1.24.2011

Want to Know How to Make Focaccia?

Bread!  Now that's what I'm talking about.  I finally returned to my roots and worked on a focaccia recipe that the editor wanted for an upcoming article.  They decided to include step-by-step photo instructions and guess who they used as a hand model?  This article has everything you need to know about making focaccia and let me tell you, there's nothing more delicious than making your own bread in the comfort of your own home. 





Shooting the Step-by-Step

Having Fun with the Extra Dough

1.20.2011

Styling in Action

Noelle captured us on a busy day--preparing for our KTLA Channel 5 spots.  We prepared the recipes in advance and, as you will see, prepared to style all of the food for their "beauty shots."  I'm the one styling.

1.18.2011

A Little Spice to Life

I never thought I would end up making chili during my internship, but I did; and boy, I was not disappointed.  This turkey chili recipe is incredibly spicy!  Just look at the picture!  Don't you want it?  There is a lot more that goes into food styling than you think.  We take care to make sure that the cheese is perfectly melted, the onions perfectly placed, and the shot, perfectly taken.  Why do we do it?  So that your mouth will start to water and you'll click the link below to make this recipe for yourself!


1.14.2011

Chopping 101

Being the savory food novice, I was asked to write an article about chopping/knife skills.  I chopped fennel over and over as we tested and retested the Tuscan bean soup.  This was a good thing because I picked up on some great tips from the more experienced savory food interns.  We took some snap shots and Noelle Carter, my supervisor, edited the entire article to be more like a tutorial on cutting.  Check out the link below to see the article.


1.12.2011

Irish Tuscan Bean Soup

Baker gone culinary!  Another exciting aspect to this externship is the fact that I am required to work on savory recipes as well.  Thankfully my first assignment was a soup which allowed me to work on my knife skills--ahem.  This soup recipe was requested from a reader who absolutely fell in love with it while in Ireland.  It's full of leeks, potatoes, beans, celery, carrots, tomatoes, and Irish goodness (and I'm not just saying that because I'm one-sixteenth Irish).  I have to admit, it's a lot nicer to have a professional photographer worry about taking pictures rather than leaving it to me and my limited skills.


1.08.2011

Fruit Cake, Really?

So my first creation to ever be featured in The Los Angeles Times was none other than a fruit cake!  Argh.  I don't know why fruit cakes have such a bad reputation, actually, I take that back.  In my defence, this was a deliciously moist cake containing dried figs, raisins, and walnuts.


1.04.2011

The Los Angeles Times: Editorial Food


It's a new year and I am finished with my instruction at Le Cordon Bleu.  As required for graduation, each student has to complete an externship (fancy way of saying internship) at an approved location.  It was really difficult for me to decide where to go.  I would have loved to go to France or some other foreign destination but I knew I needed to reign in my desires for travel and get some practical experience more applicable to what I plan to do.  I was not allowed to apply for the Food Network internship because the school would not approve the location for a Baking and Patisserie student.  I looked into various places across the country and eventually found an opportunity at The Los Angeles Times: Editorial Food.

This opportunity was highly favorable to me because of the vast array of experience it offers its interns.  At The Times, we develop and test recipes, we style food for weekly prints and online photography, we help prep for television spots on KTLA Channel 5, and much more.

So this is my new home for the next six weeks--The Los Angeles Times building in the heart of downtown Los Angeles.

The Times Building

The Entrance
The View