Trust your instinct. That is definitely the moral of this recipe/story. I had a hunkering for soft and buttery brioche rolls and with an afternoon completely to myself I figured why not dive i and put my pastry chef apron back on? Except, instead of digging my true and tried brioche recipe from my days at the restaurant, I went on pinterest, instagram, google, and just about every where else and finally chose a recipe. Method seemed right, measurements seemed off, but I have been surprised more than once shaking my head at a recipe only to be happily surprised by the end result. So why not, maybe they knew something I did not.

 

While I manage to make the rolls turn out ok, there were a few chosen words and ninja moves to get there. But while the finished product was not uniform, they looked fine and tasted awesome. I inhaled one a few minutes after they came out of the oven, so really…what’s the more important? My belly is happy. The family is happy. And of course now I want to do them over again using my restaurant days recipe. The one in that flour dusted binder I keep close by. That same binder filled with killer savory recipes from my mom and comforting sweet ones from my grandmother. I like to revisit it from time to time. Except I keep the family free of a sugar spun kitchen and chocolate towers. Oh well, the holidays are near. Maybe I’ll spun or pull some sugar for the heck of muscle memory. Probably not…

 

While I could lead you to the recipe that worked so-so, I am giving you the brioche recipe I have tried before and rely on when I need to make small batches (instead of brioche for 100 as I have it in my binder!) It is from Bouchon Bakery and never fails. You can make loaves, rolls or get twisted like I did this time.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone! I am smoking a turkey and making French-American sides for a little Friensdgiving Wednesday and Thursday will be at my sister in law with the more traditional turkey and accoutrements. While not my holidays, I have happily adopted the tradition…

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Super excited about the focus of this workshop I am putting together with Chef John Ondo. We are teaming up for a winter styling and photography retreat in Charleston SC, in a beautiful beach home located on the Isle of Palms December 8th -12th. The 3 day workshop will be geared toward food, prop styling and photography in low light situations such as winter, rainy and cloudy days. 

Helene will focus on her photo and styling processes, from basics natural light manipulations to more advanced ones. Cooking sessions with Chef Ondo will punctuate the mornings and afternoons where he will share his love of Mediterranean cuisine and creativity cooking with locally sourced ingredients.

Together, Helene and John will guide you to create an edible narrative with your photos, and share current food styling and propping trends, etc…
Nothing is off limits with questions, from how to pick ingredients and how to cook them, how to manage your cooking/photo time efficiently, knowing about photography for blogging or professional work, cooking for photography, photo as a hobby or how to get started in the business. 

All this right by the ocean.

The workshop will start by a casual meet & greet at the beach home, followed by dinner prepared by Chef Ondo. Three days of photography and cooking follow. Attendees will have a morning free to wander about Charleston with a private tour guide, get some personal work done or just chill.

 

The workshop includes: 

3 days of photography, composition, food styling and cooking sessions 

4 nights accommodations on the beach at Aerie House 

One on one photo sessions with Helene

Cooking demos with Chef Ondo

Breakfasts, lunches and dinners
Refreshments and snacks 

Most rooms are shared – there is opportunity for single rooms on a first sign up basis

To register, please go HERE.

Workshop is limited to 8 people. 

Fee is $1850 (does not include travel fares to and from workshop) 

There will be no refunds for this workshop – please know you can attend before registering.
Full payment due at time of registration, no deposit required.

Thank you everyone on your kind words on my last post. You are the best virtual peeps a girl can have. I always know I can come to this space and share without holding back. What you see is what you get… We are not settled in yet, living out of boxes still. Mainly because we are trying to cram three lives into a house and while my mother in law has been nothing but gracious about making this space our own, we are taking small steps towards big transitions.

We came with what we needed, putting the rest in storage, two dogs and a bunch of photography equipment for the new studio. I am so grateful that the office/studio is adjacent to the house so we can  help her out and work at the same time.

I am just giddy at the new space I will have to get back to freelancing. My original studio as a freelancer had amazing light but was a bit small. This new space is currently getting new floors, a fresh coat of paint and the dark room is being turned into a prop room. First big book shoot since getting back to being my own boss is happening in less than a month and I can’t wait to have the space done and ready!

I have been teaching workshops ever since we left Birmingham and I am finally enjoying a few days of reprieve. That means admin emails and phone calls, trying to figure out where things are and getting reacquainted with my town and its creative pulse. Things I have learned in the three days I have officially moved back in: while my mother in law doesn’t cook anymore, her knives are crazy sharp. When she says "I’ll do it" that means "I have a system and only I can do it right." Oh and "more wine please!" Now that’s me speaking. And you know what? It all works out in the end...

I am in charge of cooking and I love that she is open to everything. Spices, ingredients, cuisines. It’s all different for her and she loves good food so we are a good pair. I love being able to share with someone all the bounties surrounding us and having open minded palates, even in her 90s is wonderful. I made this Brussels Sprouts Salad with Hot Smoked Salmon And Cherries last month before I left but I am excited to try it out again with her. While cherries may not be in season anymore, you can easily substitute red grapes or pomegranate seeds for them this Fall.

