This is a story about winter citrus. More specifically, it’s a story about finding a day to play in a photo studio, complete with beautiful props and gorgeous styling. It’s a story dedicated to free form (there are no recipes here!), to abundant light, to taking it slow and easy during the new year, but mostly it’s a story about bright happy little fruit that inspires me.

As we enter another year (and I blog another year longer), I always come to citrus in January. Maybe because citrus represents the best of what the world has to offer. Maybe it’s the fruit’s inherent sparkle, the zing it brings to all things sweet and savory. Maybe because it’s not necessarily fleeting, but like a good strong friend that makes you smile because you know it has your back. Am I anthropromorphizing too much? Indeed I am. But I can’t help it. I guess I’m just tapping into the thousands and thousands of years that we have embraced lemons, limes, and oranges, and they are as much a part of our world as the air that we breathe.

It’s also a story about the things we like to make using citrus.

I develop a certain kind panic when I realize I’m out of lemons in my kitchen. Next to garlic, some sea salt and a few good knives, I feel like I should always have lemons on hand just in case. A quick search of my archives reveals why: lemon cupcakes, lemondrops (the adult cocktail, thankyouvermuch), lemon roasted just-about-anything, vinaigrettes, sparking sodas, my list goes on. Swap the lemon for a pomelo or blood orange and I’ll keep going. I can’t stop. The following ideas and recipes are ways we love to use citrus at home. And like I mentioned before, there are no recipes, and I hope that’s ok with you. Consider these images as starting points for future kitchen excursions. It’s January, we should all take it easy for just a little while longer, don’t ya think?

Mini Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Yes, I am starting with dessert first. Begin with lemon or vanilla cupcakes, scoop out a tiny bit of the center, pipe in lemon curd and top with Italian meringue. Torch the top ever so slightly. Devour like a madman. Oops, that was me, sorry.

 Raw Vegetable Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

You can feel the crunch now, can’t you? Raw, crisp veggies and a handful of garbanzo beans drizzled with  a vinaigrette made with lemon juice, champagne vinegar, shallots, olive oil, Dijon mustard, a teensy amount of grated lemon peel, a pinch of sugar. It could not be easier. And you know how I feel about pre-made dressings and vinaigrette. Why would you when this is just so easy? Bonus points: you can use this as a dip and on sandwiches and subs.

Lemon Meringue Cake

Hey, this looks familiar, don’t it? That’s right. A buttercake is layered with lemon curd, once again topped with meringue and torched. It was as delicious as it was pretty.

Pink Lemonade

Pink lemonade is your standard lemonade with a splash of cranberry juice for color. It’s how it gets its pink. I’m all for it, but I like to add a small amount of grapefruit juice for tartness and – in the tiniest amount possible – a pinch of sea salt. Too much ruins it, just a tiny bit adds some depth. You must have plenty of ice. Must.

 Oven Roasted Trout

Sliced lemon wedges, sprigs of thyme, sea salt, whole trout. Dinner is served. And as a whole fish kind of guy it’s moments like this when I value a really great relationship with a fishmonger. Although I’m no stranger to getting out there and catching it myself. Lemon and fish is a natural combination but you know what’s a better combo? This dish and my mouth.

Lemon Roasted Chicken

Oh, you beautiful bird, you. The stuff simple and easy dinners are made of. We always roast our chicken with slices of lemon (with larger halved lemons inside the cavity), shallots, salt, pepper, and just about any kind of fresh herb you have on hand. You can make it even better by making a gravy from the lemony pan drippings. And you see those potatoes? They’re roasted red potatoes topped with ricotta and lemon zest. Roast first, give ‘em a squeeze to break them open, top to your heart’s content. Literally a perfect dinner.

Candied Citrus Cake

Something that couldn’t be easier but with fantastic citrus flare. A traditional butter cake with candied lemon, orange, and blood orange slices with spoonfuls of syrup.  To candy the citrus slices, boil and rinse three times to reduce bitterness then simmer in a mixture of equal parts sugar and water for 45 minutes, until translucent. Arrange cooled slices on top of the cake and spoon over the syrup.

