Tangra Summer Photos

Whew! I was finally able to find some time this week to organize and put up photos from Tangra Summer. This past August, Chitra Agrawal and I decided to host an Indian-Chinese pop-up dinner at the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum in Brooklyn, a wooden house that dates back to 1652 and is the oldest surviving building in all of New York. We wanted to combine our respective specialties to creative a cross-cultural supper club event that also used locally grown produce. Jason Gaspar, head gardener at the Wyckoff House, grew some of the gorgeous vegetables we had at the dinner, including the enormous bottleneck gourd in the photo above. (For more background on the dinner, see Chitra's article An Indian Vegetable Grows in Brooklyn on Medium.)

While at times exhausting, the experience was still an amazing one all around, from creating the menu to figuring out tiny details for table settings. It was also wonderful to collaborate with a talented group of people for the event, including Chitra; Jason; Ethan Finkelstein from Color + Information, our photographer who took all these great photos here; and Big Alice Brewing, our beef sponsors and creators of delicious and unusual beers using ingredients like lemongrass, curry leaves, and lapsang souchang tea. 

We're already cooking up ideas for the next seasonal dinner. (And hopefully you can join us too!) 

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Making Crazy Delicious Banh Mi Photos

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September 10, 2013Making Crazy Delicious Banh Mi Photos

Pictures are an integral part of cookbooks these days andlast week, we shot the photos for The BanhMi Handbook. It was scheduled for only three days but our shot list (anindustry term for a master list of photos) was jammed packed with 8 to 10images per day. The working subtitle of the cookbook is “Recipes forCrazy-Delicious Vietnamese Sandwiches” so our goal was to createcrazy-delicious looking photos.

On the banh mi team were photographer Paige Green and herassistants Tessa and Morgan, stylist Karen Shinto, prop stylist Tess Watson, editorMelissa Moore, and art director Betsy Stromberg. We’d huddled about the shootthe week before but Melissa, Betsy and I had preliminary discussions longbefore that. Last week, it all came together. Here’s a look at what went on duringthe book shoot.

Many people look at the photos in cookbooks and assume that thecompelling images are solely made by the photographer. The truth is that it’s acollaborative effort, the product of a whole lot of people.

For example, there’smy food stylist, Karen, who’s worked with me on all of my books. Thank god we’refriends because I ask a lot of her. She works on many projects but mine are notrun of the mill. The other day she said, “If you wrote about tacos or cupcakes,I’d totally know what to do because it’s routine food for me to style.” Thatis, she wouldn’t need me around to pester her to cut or present things inparticular ways.

Karen loves physical and intellectual challenges but we alwaysdivide up the prep work. I need her to make the food look good on set so Isupport her however I can. For the banh mi book, I made all the pickles,charcuterie, and baked some bread.

Karen prepped a zillion other things, purchased a mountainof bread and drove all the stuff to the studio. We unloaded the day before theshoot started. During the shoot, I prepped and cooked off things, letting Karencompose and craft the finished “star” sandwiches. We shared the clean-up duties.There was no dishwashing machine in the tiny kitchen.

Each shot took about an hour of set-up, fussing andfiddling. Karen often had to go on set to move things around with tweezers,refresh stuff with a mist of water, and readjust the subject for Paige’s angle,etc. It’s precision work that she makes look easy. There’s an art to creatingthe food photos look slightly messy. Really. Drips and crumbs are seriousthings.

We had a small number of props for The Banh Mi Handbook because it’s a sandwich, not fine dining. Tessbrought an array of things that would potentially go with the art directionthat Betsy devised. These items filled up an 8-foot table and some shelf space.

To make a photo, we conferred about the colors and texturesof the composition. Then Paige and her assistant worked with Tess to do aninitial set-up. Karen readied the “star” sandwich and brought it on set. Abunch of photos would then be taken, then we critiqued it on the computerscreen. Adjustments were made multiple times to the various elements in thesandwich, the lighting, angle, props, surface, etc, until we were satisfied.With this photo shoot, it was definitely a group photography effort. We crackeda lot of jokes along the way too so it was more fun than grueling.

If the star sandwiches weren’t spent, Karen cut them up andwe ate them for lunch. It’s always a bit unnerving to see your editor try yourfood – especially when it’s cold and prepped for the camera, not necessarilyfor the pinnacle of flavor. Fortunately Melissa liked what she tasted.

When our energy was low, we snacked. Almonds are my brainfood, so Betsy got her husband to roast some spicy ones for me. Karen bought mea one-pound bag. Like a squirrel, I was kept quite happy with such a nice stashof nuts. There was chocolate and a Nespresso machine too.

What happened to all the leftover food? We put it all out ontables and people took what they wanted. The mountain of bread was left for thefolks who lived in the building where the studio was located.