I am sure we will have more adventures in cooking in the weeks to come but so far so good…Even evenings of cheese plates and nibbles are fine by me! The photo below is one of my new favorite shots that I did with my bestie Tami at the Mixed Conference we taught at this past weekend.

We are all embracing this move and what it means to us. Living, sharing, giving back, holding on, creating new and exciting work.

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Three years ago, exactly to the date, I was letting you in on a pretty big move in my life. Both in my immediate geography and career. When I was asked by the creative director of Time Inc Books in Birmingham, Al to come work for them as Senior Photographer three years ago, the timing was perfect. I was ready for a little more time in one place with the possibility to work with dedicated and talented food and prop stylists everyday.

I put my whole heart into it, I learned so much more than I could ever think of. Meant some wonderful people in the world of publishing. Editors, graphic designers, recipe developers and test kitchen professionals who have fed my soul and belly with beautiful pages and great food.

I am so happy that I answered yes to the offer three years ago but now, it is time. We are moving back to Charleston, SC. I resigned from my position and I am going back to being a freelance photographer!

Weeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

After my father in law passed away, we made a promise to my mother in law to be present to take care of her. Be present. Be in the present. That has always been the pushing force for us. Charleston, back home, is where we need to be. After two years not being able to find work, my husband got his position back at the College and is a happy fish again. I am excited about the world unfolding before me and already have my head going wild with ideas about collaborations, work, projects. Life is always on the other side of fear.

 I am looking forward to more time for workshops, travels, work, work and more work. Because I love what I do and hope to be doing this for a long long time.

Thank you all for wishing us well on our new adventures three years ago. Hope you will be excited as I am to follow my new adventures along. 

Once again, bear with me as I pack boxes and more boxes and settle into our new life (and new studio space!).

In the meantime, it’s Friday. That means tacos and drinks in this house! Pork Belly Tacos With Cilantro Avocado Cream to be precise.

 

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I got to say, with my husband in Charleston and me here in Alabama, dinners have been reduced to a strict minimum. Not that I was keen on keen on big productions after a whole day staring at food but still. I almost always have dinner in a bowl. A big salad and some protein, lots of fresh herbs and seasonal vegetables. Roasted, grilled, fresh. It depends on how my feet feel that evening.

 

You can imagine baking has gone way down too! Heat and solitude combined, it sure feels unnecessary to bake tarts, cakes and cookies. Only if shared with friends though. But there is always that tugging at my heart to bake something, if only to share it later. The scent of lemon and sugar being rubbed together to make pastry dough. Freshly baked cookies coming out of the oven. Vanilla and milk steeping together on the stove for creme brulee. These moments ground me and comfort me. 

 

The urge to make something light and refreshing got the best of me the other day. Small tartlets filled with creamy coconut yogurt and passion fruit, lightly topped with sugar and quickly browned with a blow torch. Mine ran out of gas before I could achieve a deeper color but that allowed for the yogurt not to curdle too much and the yogurt to stay smooth.

 

I don’t recommend browning the tops under the broiler as it will cook the yogurt thus loosing that creamy oozing quality you want when cutting into them. I tried, that’s how I know…Still as good, just a different thing. You could try different combination such as lemon yogurt and raspberry mashed up on the bottom, lemon and rhubarb compote, pumpkin filling and vanilla yogurt for the Fall. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination!

 

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Comfort food is not only for cold winter nights or rainy autumn days. There is comfort in summer bright tomatoes, juicy ripe peaches and cooking to warm up your heart or ground you in that okay place. I’ve meaning to update this blog in the last few weeks but didn’t have the heart to. We, my husband, his family and mine were battling a fight we could not win. My father in law, my father number 2 and my husband’s best friend and band mate of 30+ years passed away from complications of cancer. He fought with dignity up until the very last moments. When I tell people he was 93 years old, the response is "wow, he had a great life!". Yes, he did. He was lucky to meet his life partner 73 years ago and be married for 71 years. Yes, he did so many wonderful things with and for his family. Yes. No, it doesn’t diminish the void we all feel. While we rejoiced we were lucky to have him this long, we wished for more. As we, humans, usually do.

 

I went back to Charleston to be there for my family. I cooked meals, listened to stories. I have been in this dreadful place before and I could anticipate reactions and emotions and offer a listening heart and a warm hand. I got back to Birmingham while my husband stayed in Charleston for a little while longer. It’s me and one of the dogs. My days are busy at work with long days of really fun shoots (working on the new Ball canning book right now is pure joy) but evenings can feel a little long at times. Especially toward the end of the week when all the week’s pressure and work start to take a toll on my mind and body. Thursdays have started to become my comfort food days.

 

Slow baked salmon on top of pasta with lots of pesto and tomatoes, roasted veggies to go on top of a farro salad, bright vibrant greens with grilled shrimp, lots of lemon and pepper. And garlic. Always a ton of garlic. That’s true comfort to me.

Before I left for Charleston, I had purchased at the farmers market a load of wild mushrooms that I sauteed with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Shitakes, chanterelles, lion’s mane, golden and grey oyster mushrooms. Unsure of timing with the family, I froze my concoction for a later meal. I already had it it my head to preserve the integrity of the mushrooms by adding them, as they were now, to a simple dish of pasta with more garlic and lots of parsley. Something that always reminds me of home, simple days, shared meals and comforting food.

