I think the Big T has been watching too many episodes of MasterChef.
Six Word Saturday; evening edition
food photography
Seeing double
“There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.” – Ansel Adams. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Some things feel like they should always come in twos — like biscuits, and scoops of ice-cream. Though with (regular) hindsight, maybe having two eyes but only one stomach is a problem.
Apparently, one of the earliest versions of the saying “two’s company, three’s a crowd” dates back to 1678. John Ray wrote in his collection English Proverbs “One’s too few, three too many.”
Generally, gannets mate for life. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Brother and sister; enjoying shave ice at Helensville A&P Show, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017.
Two little boys; best friends from Day 1. Image: Su Leslie
Llew Summers’ sculpture “Dance to the end of love.” Auckland Botanic Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Father and son. Neuschwanstein Castle, 2015. Image: Su Leslie
Image: Su Leslie, 2017
“And then she said …” Image: Su Leslie, 2017
One becomes two: shadows and reflections.
Image: Su Leslie
Image: Su Leslie
Image: Su Leslie
Yep, comfort food — the healthy option
Quick, before it melts
Raw chocolate raspberry slice. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Experimenting with a new recipe for something a little sweet but without dairy and refined sugar. This slice contains almond meal, coconut oil, buckwheat, rice syrup, raspberries, chia seeds and very dark chocolate. Once I got it out of the fridge, the raspberry layer began to melt pretty quickly.
The photo isn’t great, but the slice tasted pretty good.
A perfect little afternoon snack
A visit to South Melbourne Market and the Emerald Deli. So many macarons (and other yummies) — so little time.
Persimmon and walnut muffins … with Nina
Persimmon, ginger and walnut muffins. Image: Su Leslie 2019Saturday morning breakfast; coffee and muffins and the fabulous Nina Simone.
Like other artists I’ve included in my 30 Days, 30 Songs list, Nina Simone has provided much of the soundtrack to my adult life and I struggled to select just one song.
But this one is upbeat and perfect for a Saturday morning — and I do like the video.
We’re nearing the end of the 30 Days, 30 Songs challenge hosted by Sarah at Art Expedition. You can see her latest musical choice here.
Another not-exactly-Six-Word-Saturday; a challenge hosted by Debbie at Travel with Intent.
The tea and scone questions
Date, orange and rosemary scone. Image: Su Leslie 2019
I baked again today. Scones rather than muffins this time, but I’m still worried it’s becoming a habit.
I didn’t even have the excuse of friends stopping by. I just fancied scones.
While I was waiting for them to cook (and regretting not cutting them into nice little rounds, rather than rough wedges) I got thinking about what sort of tea to have.
A mug of builder’s brew? Green tea with lime might compliment the orange flavour in the scone? A Darjeeling perhaps? Or maybe a fruit tissane?
Straight from the baking paper, or find a pretty plate? What about a napkin?
Are you a scone eater? A posh plate user? The one who eats on the go, or who stops to savour? China cup? Or favourite mug?
Let me know in the comments.
Singing in the kitchen
Garlic, ginger, coriander, lime … some of the ingredients in Sarah Tiong’s Asian Vinaigrette. Image: Su Leslie, 2017
“Cooking is a language that express harmony, creativity, happiness, beauty, poetry, complexity, magic, humor, provocation.” Ferran Adrià — head chef of the elBulli restaurant
Harmony is all about combination. About striking the right notes to create something pleasing. This is just as true in cooking as music. Flavours, textures, colours, even temperature must be balanced.
As a cook, I definitely fall into the enthusiastic amateur category, but with practice (lots more hours than I ever put into learning guitar), I am beginning to create food that is closer to “well-crafted pop song” than “open-mic night at the local folk club.”
For which my boys are ever so grateful.
pan-fried tarakihi fillet with rosemary lime crumb, roasted butternut squash and watercress. Su Leslie, 2018
The ingredients: prawn and soba noodle salad with avocado, grapefruit mint and yuzu. Image: Su Leslie 2018
Prawn and soba noodle salad with avocado, grapefruit mint and yuzu. Image: Su Leslie 2018
Lunch; grapefruit, rocket, walnuts and feta salad, dressed with an orange mustard vinaigrette. Image: Su Leslie, 2018
Good together: aubergine, garlic, ginger, chilli and lime. Image: Su Leslie 2018
Rosemary and feta scones. Image: Su Leslie, 2017
Lens Artists Photo Challenge | harmony
So much tastier from a pretty bowl
Yogurt, raspberries and granola topping. Junk-shop find bowl. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Regular Random: five minutes with fresh walnuts
Perhaps I just never noticed before, but bags of fresh New Zealand walnuts seem only to have arrived on the shelves of local grocers in the last couple of years. Maybe it’s a newish commercial venture here — and maybe I’m just not that observant.
Either way, I’m enjoying them now.
Regular Random is a photo challenge hosted by Desley Jane at Musings of a Frequently Flying Scientist. Please pop over and take a look; and if you’d like to join in:
- choose a subject or a scene
- spend five minutes photographing it – no more!
- try to not interfere with the subject, instead see it from many angles, look through something at it, change the light that’s hitting it
- have fun!
- tag your post #regularrandom and ping back to Desley’s post.
