Of all the photo shoots, I feel that the third one was the most productive from a creative standpoint. The shoot comprised a key lime pie, pesto, Caribbean jerk chicken, and a blueberry-jalepeno cornbread.I chose rather simple recipes, as I had other appointments booked for the day. I made the jerk rub from scratch, including the allspice that goes into it. I experimented with the pesto in a way that dialed down the sharpness without effecting its flavor profile or “punch” and discovered the trick to my homemade bread lies in the method used, not the amount of ingredients.
So, it was a complete food nerd day, and I highly enjoyed it. What I am learning from these photoshoots is different methodologies and how to mix and match the ingredients. For instance, jalapenos pair nicely with strawberries but I was adamant about using another berry. I am a huge fan of blueberries, but was unsure whether the berries would override the jalapenos? Also, do the two pair? Well, I discovered that if i small dice the jalapenos (brunoise) and pulse the berries, the crunch texture would come from only one ingredient, the jalapenos, and the berry flavor would be mild enough to mix in with both the bread and the jalapeno.
This is the part I love most about culinary arts, the accidental discoveries! The entire session was great, but I am most proud of inventing a whole new accident. Before the shoot, I had a rough idea of what I was aiming for. During the shoot, it all came together. If you view the post for the Christmas cookies, you will notice I use the creaming method. This changes the dynamic of the whole recipe. Usually when one wants to change a recipe, they will change the ingredients. Sometimes, you only have to change how you make the recipe and the results turn out better.
So, I am happy about the turnout and look forward to the next one. My culinary journey is going well, and I love the surprises that await me. Drop me a note about your culinary surprises and let’s swap notes. Speaking of that, when I am in the kitchen, I keep a notebook handy to jot down notes about ingredients, cooking times and temperatures and l other stuff. I will keep you posted on other changes. I have some unexpected free time on my hands. Happy Eats!
