Why I am glad I am not a Japanese housewife...

Today, my little sisters (the Baby Cubs) are staying with us on a weeknight for the first time! The Cubs have school tomorrow, and this is my very first time to think about what to pack for lunch and such. Since the Papa Bear is the Papa Bear, he's a little on the oblivious side when it comes to these things, so this Baby Bear is pitching in with ideas and logistics.

Packing lunch for school ain't an easy culinary challenge. How many dishes can you think of that is good cold and won't spoil?! Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and ham and cheese sandwiches get old real fast, and anything left over from the night before can't just be microwaved for a quick, tasty lunch. Dishes with too much oil are out, since we all know how disgusting congealed oil looks and tastes!

My own mother spent countless hours preparing my sister and my lunch boxes when we were in middle school. Since we were living far away from school, she had to get up at the crack of dawn to prepare our lunches. And she went all out too. Our lives were a little bit complicated then and to make up for any time she missed with us, she put her heart and soul into those boxes every day to make sure we knew how much we were loved. Every bite was full of commitment and affection. I've never had food with so much spirit as that time period in my life.

Luckily, we are in the US, far, far away from the influences of Japanese culture... If we were, we'd have a whole 'nother dimension of a problem. Japanese lunch boxes - commonly known here as bento boxes - are a whole new world of culinary accomplishments. I've read and heard so many accounts of horrified young moms, over-worked and stressed out about producing the perfect lunch box - with things like this:


Yes, that is a piece of sausage, my friends. And yes, it is in the shape of a crab. Why? Because it's cute. And anything and everything in Japan has to be cute. You have to admit that rather than a simply sliced piece of sausage, this crab-sausage doubles in cuteness and tastiness!!


And this perfectly layered egg omelet? Yes, a part of a bento box. Dripping with dashi juices with each bite, this dashi-maki-tamago (tamago wrapped with dashi) must be comprised of delicate layers that melt in your mouth.


Onigiri balls with fragrant nori is a necessity as well. Balancing salt with other flavors - like the sour ume or the sea-scented salmon flakes - is an intricate art in the world of rice balls. Every bite of an onigiri delivers a much more complicated and finesse taste than just rice in a ball shape. Although it might look simple, onigiri is a dish in its own with aromas, flavors, and calculated balance. The rice can never be overly packed or too loose so that it falls apart - it must have just the right combination of firmness and gentle crumbliness. And all this has to be done without thought - as if by natural talent, many Japanese mothers have mastered the art of onigiri.


And don't even start with the whole color scheme aspect of a bento!!!! A child's bento must not have too much of one color or be bleak - it has to elicit a sense of joy in a child as the box is opened at lunch time. A splash of color and contrasting colors are all an important aspect of a child's lunch. 'Egokoro' or 'picture spirit' as it is called in Japan, the artist's sense of a painting or a drawing is required for the colorful and joyful bento.

Sigh.

It's amazing what these Japanese ladies are expected to do. You will never see me acheive that level of competence in the morning...

Wanna know who made this beautiful bento for three Japanese girls?

...A 46-yr old Japanese man!!!! Ted, the wonderful boyfriend of Shuko-san and generous guide on our recent fishing trip, showed up with this fabulous bento for our excursion!!!


Wanna know what my contribution was? Trader Joe's Italian bread, various cheeses, prosciutto, and green apples with soy butter... Yes, I've become quite Americanized from those days when my mother spoiled me with 'nested burgers' (this has got to be a separate post one of these days!) and other favorites of my childhood!

Thank you, Oka-san, for giving me the memories of beautiful, healthy bento boxes!

PS:
DMBLGIT winners will be announced soon!!!

Down for the count...

The workload has finally gotten the best of me. I am down for the count with a sore throat, night sweat (I had to change my shirt FOUR times last night from all the night sweat!), and a feverish delerium. I think a bowl of sam-ge-tan (as we call it in Japan), full of chicken-y goodness and sticky mochi (sweet) rice, full of spices and healing herbs is exactly what I need right now. I've only had this Korean dish once by chance in Seoul when I was a teenager, and yet I still dream about it every time I get sick.

A whole stuffed chicken, cooked to perfect tenderness in a gently broth, white from the chicken essence but with very little fat, scented with ginger and gingseng that fill the air - chicken pieces falling off the bone and melting together with the sticky rice that is full of spices, seasoning the chicken from the inside out... A perfect soup to warm me up as I sit here half shaking from not knowing whether I am hot or cold...

