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Opening the Cape house involves very little work.  We take the furniture outside, we wipe away some cobwebs and air out the rooms, which can get a bit musty during the six months we’re away.  Since the house isn’t insulated very well, we utilize the fireplace as much as possible. Eric and his brother Andy went out to chop some firewood. They were so proud of themselves and had a nice bonding moment.

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To see more of Molly’s work, take a look at her portfolio.

Cheeseburger with Avocado – Photographer: Brian Samuels, Styling: Molly Shuster

These two burgers obviously have a very different feel.  What was your goal in creating these two different looks?

I think at it’s best, what we do is inspire people to cook and get in the kitchen. I always love getting people to think about food and their relationship to it. So whenever I work on something I always think, what makes this beautiful? What about this is delicious? Sometimes you go into a shot and have a clear idea in your head of what something will be or what it will look like. Other times it’s something that has to be found…sometimes that’s easier than others!

As for the different feel of each burger, sometimes it’s nice for things to be clean and structured and classic, other times it’s nice to be loose and messy and a bit more familiar. And this often depends on the type of shoot you’re doing…whether it be editorial, ad or commercial- they’ll be certain objectives for each shoot and that often dictates the direction the food takes.

Perfectly Grilled Burger – Photographer: Brian Samuels, Styling: Molly Shuster

What is your working relationship like with photographers?  Do you find it to be a collaborative process or does it vary from project to project?

Yes, absolutely, it’s always a collaboration. Of course, that’s one of the interesting things about this job- the team is never the same! You’re always working with different photographers, crews and clients, and everyone has their own style and method. So it definitely varies shoot to shoot.

But that’s also one of the great things about this job. You meet so many lovely, talented and creative people.

Any other fun tips/tricks/suggestions you want to throw out to food bloggers or aspiring stylists?

I’d say keep at it! Keep cooking. Keep writing. Follow your favorite food magazines and cookbook authors. Always seek out new foods and flavors. Cook the food that inspires you. Always be willing to try something new.

And if you’re interested in styling- assist! There is no better way to gain experience than working for established stylists. I have learned so much and have a huge amount of respect for all of the women I’ve worked for. They’ve all taught me a tremendous amount and I feel hugely indebted to them.

Caprese Sandwich with Heirloom Tomatoes – Photographer: Brian Samuels, Styling: Molly Shuster

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A big congratulations to my sister on the new addition to her beautiful family.  I was so honored to have been asked to take these pictures for them.

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Over the last year, I’ve had the honor of writing and photographing for Edible Boston.  The spring issue has just hit stands and is available in a number of stores and restaurants throughout the city.  Flip through and you’ll find an article that I did on local chefs who, in their spare time, enjoy tapping into their creative side.  Chef Erwin Ramos, the owner of Ole, is a photographer and takes his camera on all of his travels to Mexico.  Dave Becker of Sweet Basil spends hours in front of a potter’s wheel creating plates and bowls for the restaurant.  And Jeffrey Fournier, Chef/Owner of 51 Lincoln, has been painting and displaying his work since he was a teenager.

Click Here To Read The Full Article

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Ole Restaurant

11 Springfield St

Cambridge, MA 02139

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Profile: Pastry Chef Monica Glass – Clio (Boston)

Silent Sunday: Tatte Bakery – Cambridge

Taste of Boston: Area Four

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Chef Monica Glass (Pastry Chef at Clio and Uni, Boston)

Home town: West Chester, Pennsylvania

Past Restaurant Experience: Gotham Bar and Grill (NYC), Le Bernardin (NYC), 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge (Philadelphia), Fish (Philadelphia)

Follow Chef Moni on Twitter: @chefmoni

Dishes, In order of appearance:

Citrus Creamsicle (Clio)

Kaffir Lime Parfait (mousse) sprayed in white chocolate cocoa butter

White Chocolate Citrus Biscuit (cake)

Candied Citrus – pommelo, buddha’s hand, kumquats

Fresh Citrus – Satsuma, pommelo, blood orange, cara cara, finger limes, etc.