After a shoot, we typically go out for drinks. Last Friday,we were all so tired by the time we finished cleaning and loading up our cars.It was 7 o’clock and we’d been there since 8 o’clock in the morning. We took a rain check on the celebratory martinis.

When will The Banh MiHandbook be released? Not until July 2014, exactly a year after I sent inthe manuscript. It takes that long so I’m sorry that we can’t get it to youfaster.  I hope you enjoyed this peek into cookbook publishing.

If you have questions, let me know below!

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Comments Making Crazy Delicious Banh Mi Photos

Pictures are an integral part of cookbooks these days andlast week, we shot the photos for The BanhMi Handbook. It was scheduled for only three days but our shot list (anindustry term for a master list of photos) was jammed packed with 8 to 10images per day. The working subtitle of the cookbook is “Recipes forCrazy-Delicious Vietnamese Sandwiches” so our goal was to createcrazy-delicious looking photos.

On the banh mi team were photographer Paige Green and herassistants Tessa and Morgan, stylist Karen Shinto, prop stylist Tess Watson, editorMelissa Moore, and art director Betsy Stromberg. We’d huddled about the shootthe week before but Melissa, Betsy and I had preliminary discussions longbefore that. Last week, it all came together. Here’s a look at what went on duringthe book shoot.

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Cookbook Update: Manuscript & Photos Done

Cookbook Update: Manuscript & Photos Done - Burnt Lumpia: Filipino Food | Filipino Recipes | Culinary Hijinkswindow.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init( { apiKey: 'a279adbe87e2b3c505e777af99a5260d', xfbml: true } );};( function() { var e = document.createElement( 'script' ); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById( 'fb-root' ).appendChild( e );} )();Burnt Lumpia: Filipino Food | Filipino Recipes | Culinary HijinksLumpia FillingAbout Burnt LumpiaFilipino Food Recipe ArchiveLinks Get My FeedWelcomeRecent PostsCookbook Update: Manuscript & Photos DoneHome-Cured Corned BeefA Journey with LinamnamCookbook Recipe Testers Wanted!Turkey, Sweet Potato, and Cranberry EmpanadasPapaitan: Offal & Bile SoupAn Interview with Claude TayagFresh Mango Pudding From Rasa Malaysia's New CookbookShort Rib and Foie Gras CalderetaSwill to Twenty: Food and Wine FundraiserCategoriesAdobo RecipesBeefBeer, Liquor, & WineBL OriginalsBL Restaurant ReviewsBooksCookbooksDessertsFruits and VeggiesGiveawaysHolidaysHow to Make LumpiaKalamansiKinilawLasang PinoyMy Cookbook!On The GrillOtherPancit (Filipino Noodles)PorkPoultryRiceSeafoodThe BL FamThe Manila MachineTravelUbe RecipesVinegar (Suka) « Home-Cured Corned Beef |Main

April 02, 2012Cookbook Update: Manuscript & Photos Done

Golden. Not Burnt.

Just about a year ago, I ended one brief (yet exciting) chapter in my life to focus on something entirely different--writing my first cookbook. Although there were other major factors that pulled me away from the road as well (e.g. family, health, family health, sanity, etc.), I knew that I wouldn't be able to finish a big ol' book of filipino recipes if I didn't devote a huge chunk of my time to it while also considering all the other things going on in my life.

And let me tell you, there's a lot to writing a book of cookery! Especially if there's to be 100 or so recipes in said book of cookery. In addition to developing and writing each recipe, there's the testing and re-testing (and testing again) of each recipe and incorporating some of the feedback from my recipe testers (many thanks to those of you who volunteered!), not to mention writing all the additional text, stories, and anecdotes, and the research that goes along with all of that. And that's only half of the battle!

The other half of that GI Joe equation is in the food photography. Besides all the writing and recipe development, I also took it upon myself to do my own pictures and food styling.

If you've been following this here blog for any amount of time, you may have noticed that food photography ain't my forte (neither be grammar). So with an already full plate of stress and despair, I also managed to pile on more worry with my relative inexperience with a big fancy camera. Now, all 100 recipes had to be individually styled and photographed. And because nothing ever goes as planned with me, that meant thousands and thousands of photos at different angles, in different light, and with different settings--only to whittle that number down to a couple hundred photos. Sheesh.

So you can probably imagine just how difficult these past 12 months have been for me trying to cobble together the cookbook of my dreams. And I loved every minute of it! Even the ones where I was cursing myself and my camera, or cursing myself and my stove, or just cursing myself in general (cookbook writing can be downright introspective and self-deprecating). But I'd do it all again (which I probably, hopefully will, but much much much further down the road...).