Lemon Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

What? Yet another sweet treat? That’s right. Because we were inspired by citrus sweets while at the studio we didn’t mind going into sugar-overload. Just use common sense, please. These cupcakes use plenty of lemon juice and zest in the cake, with just a very simple vanilla buttercream on top along with some happy sprinkles. Bright and happy, just like I like my desserts.

 How do you like to use citrus?

Many thanks to my gorgeous better half who styles with such grace and flair. Thanks to Found Vintage Rentals for the amazing furniture props. I live for these creative playdates! All photos and prop styling by yours truly.

One of the best things of being a food photographer is the access to new tastes, flavors and recipes. Because 100% of what we do at our studio is actually edible, you’ll find me on set most days asking this series of questions to Adam, my food stylist partner:

a)     I’ve got the shot. Can you review it and tell me if there’s anything you’d like to change?

b)    Ok, fantastic. Looks great. We’re done. Can I eat this?

I can’t really remember a day where I haven’t dug into a casserole or broken off a piece of bread or stolen a cookie. I often tell myself that it’s part of my job and that I actually should know what things taste like. When I photograph a cookbook it’s inevitable that people will ask me what the process was like and if there was a favorite recipe. Why shouldn’t I be prepared?

(sidenote: yes, I actually did taste every single recipe made from Jenny’s upcoming book and let’s just say you should be as excited as I am for it come out)

Recently a rather unfamiliar dessert landed on my shooting surface. Ok, let me back up. Unusual for me. But then again I’m not a Sweets kinda guy, generally. But this item, Banoffee Pie, is an English favorite that we were shooting for Cooking Channel and it really caught my attention.

Let’s see…bananas, check. Cookies, check. Coffee, check. Condensed milk made into caramel? Double check. I knew I was gonna try this. And something told me I was gonna like it.

Holy crap.

How have I gone 41 years without ever taking a bite of this? Adam’s assistants were particularly jazzed, knowing how fun and tasty Banoffee Pie is. But me? I was a Banoffee Virgin, new to the combination of tastes and are all individually my favorites.

Was it over the top? Yes. Was it super sweet? Indeed. Do I crave it all the time now? Hell to the yes.

I danced around the studio with whipped cream on my face and kept saying “Imagine Banoffee This! Imagine Banoffee That!” I think I was reprimanded slightly by my team, told to re-focus and reminded that we had plenty of more recipes to shoot. Our day was far from over.

When I got home I furiously jotted down ideas and notes, then asked my dear sweet partner if we could one day return to the studio, play around with banoffee ingredients, photograph them, them shamelessly eat them until we collapsed.

He obliged.

So what did I discover? Banoffee ingredients make me happy. They work well introduced into a variety of formats. And that I will probably never get tired of bananas + caramel + cookies/crust + whipped cream + coffee.  For reals, y’all.

Add this combination to the top of a cupcake and what do you have? Insanity.  Any cupcake will do but you’ll probably want to introduce a flavor that compliments a traditional banoffee pie. Banana cupcakes, vanilla or espresso could totally work. Top them with chocolate frosting, sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top, a dollop of whipped cream, a banana coin and a small graham cracker. Drizzle with dulce de leche. Stuff into your face.

Could graham cracker crumbs, dulce de leche, cream, chocolate and bananas make a delicious parfait? Absolutely. It’s rich, I’m telling you, so you might want to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Yes, I am a stickler for that panino/panini format, I can’t help it. At any rate, spreading banoffee ingredients on bread, tucking some banana slices in there and then pressing on a grill or panini press gives you a sweet, breakfasty type sandwich (although the sensible me shudders at the thought of eating something like this for breakfast). Still, it’s fun, delicious, and even better if you top it with a dollop of whipped cream.

Sigh. Oh, banoffee milkshake, you were my favorite. For some reason all these things in a blender with ice cream just sing. You could get a lil fancy and top with chipped cream, chocolate shaving and a drizzle of caramel if you wanted. Again, vanilla ice cream is a good start, but could you imagine butter pecan or any type of banana ice cream? I think I need to stop dreaming up ways to use these ingredients. I will no longer fit into my pants.

I happen to love Maggie’s Banoffee Pie that she made for us during our Palm Springs retreat when I told her about my new found love for the stuff. If you’re looking for her delicious recipe you can find it here.