Finger Limes

Jasmine Ice Cream “Pearls” – ice cream dropped in liquid nitrogen like dip n dots

Jasmine Meringue

Satsuma Tangerine Sherbet

Blood Orange Soup – cilantro, mint, Thai basil, ginger, fish sauce, grenadine

*nut free

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Pre-Dessert (Uni)

Hibiscus Poached Pineapple

Candied Sesame

Pineapple Sauce

Vanilla Aloe Granita

Umeboshi Sorbet

Black Sesame Tuile

*nut free

*gluten free

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Pre-Dessert (Clio)

Juniper Crème Fraiche Panna Cotta

Grapefruit Rose Sorbet

Sorghum Sponge Candy

Candied Grapefruit

Tarragon

Sorghum Juniper Tuile

*nut free

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Olive Donuts

Olive Donuts rolled in Olive Sugar

Meyer Lemon Cream (filled)

Black Currant Caramel

White Chocolate Meyer Lemon Pinenut Crumble

Honey Fried Pinenuts

Burnt Honey Ice Cream (infused with Licorice Mint)

Licorice Mint

*nut free
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Coconut Rice Pudding

Salted Coconut Sauce

Cilantro Gel

Mango Passion Fruit Curd

Coconut Rice Pudding

Compressed Mango (simple syrup, lime, salt)

Candied Black Sesame

Fizzy Mango (baking soda, malic acid, freeze dried mango)

Coconut and Passion Fruit Swirled Sorbet

*gluten free

*nut free

Silent Sunday: Tatte Bakery – Cambridge

Taste of Boston: Area Four

A Visit to Harry and David + The Rogue Valley

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For additional images not featured in this post, my portfolio can be viewed here: www.briansamuelsphotography.com

Featured Restaurants:

Basho/Douzo, Guchi’s Midnight Ramen, Anna’s Taqueria, Back Deck, Pain D’Avignon, Staff Meal, Bristol Lounge

Additional restaurants photographed in 2012 (previously posted)

Tatte Bakery, Area Four, Foumami

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When I ventured off to Roslindale, one of Boston’s many neighborhoods, for a project I was recently worked on for AirBNB.com, I went out with no expectations.  The research I did prior to the shoot was minimal… I figured that I’d find some spots along the way to take pictures of, but never did I imagine to find a thriving town, one filled with food, arts, and parks.  I loved the murals that lined the town’s walls and was struck by the number of restaurants, bakeries, and gourmet food shops.  The farmer’s market I came across was an added bonus.  And I can’t forget to mention the Arnold Arboretum, a beautiful reservation that’s part of Boston’s Emerald Necklace.

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About a year ago, Tzurit, the owner of Tatte Bakery in Brookline, popped up on my Twitter feed and we started chatting.  Our lengthy conversation soon turned to the topic of photography and she expressed interest in having me come in to photograph the opening of her upcoming shop in Cambridge.  Jump five months and the second Tatte Bakery opened to much acclaim.  I was there for the opening to get some shots, which I’m sharing with all of you today.

Tatte Bakery and Cafe

318 Third Street

Cambridge, MA

617.354.4200

Also, I wanted to announce the winner of the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook giveaway!  Congrats to Stacey!

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Over the past few months, I’ve been sent to the South End for a variety of projects.  My job for these shoots was to go out and capture the essence of the South End… and seeing how much culture the area encapsulates, it wasn’t hard to find subjects to photograph.

Featured in this post (in order of appearance):

Polka Dog Bakery

Picco

Sienna Farms – South End

Coppa

Formaggio Kitchen

Flour Bakery 

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Before I start talking about our trip to Harry and David, I wanted to just congratulate Monet on winning the copy of Small Plates + Sweet Treats by Aran Goyoaga in the giveaway I hosted last week!

Twelve hours of traveling (including three flights) made for a very long trip back to Boston.  Despite being exhausted, I couldn’t help but smile when I reflected on the time I spent in Oregon: the tour of Harry and David, our outdoor dinner at Sandy’s house, the meals shared together in Jacksonville and Ashland, the warm welcome and fantastic service provided by Robert and Susan Roos (and their sweet pup, pictured below) at the Magnolia Inn (they make amazing breakfasts, many of which use H&D products). It all made for a wonderful experience.