But first thing's first. A little over a month ago I finished the manuscript and photographs for my very first Filipino cookbook and submitted everything to my editor at Tuttle Publishing. Soon, I'll be getting some edits back of my draft manuscript for my review, and I'll also probably have to re-shoot some things as well. So even though I'm done with the manuscript and photos, there's still plenty more to do in the months to come before an actual cookbook hits the shelves.

Aside from more editing and photos, there's layout and cover design, color separation and pre-press, many more reviews and edits, printing overseas and shipping to the US, and a whole bunch of other minutiae that I'll probably cover in other posts.

And although I first reported that my book would be out by late 2012, it's more likely to be early 2013. It takes time to craft a quality cookbook, you know? I will keep you posted...

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Yay! Can't wait to see it!

Posted by:Nolita |April 02, 2012 at 09:28 AM

Congratulations, Marvin! I can't imagine even what a monumental task it has been to write each recipe and photograph it as well. But I'm sure your hard work will be well-rewarded when you see it all come together in a wonderful book. I, for one, can hardly wait for early 2013! 8-)

Posted by:Tracey@Tangled Noodle |April 02, 2012 at 09:29 AM

SO excited for this. We know it's gonna be awesome! I'm sure I'll have to buy several copies for family and friends.

Posted by:Dee |April 02, 2012 at 12:04 PM

OMG I'm screeching, i'm screeching (in excitement). Can't wait! I am counting down for 2013 but hoping it gets done sooner. It will be so great to finally see all your hard work come together in this book. And I can't wait to cook from it!

Posted by:Heather |April 02, 2012 at 12:46 PM

Good luck and congratulations in advance! Is it too much of a stretch to ask for an autographed copy? hahahaha!

Posted by:Gio of The Hungry Giant |April 02, 2012 at 06:21 PM

My Lolo from Ilocos Norte would say- Enduring perseverance is the stuff you are made of. When the physical has long gone but the mind is still so much capable... refreshing oneself, enough for the physical body to be strong again..."when the going get's tough, the tough(lumpia) get's going.....I have been a fan for afew years, this is my first commentary

Posted by:chilli tamale |April 03, 2012 at 03:50 PM

That's awesome you did your own photos for your cookbook! Can't wait to see the finished product!!!

Posted by:caninecologne |April 08, 2012 at 10:59 AM

I am so so so very excited for your book to come out!! Looking forward to it Marvin and a big congratulations once again!

And your photos are fantastic!!

Posted by:joey |April 10, 2012 at 06:46 PM

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Monday photos: New York cravings

I am in New York, for family reasons. Not the best of circumstances, and I wasn't even sure I'd make it given my lousy health these days, but with the kind help of airport staff, I did.

So, what does an ex-New Yorker after many years spent living elsewhere? A sparkling meal at one of the city's finest restaurants? Not for me. I started here:

And, moved on to these (any expat American starts to crave stuff like this after a while. We can get salsa and chips in France...but it's just not the same.)

And while I can't say that I regularly crave black and whites, I had to pick up one of these blue-and-white variations over the weekend:

Congratulations to the New York Giants! (I hear it was a pretty good game. I'm afraid I slept right through it after the coin toss, due to a combination of fatigue, jet lag and not much interest in the game. ^_^; Besides, when I did live in New York and follow the local teams, I was a strictly Mets/Jets/Islanders kind of girl.)

Other things I am contemplating fulfilling my cravings for while here are, unfortunately, as carb-heavy as the ones already fulfilled: real New York pizza, takeout-Chinese roast pork lo mein, more bagels, dim sum in Flushing, a hot dog and papaya juice combo at Papaya King. I'll try to balance those cravings with some halfway healthy eating too.

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Monday photos: This little pig is not a guinea pig

It’s a bit late to be posting these photos, but here they are. In Europe, the pig is considered a lucky symbol of the New Year; in Switzerland for instance people give each other little peppermint pigs. Here in our little town in Provence, these were for sale for New Year’s Eve celebrations.

It’s a paté in the shape of a cochon (pig). But to me…it reminded me of that Peruvian delicacy, the cuy - a roasted guinea pig. (I won’t post a photo because it’s going to give me the shivers, but, if you want to know, go here.) I wouldn’t have bought it myself, but The Guy was in charge of New Year’s Eve festivities chez M and M, and he thought it looked cute.

Is it cute? Or…is it scary? Look at that face. Aww/eww? (The eyes are black peppercorns.)

It’s really funny how squeamish we can get about food with well, faces, even if it’s just molded. I dont have a problem with fish heads, but a lot of people can’t stand them either.

Once le petit cochon was sliced up, it was fine - a standard homemade type pork and chicken paté, quite delicious. Still, I couldn’t get the image of that little face staring at me out of my head. I’m not sure if we’ll be getting another one next year. I’m inclined to think we’ll go for a plain square version instead.