No it’s not Halloween Déjà vu here! Since we get so many requests and comments about these Scary Apples I’ve decided to rerun them for this year’s Halloween. Kind of a greatest hits, right? Enjoy! And Boo!

Full confession: When I was about 4 or 5 years old I was so utterly terrified of Halloween that I once ran from the dinner table to the bedroom where I locked myself inside it for 20 minutes while Trick or Treaters came to the front door of the house. I’m not sure why I did that exactly as I wasn’t normally a timid or shy child; I think my dramatic exit had more to do with the fact that I enjoyed that sense of fright, darkness and mystery that rolls around every October. I like to be scared when I know nothing bad will actually happen.

This explains my interest in fright nights, scary movies, haunted houses, macabre scenarios, you name it. I think there’s a part of all of us that likes that thrill…why else would we visit haunted houses, watch slasher films, and listen to Paris Hilton songs and videos?

Not that I’ve done the latter. Even that’s too scary for me.

When I mentioned to Adam that I wanted to do my first Halloween blog post about a cocktail I tried he quickly informed me that it would neither be a) exciting b) deep enough or c) have enough pizazz. “What’s so exciting about a cocktail, all by itself?”  he asked. I could see his point as there are tons of others who focus on spirits and do a much better job. Besides, this drink wasn’t anything exciting or thrilling but perfect for the grown-ups at any Halloween party. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll help you out” said Adam.

Wow. Was my drink really that lackluster that it needed help? Apparently so.

He grabbed his car keys, ran to the store, came back but not before making a detour to the front yard where he began tugging at one of the trees. My partner isn’t a man of a thousand words (which must be why we’re a great match) but sometimes stoic and methodical. He was up to something I could tell but I didn’t quite know what.  When he returned to the kitchen he ransacked his baking shelf, took out the candy thermometer, a sheet pan and began his kitchen alchemy.

What happened next was pure magic.

I walked back into the kitchen to find the most beautiful candied apples before me.  Black glossy cinnamon-scented candied glass enveloped small apples, twigs became their handles, and a few shockingly red candied apples only made their black counterparts more ominous. It was halloween on a silpat, a spooky forest that completed my cocktail.

I had no choice but to have him bundle up the apples, head to the studio with me where I knew exactly how I wanted to photograph them. They joined my new favorite black wine goblets from Juliska in an eery still life that still gives me the chills when I look at it. Only this time there’s no need to lock myself in my bedroom.

Red & Black Candy Apples

8-10 medium sized apples
8-10 wooden twigs, twimmed
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup of water
several drops of cinnamon flavored oil
1/4 teaspoon of red food coloring
1/4 teaspoon of black food coloring
Clean and dry the apples. Try to remove as much of the wax as possible. If you purchase them from your local farmer’s market then chances are they have not been treated with the food grade wax that makes then shine. Remove any stems or leaves and insert a twig into the end of each apple. To facilitate easier twig entry you can carefully sharpen the end of the twig or use a candy stick to create a guide hole. Set apples aside.

Heat and stir sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Boil until the syrup reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Don’t go over 310 degrees or your candy burns and then you’ll be sad.

Remove from heat and stir in flavored oil and food coloring.

Dip one apple completely in the syrup and swirl it so that it becomes coated with the melted sugar candy. Hold the apple above the saucepan to drain off excess. Place apple, with the stick facing up, onto a baking sheet that’s greased or lined with a silpat. Repeat the process with the remaining apples. If your syrup thickens or cools too much, simply reheat briefly before proceeding. Let the apples cool completely before serving.

A note about the black apples: Lighter colored apples (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious) work well in making the red appear bright and glassy; darker apples like red delicious help the black candy appear as dark as possible. Muy spooky!

Also, Adam made one batch with red food coloring and after he had a few red apples he reheated the candy mixture and added black food coloring. Adding black to red will make it darker. He repeated the dipping process. Black food coloring can be found online or at specialty baking stores.