Harry and David was founded in 1910 and is best known for its mail order Royal Riviera® Pears, which are grown, along with other fruit varietals, at their sixteen orchards in the Rogue Valley.  During their annual harvest, the company will pick 700 tons of fruit a day… all of which is done by highly trained workers.  And H&D treats their employees well (many of whom have been there for 20+ years).  The migrant workers who come for the harvest are not only paid well, but housing and meals are covered.  It also says a lot that many of these workers come back year after year.

What surprised me was how many products H&D produces.  Besides fruit, they also make their own gourmet chocolates, cookies, cakes (the cheesecake is my litte personal piece of heaven), soup mixes and jams, among other things.  Oh, and I can’t forget about Moose Munch.  I couldn’t get enough of that stuff.

On our last day of the trip, we were treated to a little surprise: the announcement of their upcoming line of wines. We were the first group to try them and I have to say that I enjoyed each one.  They should be rolling that out next year, so stay tuned.

I’m going to be quiet now and let you all take in some of these pictures, which covers everything from our dinner at Sandy’s, the Magnolia Inn (where we stayed), the tours of Harry and David orchards and factory, as well as visits to Peerless and Noble Coffee in Ashland.

Other bloggers/writers who attended: 

Magnolia Inn – Medford, OR

Dinner at Sandy and Paul Coughlin’s Home

Harry and David – Medford, OR

Harry and David Staff Pictured: Craig Johnson, CEO (1st photo, right), Matt Borman, Orchard Director (4th photo)

Harry and David Bakery and Candy Kitchen

H&D Staff Pictured: Charlie Douglas, Manager of Research & Development (1st photo, left) and 3rd Generation Candy Maker

Harry and David Packaging Facility

Peerless – Ashland, OR

Noble Coffee – Ashland OR

  Disclaimer: This post is in conjunction with an all-expense paid trip provided by Harry and David.  The views on my blog are my own and in no way was I monetarily compensated for writing this entry.

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Potato Salad with Dill + Horseradish Aioli

Honey Green Tea and Rosemary Refresher and an Honest Tea Giveaway

Cheese Grits with Fiddleheads and Ramps in Brown Butter

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Entering Sweet Basil, which is located in Downtown Needham, I already had lofty expectations.  A close friend had raved about this neighborhood restaurant for years.  Needless to say, there was lots of room for disappointment.  But, alas, this was not the case.  And here are a few reasons why:

1. Upon arriving on a Tuesday evening (and it was packed), I was a bit early and needed to wait outside.  To please the crowds huddled by the door, servers brought everyone complementary bruschetta.  Never have I ever seen that kind of service.  It’s such a small touch, but it made everyone incredibly happy.

2. David Becker, owner and chef, not only keeps the kitchen in line, but he works front of the house too, greeting and seating guests.  This man is a gem.  He engages each person with warm conversation and is always full of laughs.

3. Everything is fresh and homemade.  The ingredients are sourced as locally as possible.  And they’re creative with their dishes (their watermelon gazpacho with housemade quark rocks my world… see photos above).

4. The artwork on the walls is gorgeous and it was all produced by David’s grandfather (see above).

5. The atmosphere is cozy and completely charming.  I’ve been so disappointed by the smaller, independently owned restaurants in Boston, and I’m so happy to have found a place that makes me feel welcomed.

6. See those bowls up there? David made those and the other plates displayed above.  Isn’t that amazing?

Sweet Basil

942 Great Plain Ave

Needham, MA 02492

781-444-9600

http://www.sweetbasilneedham.com/

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Amongst the delis and bar + grills in the Financial District is this gem of a sandwich shop.  But unlike the traditional subs and wraps available in the area, Foumami provides something different:  Tofu with Pepper Sauce, Spicy Pork, Bibimbap and Sesame Noodle Salad.

To read more about Foumami, check out my post over at the Boston Magazine food blog, The Chowder.

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