall is the most important part of the stadium, because it keeps the throngs of screaming fans, in this case chips, from falling on the field, in this case the guacamole and salsa. And honestly, who doesn't love bacon? Hot or cold, it's a fan favorite. Insert tooth picks into the first row of Twinkies, and then weave the bacon in and out of them, so that it forms a pliable wall. It's easier to do this when the bacon is still warm and pliable, so you don't risk breaking it.

Without the fans, there would be no game. It's no different in your snack stadium, so select four different kinds of snacks to fill the stands. Be sure to use pieces of bacon to separate your crowd into sections, as you can see in the corners of the stadium in this photo.

As you can see, the chips give the feeling of a crowd of crazed fans. Especially the Cheetos, which can barely contain their excitement at Vienna Sausage Drew Brees and his delectable team.

Turkey, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna

I was in the mood for lasagna last night, but had a serious dilemma. My favorite lasagna in the world is from Bay Cities Italian Deli in Santa Monica, CA. It's so authentically Italian, flavorful and robust that no other lasagna I've had holds a candle to it. They have two lasagnas that I absolutely can't get enough of: turkey and mixed vegetable. The turkey is simple yet delicious enough; layers of noodles, ground turkey and cheeses covered with meat sauce. The vegetable lasagna is chunky, packed with mushrooms, spinach, onions, cheeses and marinara sauce.

My dilemma? Last night I wanted both. As a result, I decided to experiment and make my own combo: turkey, spinach and mushroom lasagna with meat sauce. I headed to the grocery store and picked up everything I thought I needed. There was no actual recipe; I just made it by feel and by what I know Bryan and I love in our lasagna, trying to mimic Bay Cities as best I could. You know what? I think I nailed it, as evidenced by our empty plates! I already can't wait for leftovers!

So here it is: my turkey, mushroom and spinach lasagna "recipe."

• 1lb lean ground turkey
• 3 cups (26 oz jar) spaghetti sauce
• 3 cups spinach
• 2 cups diced white onion
• 1 1/4 cups (10 oz.) sliced Crimini mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 15 whole basil leaves
• 1/2 cup basil chiffonade, separated
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 3/4 cups (15 oz. container) low-fat ricotta cheese
• 3 cups (8 oz.) mixed low-fat shredded mozzarella, fontina and asiago cheeses
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, separated
• 12 pieces whole wheat lasagna, uncooked

Heat oven to 350°F. In a non-stick skillet, saute Crimini mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until liquid is evaporated, about 6-8 minutes. Add chopped white onion to pan and cook until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add spinach leaves one cup at a time and mix until wilted, about 2 minutes total. Transfer vegetable mixture to separate bowl and set aside.

Saute mushrooms & onion

Add spinach until wilted. Transfer to bowl and set aside.

Add ground turkey and one tablespoon garlic to pan and cook until meat is browned, making sure to separate all lumps. Drain liquid from meat and add tomato sauce to meat mixture; simmer until thickened, about 6-8 minutes.

Saute turkey and garlic until browned, breaking up lumps

Add marinara sauce and simmer for 8 minutes

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, one-half mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, 1/4 cup basil, salt and pepper.

Combine cheeses, egg, parsley, basil, salt and pepper

Mix until well combined. Set aside.

Spread about one cup sauce on bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Arrange 4 UNCOOKED pasta pieces lengthwise over sauce; cover with one cup sauce. Spread one-half cheese filling over sauce.

Uncooked lasagna noodles.

Spread one cup tomato sauce on bottom of 13x9" pan

Spread cheese mixture on uncooked noodles.

Spread a thin layer of the mushroom, spinach and onions on top of the cheese mixture. Evenly sprinkle one cup shredded mozzarella and five basil leaves. Add 1/3 of the turkey marinara mixture.

Spread sauteed vegetables on top of cheese mixture.

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and basil leaves

Add 1/3 of turkey and tomato mixture

Repeat one time, layering uncooked pasta, cheese mixture, sauteed vegetables, mozzarella and turkey tomato sauce. Top with final layer of pasta and remaining sauce; drop small spoonfuls of the remaining cheese mixture, cover with mozzarella cheese and chiffonade of basil.

Completed, uncooked lasagna layers

Cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake additional 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly

Plate and ENJOY!

My New Obsession: Olio Aceto "Pearls"

Here it is. My new obsession.

Olio Aceto "Pearls"

Photo courtesy of NapaStyle.com

Translation? Vinegar "caviar" pearls.

Before you get grossed out (like I do when I even think about certain types of caviar), give me a minute to explain. These vinegar pearls are a truly intriguing and delicious take on oil & vinegar; one by which you'll be sure to impress your friends and family. Just trust me here.

Several years ago I was working on a strategic planning project for a big-time food & beverage client. This client flew 10 hand-picked team members – myself included – all over the country for almost two weeks. Our job? Researching the true meaning behind "gourmet food." What does it look like? Taste like? How is it marketed?

I'll tell you; it was really hard work indulging in some of the country's best cuisine at a variety of cutting-edge restaurants, farmers markets and mom & pop shops. Oh wait, it wasn't hard at all. It was like my personal and professional culinary dreams came true for two weeks.

Even though it was almost four years ago, one specific meal stands out. After a long night of traveling, we had a breakfast meeting at a San Francisco-based food science company. Ten of us were sitting around a conference table inside a fully-equipped kitchen. To our right sat a breakfast spread from of our wildest dreams...waffles, pancakes, omelets, fresh fruit, potatoes, biscuits, gravy, etc. While we were jet-lagged, exhausted and literally ready to attack, we were doing the polite thing and waiting for our hosts to come and unleash us on the food. However, before we could do just that, a few food scientists whisked through the kitchen doors, announcing they had a special pre-breakfast treat: CAVIAR. Sure enough, here came platters filled with what appeared to be blinis topped with caviar and creme fraiche. Ugh.

I almost died. Our group turned green at the thought of fish eggs – I don't care how expensive they were – at 8 o'clock in the morning. But the "chef" soon explained that this was no fish caviar; it was made from coffee. Peet's Coffee, to be exact, separated by a proprietary process and turned into tiny, gelatinous coffee "caviar."

Coffee Caviar Separation Process

A multi-nozzle syringe drops the coffee mixture into a bath of calcium chloride to harden.

Photos courtesy from Wired.com

After the caviar gels, the calcium chloride solution is poured off.

The finished caviar is washed and drained.

Placing the finished caviar in a tin to mimic the real thing.

Coffee beans turned into coffee caviar.

I'd never seen anything like it. Ever. And it turned out to be absolutely incredible. Presented on mini blinis and topped with fresh coffee-infused whipped cream, the "caviar" was absolutely delicious. The coffee flavor literally popped in my mouth, complimenting the sweetness of the blini and richness of the whipped cream. A little bite of heaven. Oh, and then we got to hit up the buffet.

So back to the Olio Aceto "Pearls." When I saw these in Napa Style's catalog, I got really excited. The pearls are made from vinegar, separated by a special separation process at Michael Chiarello's Napa Valley restaurant, Bottega, essentually creating vinegar “caviar.” These are little pearls of perfect flavor that, when mixed with the signature flavored olive oils, makes the best bread-dipping oil ever! You can also spoon it on steak, roasted chicken or flaky fish; drizzle on simple salads; or add to pasta. Whatever you do with it, your guests are in for a dinner that’ll blow their minds.