Matt’s Winter Cocktail

I only call this winter because it has the flavors of pomegranate, apple and pear. Other than that it’s really just a sweet excuse to get drunk. The pinch of pumpkin pie spice in the drink gives it a holiday flair but it’s subtle. You can use dry ice to make it spooooky if you make a large batch of it but I don’t recommend putting dry ice into an individual glass if you want to keep your lips. Serves 2.

2 oz Pama Pomegranate Liqueur
2 oz Pear Vodka
4 oz Apple Cider or Juice
tiniest teensiest pinch of Pumpin Pie Spice

Add ingredients and crushed ice to a shaker and blend well. Empty drink and ice into a glass and get your drunk on.

We couldn’t have picked a better day to immerse ourselves in Korean tea shops than a day filled with brisk temperatures and a slight chilly rain. It made our check ins of tea houses much more cozy even though we were on a seriously ambitious mission to sip and sit in a combination of traditional and modern establishments.

We started at Miss Lee, a colorful and playful tea house washed in bright colors and natural woods. If I was looking for a quiet austere place for tea this sure wasn’t it! We arrived for an early lunch of bento boxes with a variety of teas. There’s something to know about the world of Korean tea:  it’s not necessarily always based on traditional tea plants and their leaves. It’s a world that encompasses fruits, seeds, twigs, roots and leaves, not to mention some grains and barley and rice. The flavors of a rainbow are all here, from sour and astringent to candy-like and sweet. One of my favorites was Omijacha, made from the dried berries of the Schisandra chinensis and called the Five Flavors tea because it has sweet, salty, bitter, sour and pungent notes. Served either hot or cold, Korean teas are consumed for health and vitality but to me some are just plain fun: give me a cup of Yujacha (citron) any day for dessert and I’d be a happy man.

I’m a quick learner and noticed you can’t really head out for any kind of social activity without food being involved. It reminds me so much of my childhood and my culture that this whole Korean thing makes total sense to me. With an endless “BRING IT!” attititude we ordered lunch as well as some snacks to enjoy with our tea. My favorite? A Korean-style bento box with rice, seafood, egg and sausage. It was fantastic but it was the yakgwa that rocked my lil world. A soft, semi-chewy cookie made from wheat flour and sesame oil, it’s formed into assorted shapes (often a flower) then fried before being dunked in honey. The result is chewy sticky cookie that is perfect with tea. They’ve since moved to the top of my cookie list for sure. A fried cookie? Come on now, really!

After Miss Lee we visited a few other tea houses, each markedly different. Over various glasses of iced omijacha and warm herbal tea we absorbed the environment as many others did – relaxing and catching up, laughing, exchanging stories. It was heavenly, I’m telling you!

We ended up at Old Tea Shop in Insa-Dong, a location that couldn’t be more quintessential tea shop if you tried. Walking up creaking old stairs to a dark cozy room, we took a seat at a table that nestled you in a way that made you feel as if you’re never leaving or you’ll want a nap, whichever comes first. Over cups of citron and cinnamon tea, we had a few more snacks as we listened to the shop’s birds sing in the window.

Our afternoon tea excursion had to be one of the sweetest, most relaxing afternoons I’ve spent in recent memory. It made me realize how wonderful it is to slow down, visit with friends, eat more snacks, laugh, smile, and really enjoy ones surroundings. And it helped me to brush up on Korean phrases. Practice makes perfect!

Speaking of practicing languages, later in the day we were approached by students working on an assignment. The task? Find a Westerner, interview them and complete a form in English. Being a short and brown man you’d be surprised how easy I can blend and adapt in surroundings. Try that when you’re a tall redhead with tattoos and you can see how you might stick out. Score one for the students!

I will also share this in case you are in need of a good reason to get your heart to melt: take elementary school students, put them on a field trip, stick Adam in the vicinity and see what happens. They flock to him, practicing English words and phrases like “Hello!” and “How are you?” along with tons of waves from across the street. The Big Red Head stops to practice phrases with them, smiling the entire time. Talk about Cuteness Overload.