Any recipe suggestions? Any restaurant suggestions?!

Meme: Why 23?

Now that the DMBLGIT write-up week is over, I can get back to regular programming!!! But before I delve into my quickly mounting stash of food pictures - including finds at the West Side Market in Cleveland! - I've got a meme to join!

Brett and Joy (whose new look is lovely) kindly tagged me for this one. I love memes and I think they're a fun way to share a little bit about ourselves and about our blogs.

This one is about getting back to the archives. The instructions are:

1. Delve into your blog archive.

2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).

3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).

4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions. Ponder it for meaning, subtext or hidden agendas...

5. Tag five people to do the same.

At first I was confused by what the closest to the 23rd post or closes to the fifth sentence really meant. I mean, you are either on the 23rd post or not, right? And then it dawned on me that some people might not have hit the 23rd post yet - in which case the latest post would be closest to the 23rd post... Yes, yes, I know, I know. I'm slow. (Hey, that rhymed!) I've been balancing two major projects - a humongous one at work - and DMBLGIT for the past week...

Anyway, my fifth sentence from my 23rd post was:
"My discovery of the eclair treats at Justa Bite was exactly one of those moments when luck meets chance for a wonderful end result."

Oh goodness, that's an embarrassment. What a horrendous sentence. Can I rewrite that as:

"My discovery of the eclair treats at Justa Bite was a moment of serendipity."



Those early days were filled with unnecessarily long posts while I mused and moaned flowery sentences that were pure junk. Eeek!

Here's a recycled photo from that post.

Sadly, I haven't had a chance to take my lazy butt up to Justa Bite yet recently, but I wonder what kind of fun Asian-inspired eclairs Kim's got baking recently. Anyone been recently?

So, who should I tag? I think I'll send this one out from our US corner to my friends in the international blogging community... Since this meme is not particularly food-based, I'll go ahead and tag two of my Japanese fishing mates, Yoko-san and Shuko-san. Although their blogs are not food blogs, it ends up being an occasional food blog, because all Japanese people are obsessed with good food and we can't help but write about it even when the main focus of our blogs is not food. Next, I'll tag Clea, who qualifies as both an international blogger and a food blogger over in France. Then, since my sister hasn't been commenting much lately here, I'll tag her just so she has to come read this post. And last but not least, I'll tag Arthur whose blog I like to stop by when I just can't decide where I want to go out to eat.

PS:
Can anyone tell me why it's the 23rd post that was chosen as the magic number? All I could think of was some Michael Jordan-related trivia. I guess that's what happens when you spend too much time in Chapel Hill, NC...

DMBLGIT #9 Entries - the straggling...

This page is for any entries that didn't make it for the one-day deadline extension... Since these entries were received after I made my finale post on Sunday, Sept 24th at midnight, it is entirely up to the judges to include them or not... I have already received the score sheet back from one of the judges, so the penalty would be that they would be at most -10 pts from the rest of the entries... I feel a little bit guilty for being so spartan, and I am so sorry for those with late entries...

Anyway, so far, I've only received one entry after my Finale post, but it definitely deserves a special spot here on the DMBLGIT #9 entries!

Entry #46:

Clare's got quite the chocolate punch for us on Clare Eats from Sydney, Australia here. With 100 grams of chocolate and not a whole lot more, I'm certain this was quite the chocolate debauchery!!!! The carefully styled ridges of the chocolate is so inviting, and it almost makes me, a lukewarm chocolate fan, want to go give this tart a try...

If you have any other DMBLGIT entries, please send me an email at alice.foodphotoATgmailDOTcom. Please, please, please do not leave your entries as comments, since that email address where the comments go to is not alice.foodphoto and it gets a bit confusing... And please leave me your 1. image URL (that ends in .jpg), 2. your post URL where you describe the pictures, 3. your name or what you would like to be referred as, 4. your blog name, and 5. where you are located. Please make sure you have all five points covered, and I will gladly keep updating this post anytime!!!!!

This has been such a wonderful experience for me to take a closer look at all the talent and creative energy along with love for epicurean delights from different cultures and backgrounds in our food blogging community!!!

Thank you for the oppoertunity to host this wonderful collage of photos, and be sure to check out all of the entries by clicking on the Recent Posts column for past entries.