 

Here it is, one of my favorite meals, to eat alone or share (always better) when things don’t seem all that great. It will make you sit down and reminisce, bringing a flow of memories you did not expect but will most certainly welcome and indulge. I know I will tonight.

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EDITED: This workshop is SOLD OUT.

I am really excited to announce that I am teaming up again with my dear friend John Ondo, Chef at Lana in Charleston, South Carolina for a 4 day workshop in Charleston, South Carolina, September 21st – 25th 2015, combining food and lifestyle photography, composition and styling with cooking sessions with John.

I have known John for many years and have photographed him and his crew many times. His food, cooking, restaurant are like home to us. He’s incredibly talented, down to earth and a great teacher. We had such a great time teaching our last two workshops together that we decided to do another one. 

We wanted to bring a retreat/workshop that was not only full of information but relaxing at the same time and we are always thinking the beach is about as relaxing as one can get!

 

During our retreat, I will share with you my photo and styling processes. Anything from camera basics, creating an edible narrative with your photos, styling naturally, working with different light situations, current propping trends, etc… 

Attendees will spend time with John in the kitchen learning techniques, basic skills and some fun dishes. Through both our personal guidance, you will develop your own creative process for styling, shooting and editing your photographic stories. 

Nothing is off limits with questions, from how to pick ingredients and how to cook them, how to manage your cooking/photo time efficiently, knowing about photography for blogging, cooking for photography, photo as a hobby or how to get started in the business. 

All this right by the ocean… 

Everyone, all levels of photography or cooking are welcome!

 

Here are the details: 

When: September 21st – 25th 2015 

Where: Charleston, South Carolina 

Fee is $1,850 and includes: 

4 nights accommodation 

3 days of practical instruction with cooking, food styling, composition, prop styling and photo sessions. 

All meals, snacks and refreshments 

Reception cocktails and appetizers on the evening of the 21st. 

There will be no refunds for this workshop – please know you attend before registering.
Full payment due at time of registration. Fee includes all meals and accommodations. No exceptions. 

The workshop is open to 8 people. 

Does not include travel fares to and from the workshop. 

To register please click here.

It’s been a fun filled three weeks over here. We flew to New York to meet my parents coming in from France and toured the city with them before we all went back to Birmingham. My godmother, her brother and husband flew in shortly after for my 40th birthday. We made them discover the best of what Birmingham and Northern Alabama had to offer and we barely made a dent in all the wonderful things we wanted them to see. I think they were quite surprised (as were we when we first got here) at all there is to do and visit down here. I’m telling you, this state is a diamond in the rough, yet to be discovered. They flew back home but my parents are still with us for another two weeks.

After a short visit to our hometown of Charleston for Memorial Day and a quick stay with my in-laws we are all back here enjoying some downtime. I say hometown because even if I am an expat, Charleston had been my home for 16 years prior to moving to Birmingham and it is truly my husband’s hometown. There are roots there. Friends, stones, landmarks, a house we build ourselves, cobblestone streets we like to walk, trees we kissed under and waters we navigated.

Home is where we make memories. We have the luxury of being able to do so in two cities. At different paces, we different friends. We love the lush surroundings and neighborhood feel of Birmingham just as we long for the marshland and Spanish moss of the Lowcountry. We love the drive to South Carolina as much as we appreciate coming home to Birmingham. Both towns are ever changing and adapting at different paces and different ways. Friendships remain in one while some are cultivated in the other.

After some weeks traveling to and from, here and there and back again, we like nothing than the normalcy of cooking something simple that most at our dinner table will appreciate. It is still pretty easy to find some fall-ish produce around here. The Spring and Summer produce has had a late start due to the weather although I am noticing things are kicking into full gear finally at the farmers' market. Jerusalem artichokes and kumquats are still available and still spot on tasty. That’s a treat for those of us who like them a whole lot!

At the end of  a long day spent in a car sightseeing, shopping, meandering about town and state, I like to make a flavorful and easy pasta dish. Something that I can cook while enjoying a cocktail and more conversations with my guests. Enters this rendition of a pasta dish suggested by Nigel Slater in his "Tender" cookbook. Sautee the Jerusalem artichokes in oilve oil and garlic while you boil the pasta, garnish with a squeeze of lemon and parsley and serve. Voila. Easy. Serve with some extra freshly cracked pepper and freshly grated parmesan and your’re set.

I did mention to prep this dish while sipping on a cocktail, didn’t I?! A while back, when friend and food stylist Nathan came over to play at my home studio, we made a lovely Kumquat Bourbon Sour cocktail that I have been able to replicate during some hot semi-feeling summer days. It couldn’t be any easier and any tastier. This ones comes the bar at the Hot & Hot Fish Club here in Birmingham Al. Beware. It is easy to prep and easy to drink!

For us, a home is where we able to have friends come and enjoy a good meal, share their worries and stories. A place where the traveler in miles or life can come and feel welcomed and loved. That’s what we hope we are providing for those who cross our paths.

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