I swear I feel like a late night television commercial when I say “special offer”. I suppose I could add “operators are standing by” right? Wait, that would take me away from this post. Which is about sangria. Summer sangria, to be exact. From the special summer issue of Everyday Food. You’ve seen it, right? Of course you have. It’s all about summer made easy and it has an amazingly beautiful feature on our friend Aran that makes me smile every time I see it. It also features Ree and Heidi and if you look on page 26 you might just see my book On A Stick! listed with other selections and this: “These new cookbooks are brimming with irresistible recipes, tempting photos, and sage advice.”

Well I’ll be damned! It seems like only yesterday when Martha asked if I had my own cookbook.  Of course that was 2008 when I was a guest on her show but fast-forward a few years and not only do I have a book but it’s also been selected by the editors of Everyday Food. Which leads me full circle back to this post about the magazine and that offer! And sangria.

It’s no secret that I love everything Martha Stewart does, and my love and admiration runs deeply through each and every magazine title. And yes, I read them all as well as subscribe to all the digital versions because I have this fear that I might miss some new ‘lil digital feature or animation. I know I know, I’m addicted, what can I say? But I basically blew a fuse in a very happy way when I picked up the special issue of Everyday Food (it’s larger!) because it not only had a bunch of people I love it in but it also had this: an entire feature photographed with an iphone and the Hipstamatic app. Check this out:

LOVE IT. And when I first saw this I tweeted and facebooked about it because it proves one very specific point I try to make when speaking to new photographers and just about anyone else who will listen: it’s not about the camera you use, it’s about you and what you can bring to your images. And leave it to Martha’s team and Anna Last, editor in chief of Everyday Food, to be just so darn forward-thinking as to include a story photographed with an iphone. A freaking iphone! See? I’m getting excited all over again. But you can’t blame me when you look at those images, can you? They’re fun and infused with the spirit of summer. Of course, Anna says “it did help that our photographer Lucas Allen is just a tad talented!”  But of course! He’s a brilliant photographer.

But back to the magazine and then the sangria, ok? I’m happy to share with you, my lovely readers, a special deal that I’m calling theMattBites Everyday Food Magazine offer! It’s 1 year of Everyday Food (that’s 10 issues) for only $12 with access to the Everyday Food Digital Recipe Index PLUS with your paid subscription receive the Everyday Food oversized Grocery Tote! You can’t beat that, and you get a tote. And you’ll never be without fantastic recipe ideas again, which is what we do here all the time. I can’t tell you how many of our dinners feature Everyday Food recipes. Lots. Click here for the offer.

And just in case you want to order the very special issue of Everyday Food you can click here. I bought 8 copies because I had to send a few to family members, you know.

So what about that sangria? You’ll find it on page 108 under the Cocktails section. This Summer Fruit Sangria is perfect for a party, although I made a batch just for myself which I suppose a) isn’t a good thing to do but b) maybe it is because I’m eating fruit. With wine. Who can say. But I love this light, refreshing version because it’s not overly sweet and so far from fussy; in fact, you can use just about any summer fruit you want. I like recipes that go easy on me during summer. And the addition of basil in the drink? Beautiful. I plan on making another giant batch of this to share with friends once I finish a few big projects I have coming up next week. Heck, maybe I’ll just drink this sangria during the big projects, typos and incorrect exposures be damned.

 Summer Fruit Sangria from the summer special issue of Everyday Food

In a pitcher or large bowl, combine 6 cups assorted fruit (such as mango, pineapple, cantaloupe, and apricot), sliced or cut into pieces, 1/4 cup thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger, 1 to 1/2 cups fresh basil or mint leaves, and 1/2 cup orange-flavored liqueur. Mash gently with the back of a wooden spoon until basil is bruised and fruit releases juices. Add 1 bottle (750ml) chilled dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, and 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon). Stir to combine. Refrigerate 1 hour or up to 1 day. To serve, add ice.

Fine Print: All images used with kind permission from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia except Summer Sangria, that’s ©Matt Armendariz. That’s me! Iphone hipstamatic photos by Lucas Allen. This is not a sponsored nor paid post.

Well hello there! We just got back from a week at Grand Velas Riviera Maya in Mexico where we we attended and instructed at the 2nd Annual Food Blog Camp. To say it was a marvelous experience would be an understatement; it was heavenly! We enjoyed the company of our blogging family and met many new wonderful people, all immensely talented. In fact, I think the greatest thing about teaching is that I learn so much and I always come home energized, challenged and satisfied.