Stay tuned for the winner of DMBLGIT #9 at the end of the week!!!!

DMBLGIT #9 Entries - The Finale

We're on the last stretch of all DMBLGIT entries, which will officially end with tomorrow's post!

Entry #31:


Dagmar of A Cat in the Kitchen from Sweden kicks off the last edition of DMGLBIT#9 with these gorgeous, plump plums. I love the depth of field and the striking color contrast of the green and purple plums - and the playful shadows! Her post is full of interesting recipes for some very funky cocktails - like "Oil Spill" and "Monkey Brain"! If you're curious what these plums tunred into, make sure to stop by her blog!

Entry #32:


Jen from Roast Chicken Reasoning shares a local find (picked 30 km from where she lives!) and an extensive commentary on tomatoes with lots of interesting tidbits - vine-ripened vs picked before ripening. The heirloom tomatoes are just stunning in color - they look so vibrant that even their fragrance seem visible!

Entry #33:


As you can see from this frothy cup of java, Jennifer of Taste Everything Once from Spokane, Washington has a great coffee shop in her neighborhood. I love the choice of background in this photo! Along with the light and shade interplay, the background really highlights the texture and white of the froth.

Entry #34:


Niki in Melbourne Australia made me laugh when she discussed her drive to post an entry to keep her readership for her Ensurients - The Comfort Zone by being consistent. I feel the exact same way!!! This was a quiche she says she wasn't particularly overjoyed with but made it to the blog because of its photogenic qualities. And photogenic, it sure is!!! The texture, the shine of the tin, the contrasting colors all against the backdrop of the clean white - looks great!

Entry #35:


I have to confess. I am not sure if this is really the entry photo, since Sarah from LA of The Delicious Life didn't specify which one of her many splendid pictures of the Red Velvet Babycakes she wanted to enter... I loved the perspective of this photo and the three cakes all neatly lined by (and it was the first picture on the post), so I decided to enter this one on her behalf! I never would have guessed what the blue background was - and if you have a guess, stop over her blog to find the answer! And Sarah's writing is just so cute and clever, I had a few girly giggles while reading it!

Entry #36:


We have yet another IMBB: Let's get frying entry. This lovely photo from Napur of NYC on One Hot Stove gives us a good look at how wonderful street food can be in Bombay. Otherwise known as Vada Pav, these potato fritters sandwiched by two substantial pieces of bread is Bombay's answer to the burger. I'd take these fabulous fried treats over burgers any day. Seriously, look at how delicious and satisfying this Vada Pav looks! I can almost feel my teeth sinking into the chewy bread and the tender potatoes with garlic chutney bringing the components together! She also has a fun list of fried Indian food to prove her point that they've got this frying business down!

Entry #37:


Gemma from Chicago has quite the loaf to show us! On Part-Time Pro Bono Baker, she shares with us a enticing recipe for PaneAl Cioccolato, a union of yeast-driven bread and bittersweet chocolate. The contrasting texture of the top, smooth and shiny, with the bready look on the side makes for great photography! I can almost see the wonderful chew and bounce in the dough as one tears into this beautiful loaf!

Entry #38:


Vegemite in porridge?! Noodle Cook sure is making the Perth, Australia, origin very clear for this entry on An Electronic Restaurant! In this exciting depiction, Noodle Cook captures garlic infused olive oil floating in the spoon, waiting to emulsify right into the shiitake mushroom and chicken red rice porridge. I love the multiple shades and colors of the oil as it sits in the spoon!

Entry #39:


Belly Timber, regulars on Paper Chef among many other events, always pair stunning photography with spectacular recipes. The Friday Harbor, WA, duo brings to us yet another fabulous work of art for a SHF: Coffee entry - except this time, Mrs. D went solo for The Swift-Tuttle Dark Chocolate Espresso Berry Comet Truffle, and boy, does it look amazing. She includes a detailed recipe with great photo accompaniment, so grab some chocolate (you'll need it to satisfy your cravings as you read the post) and stop over!

Entry #40:


Chefdoc of A Perfect Pear (whose location I couldn't quite confirm...) is one heck of an artist! The presentation of this dish is vastly more beautiful than many restaurants I've visited recently. The colors of the paprika oil and the lettuce sauce, alongside the seared scallops, is so visually powerful, it literally qualifies to be art! IMBB: Let's get frying sure had some amazing recipes and photography!