What do you think? Would you have eaten the pig-paté? How do you feel about food with faces? ^_^

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Monday photos: Winter in Provence

For the past couple of years I’ve been spending most of the winter months in Japan, or somewhere else. Last year I spent most of January in New York and Seattle promoting the Just Bento Cookbook, and the year before I was in Japan, doing the photoshoot for the book! And the year before that I was in Zürich. So, even though we bought this old broken down stone house about 2 years ago, this is the first January I’ve been here.

There isn’t too much going on in this sleepy corner of France in the winter months. The tourists will start arriving in the spring, and the fields are quiet. But it’s still so beautiful. I’ve been indoors most of the time for weeks, waiting for my surgery wound to heal. It’s finally started healing up a bit so I can go out (at least, it’s not leaking copiously anymore). It feels so good to feel some fresh air on my face again.

Olive trees keep their shimmery silver leaves throughout the winter. We don’t get much snow here in Provence, except on the top of Mont Ventoux, here in the background.

Besides olives and vines, many kinds of fruit trees are grown here. Here in the Baronnies, in an area just to the north of Provence proper called the Drôme Provençale (administratively part of the Rhône-Alpes, but in spirit and landscape all Provence) the land is very hilly, so the orchards are terraced. I think they are apricot trees there.

And of course, there are vineyards, many many vineyards. These terraced vineyards are about 10 minutes away from the house, nestled in a magical little valley. Everywhere you go in this northern section of Provence, wherever there is a little patch of sunny land, it is planted with vines or olive trees or fruit trees. (The Dentelles de Montmirail, which you can see in the far right, are nearby many famous AOC wine producing villages such as Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise.)

Still some ways to go for these old vines…

It’s hard to believe this dead looking branch will be, in just a few weeks, bursting with life. But it will. It’s just taking a long nap.

More than the plants are taking a winter break. We stopped by one of my favorite brocante (junk/antiques shop) a few days ago, only to discover it’s closed…until February 29th! Someone had impatiently scribbled underneath the store sign, “[2 months is] VERY long!!”

By the end of February, my surgery wound will hopefully have finally healed and I’ll be able to move around freely. My father’s memorial service will be done. In March my radiation therapy will begin, but I feel confident that it will go well. And maybe we can resume work on the old house again, finally install a kitchen, finish the floors, install a staircase to the upstairs. Ah, so many things. Still, when I see how much beauty we are surrounded by here, I feel so very lucky.

In the meantime, on February 29th I’ll be there at that store to see if they’ve gotten in anything new. I can’t wait.

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Monday photos: Last chance sushi at Narita Airport Terminal 1

It’s been yet another bad week for me, which is why I haven’t been around - again. Last Friday (December 2nd), I was rehospitalized due to my surgery wound getting badly infected. I know it was the right decision, yet being stuck in a hospital room is such a depressing thing. And the food, the awful food, does not make things any better. To make things worse, a fever and some kind of reaction to the antibiotics I had to take to combat the infection had totally robbed me of my appetite.

As I lay there in my small, chilly room alone, trying to find a comfortable position on the hard narrow bed, I wondered sadly if I would ever find food interesting again. Even things that were actually edible looking on my dinner trays, like fresh fruit, had lost their appeal. Everything smelled awful.

Then I started to dream, about the food I used to like. I don’t know if people normally have dreams with smells, but I could smell ramen (Sapporo style chicken-and-pork, flavored simply with salt) soup, and yakitori being cooked on a charcoal grill, and the sharp sweet odor of almost too-ripe strawberries. In my somewhat delirious state, I was hallucinating about food.

The food I thought about the most was sushi, specifically the one that I like to call Last Chance Sushi. This is served by a small sushi-ya, Kyokatsu, that is located within the restricted zone of Terminal 1 at Narita airport. They’ve positioned themselves well, and their storefront signs say it all.

Every time I leave Japan, always from Terminal 1, I just have to get some sushi from Kyotatsu. I always get a takeout box rather than eating in. Slowly munching my way through the sushi pieces as I wait at the gate helps me pass the time as I combat the depression I feel as I wait for my plane, the plane the will take me away from Japan again. When will I eat good sushi again? Soon, I promise myself, soon.

I have such mixed feelings about Japan. The food and the fun and my immediate family draw me back, keep me tied to it. Family problems and numerous sundry stresses draw me away and ultimately contribute to the decision to live elsewhere. But ultimately, it is my homeland, and I can never change that.

Most of us don’t know when our last flight away from this world we live in is scheduled to depart, unless we’re being executed by the state. But if we did, wouldn’t it be nice to have a last chance sushi place to visit, just before you board? Perhaps I was being rather morbid, but these were the types of thoughts that filled my mind last week.

I’m so glad I’m back home again.

(And a related question, though I may have asked this before: if you knew you were ‘going away’ forever, what kind of restaurant would your Last Chance place be and what would you eat there?)

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