Cupcakes + Bacon = Pure Awesome.

Shortly after I arrived at their house for our overnight session, Alanna surprised me with a gift.

This. is. awesome.

 

Cupcakes…. with bacon. I think that she said they were french toast flavored with maple frosting. Delicious!

Hotel Life

I can’t sleep, so I figured I might as well process a few pictures from my recent trip to Sheboygan, WI.

 

This was a tasty dessert that I put together after visiting the local Pick’n Save.

Pho

Taking pictures while cooking makes me think twice about each step. It helps me see the artful side of food preparation, the colors, textures.

Another benefit is that when I’m done… I get to eat something good.

 

Cajun Cooking

Oh boy, did I eat good tonight.

It pays to have friends that can cook. Really cook. And I actually have quite a few with this particular skill. Yay for me.

 

Above: My host makes his own beer. I’m not a beer drinker, but I can admire the handcrafted effort.

Mmmm. Now I’m off to sleep.

Happy drooling.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you’re interested, I used this recipe (and added some coconut, white chocolate chips and a little wheat bran).

Golden Beets

These were delicious with a mild, earthy flavor.

A Baby Shower For Max

Cuddly baby gifts. Yummy cake. Adorable party favors. Sharing in the expectation of a coming addition.

Un Parti Français

Last night, I went to a lovely themed party, hosted by Devan, a friend and fellow photog-enthusiast). This girl is multi-talented. She’s got a knack for crafting an intimate setting and cooking delectable meals. The highlights were French onion soup, sautéed asparagus and brussel sprouts with bacon and a rich chocolate Pot de Crème for dessert. Alyssa (who you might recognize from my photos of her recent wedding) made a batch of minty chocolate truffles. Decadence!

    

What a wonderful way to spend an evening: dressing up and enjoying a wonderful homemade meal, laughing with friends and finishing it off with chocolate.

Luau (Food, Friends and… Food!)

Today I went to a Polynesia luau – complete with a hula dance, amazing food and lots of leis. I had a great time enjoying the afternoon with many of my close friends.

Below: They are teaching the little ones how to hula… or hitchhike. I can’t tell which.

Dramatic Citrus

Doesn’t this look like an oil painting?

Lemonade

Cravings

 

One of my good friends is pregnant, but it seems that I’m the one with some weird cravings.

Homemade Wine

I sampled some homemade yellow currant wine and Guayaba wine as well. Sweet. Delicious.

Fruit in the Morning

A simple breakfast

Sweets

Today I walked around downtown Sheboygan, WI for a few hours. I stopped into the Victorian Chocolate Shoppe and picked up a Dreamsicle Truffle, Champagne Truffle, Chocolate Covered Marshmallow, White Chocolate Coconut Cluster, Chocolate Covered Orange Rind and a few other sweet things.

Then I took them back to my apartment and… well, I’m sure you can guess what happened next.

Yum.

Fresh and Local: Go to the Farmer’s Market!

Yesterday I went to the Maple Valley farmer’s market (off Maple Valley Highway, on the left past the Testy Chef). I have driven by it countless times, but I finally decided to stop by.

The prices were reasonable and the fresh produce was wonderful. I ate much of the fruit last night – strawberries, mango, kiwi. I will definitely be going back soon! (It’s open this year until October.)

I also made a dinner of whole wheat pasta and vodka sauce, along with asparagus (from the market of course) with garlic and fresh thyme from my garden. Yum!

There’s just something about eating food fresh from the market.