Entry #41:


Sam just got back home to San Francisco from vacation and she's already jumping right back into the blogging world. From her inspirational Becks & Posh, she sends us these local heirloom tomatoes from Balakian Farms, exceptional tomato producers who get a slight extension to be included in the SF Foodshed at the Ferry Building Farmers' Market, despite being a tad bit geographically distant. It's easy to see why after seeing the wonderful variety, coloration, and vibrance of these heirlooms. Sam's photo skills really bring these heirlooms to life whose seeds are fitting to be considered treasures to pass down to future generations.

Entry #42:


Fatemeh from Gastronomie is another fellow Bay Area blogger whose quest for fine food lands her at many of my favorites. Here, we have my usual lunch suspect, the Vietnamese sandwiches. At $2.25, these crusty rolls filled with meats and marinated vegetables are a gift from the Vietnamese community to all those who share the neighborhood. In the background here is the Oakland Chinatown, where I am a frequent visitor as well. The framing of this picture is brilliant - the sandwich in its neighborhood - capturing the essence of both the meal and the neighborhood!

Entry #43:


Shauna, the Gluten-free Girl, from Seattle, WA, does more than share recipes and photography. She informs us about celiac disease, a little known yet not infrequent condition, and she brilliantly combines her love for good food with life-style changes as she produces mouth-watering gluten-free meals. Here we have an appetizing grilled cheese sandwich with seductively melting cheese spreading over amaranth (or Chinese spinach). What's amazing about this shot is that the cheese and oils look absolutely fresh, hot, and totally ready-to-eat, which is not an easy feat. To get that perfect shot like this one before everything starts to get cold and congealed - that's skills! By the way, her writing on amaranth is fascinating and high recommended.

Entry #44:


Lyn n from Tokyo, Japan is making me very envious with her posts at To Short Term Memories! I have heard (read) so much about this Pierre Herme boutique in Tokyo on my various Japanese food blogs, I am dying to make a stop next time I find myself in Tokyo (Jan, 2006)! Lynn gives us a peak by bringing to us these mousse collection, which seems rather pricy for ~$20, being that it's just three shot glasses full of mousse... But is it visually stunning? Yes! From the lighting to the placement of the spoon to the arrangement of the mousses, Lynn makes this shot look as delicate and precious as possible!

Entry #45:


Our very last entry is from Johanna of The Passionate Cook, who owes me a favor or two - she got a deadline extension AND she didn't even give me her blog URL, image URL, blog title, or location!!! After some detective work, I found her via her email address and googling! Her photo is deserving of the searching around, as you see here as she captures her mini blueberry & mint cheesecakes. I love the look of these cakes with their browned edges, deep blueberry bottoms, and adorable mint sprigs, giving a splash of green!

Well, ladies and gentlement, that's all I've got! All the DMBLGIT entries are over, and it's been a whole lot of fun! All the photos and posts were a pleasure to see and read, and it really reminds me what a diverse and wonderful community we have in the food blogging world. Thanks for all your contributions, and I will get back to all of you with the winners on October 1st! In the mean time, enjoy the photos and posts from all over the world, collected for DMBLGIT #9, right here on My Epicurean Debauchery!!

DMBLGIT #9 Entries - Part III (PM)

Here we go with the PM edition of DMBLGIT #9 - Part III! This is a big one!

Entry #20:

Kicking off the PM edition is this succulent duck from Skrat, who, for the life of me, couldn't figure out where she is from, unfortunately... The duck, slowly basted to perfection, sits on a bed of shredded omelette - quite an intriguing accompaniment for serving duck! The juicy meat with the dash of color from the green onion is so very appetizing! I'm sure the other participants of the potluck/group cooking club enjoyed this one! Skrat, being so creative, has another version of how to serve duck, so stop by My Indulgence and check it out!

Entry #21:

Chubby Hubby from Singapore brings to us this dazzling photo of espresso-vanilla madeleines, a SHF:Coffee entry. His prose is equally beautiful as he discusses his process of maturation as a coffee connoisseur and his love for mini-madeleines. I also LOVE madeleines, and his mention of "the crisp surface" and the "buttery cake inside" totally reminded me of how much I enjoy those calorie bombs. I might just have to copy him and make a batch tomorrow night to bake them fresh with my Saturday morning coffee!

