pastameshugana

Sweet potato soup! I make it savory and it vanishes overnight. I think this year I might make it military-scale and freeze it to last a while.

Hey now...don't be talking about the new super-auto espresso machine I'm lusting after...

PC - That tart has me intrigued as well. I'd love to see a recipe or method for that one. Also - I love these pictures. Especially the Cha Ca La Vong and the Tart. Beautiful. Possibly you could show us a pic of your setup over at The Food Photography Topic.

Yes it seems to be designed to limit convection as much as possible.

Turns out..the little roasted pepper on the bottom was a Trinindad Scorpion Bhut Jolokia!! WOW..I'm still feeling it There's not a lot I wouldn't give right now to have a bowl of that soup...

Have I been living in a cave? I can honestly say I don't think I've ever realized people ate loofah. I just googled it and was enlightened.

That's more your iPhone/iPad's fault than eGullet's. Apple, in their infinite wisdom, has denied you access to the file system. So you can only share photos with certain apps, and I am pretty certain that Safari and Tapatalk aren't on the list.Keith - I can say for certain that tapatalk on iPad lets you upload photos from your camera roll.

On the subject of replacement batteries - I've been purchasing Wasabe power (from Amazon) replacements. They usually come in sets of two with a charger (including car adapter) for $30-50. I've got a set for each of my Canon's and also my GoPro Hero. They work like champs and function like OEM, no issues at all. I'm not sure how they're so cheap, or why the others are so expensive - maybe it's magic unicorn dust - but I love them!

Teo, Not food-specific, but a good all-rounder is Tony Northrup's DSLR Book. It helps to understand the basics, and the eBook version includes some videos that are helpful.

Sorry for the very late resurrection/answer to this question: Yes, that little patch is great for moving the cooked stuff over to. Also, on all but the highest settings, the outer edge of the disc stays cool enough to rest cooked meat. My go-to recipe: Fry 1lb of spicy chorizo, move to the side 1lb of chopped bacon (cheap fatty stuff) till crispy, move to the side 2lb of chopped pork (shoulder or boneless chops, whatever is on sale), move to the side --At this point I've also added chicken if trying to make a bunch of food You should have a puddle of amazing smelling grease/fat in the middle now, toss your veggies in: -Chillies, garlic, onions, after a few seconds, scoop all the meat back in and quickly dump a can of coke or other dark cola in (some use beer) and toss it all together, including the already cooked meat you scoop in from the edges. Turn off the heat and serve directly into tortillas. Some good cheese, crema mexicana, and you've got a feast. This is really fun when everyone is hanging around outside, or camping. It's a truly sinful dish but super yummy.

An easy 'hack' to upload pictures via tapatalk that aren't in your iPad or iPhone already (for iOS users): If you use a PC, you can install photostream from Apple (iCloud panel). It allows you to keep a copy of your pics from your cell phone cam/ipad etc on your PC, but you can turn that option off. It also provides an 'uploads' folder. Dragging any picture into that folder will copy it into photostream, and will shortly appear on your iPad/iphone or other devices connected to that account. Wait a couple minutes, open Tapatalk on iPad and upload your pics. OR any other syncing app like dropbox will work. The big advantage is that tapatalk automatically resizes the pictures, eliminating a PITB step.

I must say, that's the first time (I think in my life), that I've felt that a liver dish looked appetizing. Did you form the pate in a full mold (like a dish) or is that pattern from something pressed into the face of it?

Brilliant. I don't think there's a person who doesn't know you that would connect the pic of your setup and the shots of your food. Just more evidence that you can make beautiful pictures with basic setups.

Panaderia - I love those spiral dishes. Have any pics of a dish unobstructed by tasty treats?

Lucky boy! And for shame that he didn't make it. I, for one, deeply regret that I never got 'into' cooking until long after mom was gone. Thankfully, Mrs. Meshugana is able to make some of mom's recipes (thank God she was paying attention!).

The first certainly has a more traditional look, it reminds me of a cabin, rustic and warm. The second is a little more modern. The soft lighting in the second can flatten things which may or may not be what you're looking for. Maybe I should've presented the two quick snaps without the editorializing.

Here's a simple demonstration for those who are either new to photography or are questioning whether its necessary to purchase expensive equipment to make a decent photo. Two pictures of the same plate, same time of day, about 11am. The first is in my kitchen under typical kitchen (poor) lighting: Note the yellow tinge, harsh shadows and general unappetizing look. Second pic, I simply moved into my dining room which has sheer curtains on the windows: Note the much more pleasing color (daylight, like the bulb dcarch recommends), the soft shadows, and the beat up table. For what it's worth, this whole exercise, including writing the post, took all of 5 minutes. I think anyone, with a minimum of effort, can get truly appetizing pics of their food without wasting time. EDIT to add: these two pics are from a cell phone, not my fancy camera. (iPhone 5 if it matters to anyone).

I think I'd beg to differ. Many many of the great meals I see here, if pictured, are quick shots, even with cell phones. A couple years back I did an entire food blog with cell phone pics. I'm also with you in that I don't want to wait to eat when food is on the table. That being said, I also like to take pretty pictures (of many things, not just food). Food art is not what I normally make, but it's still pretty. Artistic food photography also takes time and is not always practical in the home, but it's still got a place in media (and in my heart). I think you might be going a little to far to indict all of eG about only wanting pretty pictures. The dinner thread(s) have plenty of mediocre photographs of food I'd die to eat. The reality is that communication has morphed into a very visual form, and whether quick snaps or professionally composed art shots, pictures of your meals are a vital part of the conversation here at eG.

There's not a court on eG that would convict you for slapping her...

My point is, you don't need a "setup" to take excellent pictures. My "setup"? a single CFL bulb with a kitchen plastic container, a tripod and a camera. dcarch I understand the simplicity - I'm just thinking the 'setup' pic would help, because in my minds eye I'm imagining your plastic container somehow taped to the ceiling light fixture in your dining room... I assume you're using a tabletop lamp or ? It would also probably be very illustrative for a photographic neophyte to see the results of a pic with & without the diffusor if you'd be so inclined.

I know you've already got mint - but I'm of the conviction that mint & chocolate together are integral to the stability of the universe. I'd pipe mint filling into those cookies in a heartbeat. What about something coffee flavored in between?

Could you possibly post a picture of your setup (light, diffusor, etc) the next time you're photographing a dish?

Whatever cheap software to allow me to crop and center the food and to eliminate distracting background. That's why all my photos are perfectly centered and no background. I think you are beginning to see how lack of creativity in my photos. dcarch For me, one of the greatest 'fixers' has been shooting in RAW formats (if you've got a dslr). It gives you lots of options for fixing exposure that you didn't get right in the first place.

This just in: Amazon has just announced a program called 'MatchBook' that appears to offer discounted and sometimes free digital versions of physical books you own. Google 'Kindle Matchbook' for the news stories.

Shoot. That looks fantastic. I think I may have to pick one up.