For The Love of the Greek Gyro
A couple of months ago I returned from another wonderful visit to Greece. Beautiful Mykonos again. I couldn't wait to go back to that small Gyro place that I went to last time. I craved that Gyro! On our way there I could barely contain my excitement. My mouth waters, and my heart beat faster. I was staring at Alesandro as he was preparing it, and when he poured that tzatziki sauce on top I almost grabbed it from him. We sat on the blue and white steps and indulged in every bite.
Yummy. I had one every day of my visit....
When I returned to LA, I went to a local Greek restaurant to continue my Gyro feast, but it wasn't even close to being the same... SO... I made one, and photographed it! And when I turned my back to pick up the phone, Lenny, my daughter's dog was on it...scarfed it down....
Our Mythological Honey Cake: A Secret Recipe.
Brooklyn. In a different lifetime. I was only 21 when I got married, and was led down the dark wooden stairs of the basement, to learn how to cook from my mother-in-law, Yaffa. I actually knew how to cook, but not This kind of food...
The Jewish New Year was just around the corner, Rosh Hashanah, and a honey cake is one of the traditional foods, symbolizing the wish for an upcoming sweet year. We were both in our aprons, cooking in her large kitchen, when Yaffa turned and looked at me with her big blue eyes and a secretive smile, and whispered in her heavy Yiddish accent: "I am now going to teach you how to make our honey cake! This is a secret recipe, passed from mother to daughter for generations; and now you will know it too...But don't give out the recipe to anyone except your daughter..." I felt privileged, and promised her that no stranger will ever see this recipe.
I watched Yaffa for about an hour measuring the ingredients, and going through the process of making that cake, and it was a process. A long one. Finally the cake was in the oven, and I helped her clean up.
The first bite was magical: I closed my eyes indulging in the incredible flavor and texture. I have never seen nor tasted such a honey cake. Tall, light, fluffy and moist with a perfect sweetness of honey. Each bite tasted like More.
Poor Yaffa passed away years ago, but every year since that day, before the High Holidays, I pull out the crumbled yellowish paper with her hand written recipe, and remember that day with her, while I am baking the secret mythological honey cake.
No one other than my daughter has ever seen this recipe.
The Many Faces of Coffee!
I love coffee! A big mug of steaming Cafe Latte is the first thing I crave and have when I wake up in the morning. It has been a ritual since I was a teenager, when my dad used to make us sweet cafe latte before going to school... Back then, it was more latte then coffee, yet still so delicious! There is this little coffee shop in my neighborhood, the owner, Craig, travels all over the world to get exotic coffee beans. It's a real treat to visit this shop, and have a coffee tasting time there!
Photographing coffee is wonderful, as there are so many stories which can be told through the lens. What is Your story? Is it indulging in your coffee with a donut or bagel? Rushing at work from one meeting to another, holding that eternal cup? Staying up late at night with your cup in front of a piles of books or paperwork?
And if you own a coffee business, who is your clientele? What is your vision of your special aromatic product? Who do you see drinking it? And what kind of story you would want to tell about your coffee? I will be very interested to know! So give me a call, and let's talk about your vision! ...Over a cup of coffee... :-)
CARVED DELICIOUSNESS
In a small shop, downtown Los Angeles, behind the vending machine, I found Fabian. An artist. A fruit carving artist. I needed some fruits carved for a project, and he was more than happy to help. The shop was sparkling clean, and he greeted me with a big warm smile. I didn't know what to expect, "Just use your imagination!" - I said. "Okay" he answered with a calm confident smiled, and thanked me.
Thirty minutes later, I returned to the shop and my jaw dropped. A fantasy garden of flowers made of fruits bloomed right there in front of my eyes. Cantelope, apples, mango and watermelon morphed into gorgeous colorful flowers!
"You are such a fantastic, talented artist, Fabian! A hidden gem!" With a humble smile he thanked me again.
If you are in Los Angeles, and need fruit or vegetable carving, go downtown to Fabian. He will make your special occasion bloom.
His company name is "Sweet 10tations", phone number (213)608-5620.