Entry #22:


Spacebar from the Bay Area brings us none other than a humongous stack of grilled cheeses!!!! Check out the oozing cheese, toasted crumbs, and the inviting look of the stack! The texture of each bread slice also makes this an interesting shot. But you know what's even more interesting? I think I have the exact same set of dinner plates - are those the ones from World Market?

Entry #23:


Looks like Jack's got uni more fresh than I've ever had in the Bay Area!!! Jack from San Mateo, CA reports on Project that he discovered these colorful treasures Fort Ross in Jenner, CA - slightly north of Point Reyes. I say that's quite the local find! I love the fact that he shares with us the scientific names of abalone and uni too - such wonderful trivia to assault your local sushi chef with next time - "I'd like to have an order of Strongylocentrous franciscanus, please!"

Entry #24:


KitchenMage from Columbia River Fog Valley in WA sends us this bread that looks so good I can almost smell it just by looking at it! This picture encompasses that freshness - the pleasantly chewy texture and the aromatic overtones of really good bread. The lighting really highlights the texture. It looks like this was almost a DMBLGIT #8 entry, but we're very happy you decided to send it our way for DMBLGIT #9!!

Entry #25:

Cin from Melbourne, Australia has a new fun toy! On A Few of My Favorite Things, she reports that her new soon-to-be bride friend (congrats!!!) brought her two gifts on her birthday - an invitation to be a bridesmaid (congrats!!!) and an Avanti Cookie Press. She used the cookie press to make these precious flower cookies, and they are so beautiful that I didn't recognize them as cookies when I first saw the picture! How in the world did she get that gorgeous faint pink for the petals??? This is so stunning, I honestly thought they were intricate Kyoto sweets!

Entry #26:

Sweetnicks in New Jersesy cooks up a simple meal that's sure to satisfy with this Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes, Rocket (Arugula) and Parmesan. With just olive and garlic being the other ingredients, a simple preparation like this is sure to bring out the best from ingredients. The vivid red and green here really play up on the strength of summer vegetables!!

Entry #27:

Clea, my favorite French foodblogger, used to live in Japan, and I often visited her blog, Clea Cuisine..., to check out pictures of my Motherland despite my inability to read anything she wrote! I always knew she was a wonderful cook, whipping up Japanese recipes that looked better than what I could make, and sure enough, she brings us these fabulous apple and pepper scones. The sugar (I think...) topping looks so inviting!

Entry #28:

Augustus Gloop from Sydney Australia's Grab Your Fork has found a steal of a Japanese restaurant! This delicious-looking yakitori skewers came as a part of a multi-course extravaganza that cost only $31.80 for TWO. Yes, that's $15.90 for two people. And wait a minute, that must be Australian dollars! My head is spinning!! Look at these skewers that promise both grilled crispness and soft tenderness, united under the lusciousness of the sauce! At such bargain prices! I'd LOOOVE to find an equivalent in the Bay Area!

Entry #29:

Indira of Mahanandi shares with us Jangri, traditional sweets from India, usually made to celebrate marriages. These delicate flower shapes are made by masters of the art who pipe Jangri batter directly into hot oil. These deep fried treats are then soaked in cardamon-infused sugar syrup. That sounds so delicious! The flowers floating in the oil is really a beautiful image! I can almost hear the sizzling oil as the artwork is created right in the hot oil.

Entry #30:

Saffron, from Sydney, Australia, had one exciting day at The Good Living Grower's Market where this photo of locally produced dutch carrots and radishes were taken. The market happens once a month and feature only local produce and products from local farmers and purveyors. It's winter in Sydney right now, and this picture perfectly captures the crisp, refreshing, cold morning air of those winter months - the sun, shining with timid warmth and the clear cold air enveloping everything. Saffron shares many more photos of her market finds, so stop by The Food Palate to have a look!

Phew, that was a lot of deliciousness! I think that was almost too much epicurean debacuhery, but I've still got much more to report! Keep coming back, all week, all DMBLGIT, right here on My Epicurean Debauchery!


PS:
Check the Previous Post section or click here for the Finale.

DMBLGIT #9 Entries - Part III (AM)

Let's see if we can at least get through half of the entries today...

