Brian Samuels

August 11, 2013

Photography

Silent Sunday: The Big Summer Potluck 2013

Brian Samuels

August 11, 2013

Photography

The Big Summer Potluck 2013 (photos by Brian Samuels)

Big Summer Potluck Cookies by Jen Schall (photos by Brian Samuels)

Earlier this year, Maggy asked if I would be the official photographer for The Big Potluck and over the past few months, I've had the pleasure of attending and shooting their first Big Traveling Potluck in California and, most recently, the fourth annual Big Summer Potluck. It's a lot of work photographing a multi-day event, but it's also a ton of fun. We spent the weekend at both the Anderson household, where a fabulous dinner was served Friday night, and the Bucks County Audubon Society for a full day of speakers (which included cookbook author Joe Yonan of The Washington Post, Jeni Britton Bauer of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, and Jessamyn W. Rodriguez of Hot Bread Kitchen), delicious food, and cocktails. Pam, Maggy, and Erika outdid themselves and I was so honored to be there to capture these moments.

I was also asked by KitchenAid to do a recap of the event (and talk a bit about their involvement as sponsors of the event) on their blog. Head over here to check out that post and to see a few additional pictures from BSP.

Brian Samuels

August 11, 2013

Photography

Silent Sunday: The Big Summer Potluck 2013

Brian Samuels

August 11, 2013

Photography

Brian Samuels

August 7, 2013

Seafood

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Brian Samuels

August 7, 2013

Seafood

"Clocks slay time... time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels;

only when the clock stops does time come to life." - William Faulkner

When we arrived to open the Cape house a few months ago, we noticed that the kitchen clock had stopped working. This wasn't terribly surprising, since it had been around for quite some time. To fill the empty space, a platter in the shape of a fish was propped up against the wall. Eric and his brother like to joke about it. "Hey, what time is it?" one asks... to which the other replies "I think it's half past a fish."

It never gets old.

I've grown to really appreciate the absence of the clock. So much of my day is spent scheduling that to be in a place that doesn't have a visible clock is refreshing. Somehow life slows down in the most miraculous way when you aren't always checking to see what time it is. Eating when you want to. Drinking when you want to. Napping when you want to. It's a wonderful thing.

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

(mildly adapted from Tom Colicchio's recipe in Food and Wine Magazine, August 2013)

Servings 8-10

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 1/2 pounds mixed cherry tomatoes 2 large garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 1/2 pounds small squid, cleaned, bodies cut into 1/3-inch rings and tentacles halved 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 cup lightly packed small basil leaves

Instructions

1. Add the oil to a skillet and set over medium heat. Add tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes blister, approximately 4 minutes.

2. Add the squid and cook on low heat for approximately 5 minutes, or until they become opaque.

3. Stir in the rice wine vinegar and basil and season with salt and pepper.