Entry #17:

Carolyn of 18thC Cuisine from Michigan (I think, that's the mailing address for husband's treenware site!) opens up Part III of the DMBLGIT entries with beignets so good they'll make you want to heat up some frying oil right now! This was a IMBB: Let's Get Frying entry, and Carolyn lets us in on the secret to perfect beignets: rising. Apparently without double rising, beignets are just too airy light with little dough. I haven't had beignets since my last trip in New Orleans, but I'm now inspired to make them at home!

Entry #18:

Cenzina from il cavoletto di bruxelles from Italy has an twist for her 'local' theme by sharing with us these little cakes that are a local specialty in Cassano, a small town in Calabria in South Italy, where she used to spend summers there with her Calabrian husband. These are some stylish cakes! I love the chocolate design on the white icing and how the light kisses the white icing perfectly in this picture!! The texture of the cake itself adds mystery too, leaving me wondering how these little cakes must taste!

Entry #19:

The last entry for this morning comes from Buenos Aires where Dan explores the Breakfast of Champions - a upside-down six egg casserole! The golden hue of the eggs with spots of browning sure looks delicious! Although this entry is the top side view, Dan gives the eggs a nice crust with potatoes and bread crumbs, which he then flips upside-down to make the crust side top. He made this dish with ingredients he already had on hand - ingenious creativity. You can check out the flipped over picture at SaltShaker!

That's it for the morning edition - check back later tonight to see the evening edition of DMBLGIT#9 - Part III!


PS:
Check the Previous Post section or click here for Part III - PM Edition, and the Finale.

DMBLGIT #9 Entries - Part II continued

OK, trying again with Part II of DMBLGIT #9!

Entry #7:

Kevin from Seriously Good from Knoxville, TN sure knows a thing or two about the epicurean delights of fats and oils! His contribution of Potatoes and Carrots Roasted in Duck Fat is glistening seductively and the color combination in this photo is stunning! The green beans really add a whole new dimension! Kevin invites us all to take a moment to reflect on the varieties and flavors of the fats and oils that surround us by posting a list of our own pantry collection on our blogs - I'll be doing one as soon as this DMBLGIT insanity is over!

Entry #8:

Kelly from Brisbane, Australia presents a lovely photo of her SHF: Coffee contribution on The Occasional Epicure. Her espresso cupcakes were inspired by Donna Hay, but she adds her personal touch by topping the cakes with coffee icing. She particularly enjoyed the chewy tops (my favorite too!!), and I can almost taste that unique texture of cupcake tops, perfectly scented with coffee. I'm going to have to try this recipe soon!

Entry #9:

Moira from UK shares with us her oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on Who Wants Seconds? Take a look at the wonderful texture in this photo! The slightly more brown bottom sides almost bring the aroma of fresh baked cookies right to my nostrils! Moira's recipe is her own creation after many batches over the years, so if you're looking for a good cookie recipe, give this one a try!

Entry #10:

Ilva from Aglio e olio - en utflykt i det italienska köket brings us a beautifully lighted fresh fig with goat cheese cream and basil-scented honey. If you look closely, you will see the sun-soaked around the fig - absolutely beautiful effect of light on the viscous liquid! Ilva is a Swedish woman living in Italy, and those of you lucky enough to read Swedish can find out her take on Italian life and Italian cuisine!

Entry #11:

Chef Mark Tafoya from New York is a personal chef with quite the life history! A Broadway actor gone culinary! He sure has that Broadway smile!!! This multi-colored torte with chopped eggs, avocados, champagne onions, Granoff Royale Roe (what's that? I love fish roe, but I've never heard of these) with crackers was a creation for a cocktail reception he cooked for, and boy, he cooked up a storm at that reception! Check out the rest of his dishes at the ReMARKable Palate!

Entry #12:

Staximo from Italy sends us Caponata on Lo Spazio di Staximo. This is one neatly packed fork!! What an interesting layout!! I might have to borrow this idea sometime myself. And the white background really enhances the colors of the caponata. By the way, can someone tell me what a caponata is? It must be some kind of a tomato based stew with... eggplants?

Entry #13:

William from Atlanta plays with perspective in this fun frame with pineapples at Never Trust a Skinny Chef. Grilled pineapples are SO fragrant and the sizzled look makes me certain that this must have been a fabulous treat for all of the senses. The pineapples then joined forces with strawberries, pound cake, and ice cream to become mouth watering pineapple-strawberry shortcakes!


Entry #14:

Ah, Stephen. It was your entry that I was writing when my computer crashed this morning... But no matter, Stephen's entry from Maine is totally worthy of all the reposting. Stephen shows us how easy it is to make a luscious looking mocha mint granita on Stephencooks.com as a SHF:Coffee entry. Check out the lighting on this one! He used a handheld flash with a slow shutter speed and large aperture to accomplish this wonderful work of art!

Entry #15:

Alanna of The Veggie Venture from St. Louis is our first Eat Local entry!!! She created this plate of lavender potatoes from potatoes she got at the farmer's market down the street from her, rosemary from her pot on the patio, and lavender from ...Whole Foods (although the fresh lavender you see was from her herb garden!). Alanna also shares wonderful tips on new potatoes - like steamed new potatoes are mealy while boiled new potatoes are creamy - and more!

Entry #16:

Brett from In Praise of Sardines of San Francisco also has an Eat Local entry! He caught some ripe, juicy figs from Rick Knoll's Tairwa Farm in Brentwood for his Fruit Porn series, which also includes pluots and grapes. I'm a novice fig connoisseur, but I can tell these are some juicy looking figs!

Oh my, that's all I can manage today, but I'm not even half way through!!! Keep checking back for more wonderful food photography, right here on My Epicurean Debauchery!!

PS:
Check the Previous Post section or click here for Part III - AM Edition, Part III - PM Edition, and the Finale.

DMBLGIT #9 Entries - Part II

I had written up seven more entries when Firefox crashed on me... I can't get myself to re-write everything now, so I think I'll just do a very long post tonight...

Sniff.

DMBLGIT #9 Entries - Part I

For the remainder of this week, I am dedicating my blogging time to all the wonderful food photos I have received for "Does My Blog Look Good in This? #9". I will be posting a number of entries in the order I received them all throughout the week, culminating on Saturday, 24th. As you see below, I will feature the picture and a short blurb, so you'll get more than a series of pictures all week long.

There are a ton of truly amazing entries, and I don't envy the judges for the task of choosing the winners!!!

Here we go!

Entry #1:

Soycap from Without Garnish in CA brings to us a luscious ooze of chocolate spilling out from a delicious molten chocolate cake. This is a piece from a sequence that will surely make your mouth water, so stop by her blog for the full effect!

Entry #2:

Perrine from Paris shares a gorgeous peach tart from Délices etcaetera... (or Delights etcaetera in English - thanks for the translation, Perrine!). The lighting in this picture really fits with the tart, and I can almost smell the pie crust and the peaches!

Entry #3:

Catherine, who also lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, from Food Musings baked this nectarine and blackberry crostada by whipping up stuff she already had on hand for a dinner party! "Hearty, simple, unrefined", she says, but I beg to differ! The most refined dishes are those that bring out the best of the ingredients with minimal processing. We're practically neighbors - can I come to your next dinner party, Catherine?!

Entry #4:

Jason from Pursing My Passions in Seattle is one creative cook! I never would have thought to use katakuriko (Japanese potato starch) to coat cheese before frying! The result, an IMBB contribution of Fried Paneer with Peach Chutney, look succulent and I can almost taste the silky, almost gelatinous, smooth katakuriko texture on the cheese!

Entry #5:

We have another IMBB contribution, but this one is an earlier post (on August 1st, so it's still an DMBLGIT August entry!) of Rosehip and Hibiscus Tea cupcakes from Mia of The Skinny Epicurean in Singapore. She went with the hibiscus tea cupcakes in the absence of green tea powder to make green tea sponge cakes, which sounds eerily similar to my own IMBB: Cupcake experience... I love the colors of the sprinkles against the brown-tea colored icing!

Entry #6:

A simply stunning fig yogurt ice cream is what Zorra, a Swiss in Spain, from 1x umruehren bitte features. The contrasting colorful texture of the figs with the crisp, white texture of the cream on top makes for a stunning image!

And that's all I've got time for today, but there are tons more pictures coming this week from all over the world! And I mean that literally. I've been amazed at how international these entries are as I read through them and how food blogging allows us all to connect to each other in places we may otherwise never know a soul. I'm so honored to be hosting this wonderful photo contest with so many excellent entries from such diverse places, culinary traditions, and epicurean delights!

Keep checking back to see the best of food photos from all over the world in August, right here on My Epicurean Debauchery: DMBLGIT #9!!

PS:
Click here for Part II, Part III - AM Edition, Part III - PM Edition, and the Finale.