So what was this whole Food Blog Camp about? It’s a series of workshops, hands-on demonstrations and plenty of quality one-on-one time with some leaders and legends of the blogging world. And no, I don’t consider myself either, I’m just lucky enough to be invited so I can usually do something that will embarrass myself!

The camp was held at the luxurious Grand Velas in Riviera Maya. Astonishing architecture, lavish accommodations and stunning views of mangroves and ocean became the backdrop to our daily activities. I’m actually a bit hesitant to even call it a “camp”: there were no cots, no bunks and definitely no need to rough it over a campfire in the mountains. This was first class all the way.

During the day we all shuffled into Grand Velas’ beautiful conference hall for classroom style lectures and presentations. Plenty of information, questions, and insight with tons of valuable nuggets to take home and implement. I always enjoy these brain-flexing sessions.

Ah, the beautiful and gracious team known as White On Rice Couple. They are our dear friends, and any time spent with Todd and Diane are moments for learning what true dedication, professionalism and talent look like. They are the real deal and I knew attendees would have an amazing time learning from them. They spoke on the technical aspects of food photography from camera angles to aperture and shutter speeds, providing real world examples that really cement their ideas home. I love learning from these two, it’s exhilarating.

After the first part of their presentation we all headed into the grand hall to put many of these practices into motion. We also had an opportunity to work with various breakfast items and Kerrygold Butter, one of the Camp’s gracious sponsors.

Sally and Kent Cameron discuss camera settings. I adore those two.

Smooth, slick and thoroughly entertaining. That's Michael Procopio for you.

The second part of Todd & Diane’s workshop involved a hands-on, breakout session that literally had my jaw dragging on the floor. The entire camp took over one of the resort’s phenomenal restaurants for an afternoon of photography. But this wasn’t just about snapping photos of our food; we were there with the entire restaurant staff, closed to the public, with cooking demonstrations and tables set so that every student could experience the restaurant environment.

If you’ve ever had a photo assignment in a restaurant you know it’s a tough job. You never get to indulge your photographic desires because chefs are simply too busy, you don’t want to interrupt the diners’ experience and — this is the worst — there’s never great light! However, this opportunity simply blew me away and I kept running around telling people how lucky we were to be able to do this. I also told them that this type of thing will probably never happen again, it was such a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Restaurant staff, chefs and servers were our models while wine and appetizers were passed around to enjoy. Wait, was I supposed to photograph them too?

Michael snaps Lucy and Gaby while balancing a glass of wine. He must have taken my previous photo class.

Here’s the lovely Jaden of Steamy Kitchen leading a discussion on brands, blogging and her best practices. I’m loving the stacked chairs.

Another wonderful session included David Lebovitz. He spoke about finding your unique niche and voice as well as the history of hand puppets and shadows which I found completely fascinating! This one is called La Paloma.

Speaking of David, I think he really enjoyed this year’s camp. When you are a successful author and blogger you are always working and I’m glad he managed to find a productive spot at the resort from which to work.

This is a food blogging event so you better believe everyone is wired to the gills! Because my mama didn’t raise no fool I always manage to sit with the beautiful women. Always. Jealous?

Jaden, Diana, Carrie, Gaby and Brooke. I love them all so very much.

After all the workshops were completed (and my apologies to Elise as I cannot find my images of her as I write this, damnit!) it was time for sun and fun. And food. Plenty of food.

And beer. Icy glasses of beer. Enjoying one and staring at the beach or laughing with your friends makes life that much better.

Poolside con cerveza. Photo by Gaby Dalkin.

Not the most glamorous shot of food I know, but still. Tons of ceviche, pulpo, lobster, salsa, guacamole and jalapeños. Not in the photo are the piles of corn tortillas nearby. AMEN.

If there are two things that stand out for me this past week it’s definitely Cochinita Pibil as well as these Huitlacoche Quesadillas. This fungus is known as Corn Smut and while it’s name is less than glamorous it has a distinctive, earthy citrusy flavor that I absolutely love. And if you serve anything small and cute on a little plate I’m pretty much going to love it by default. There you have it.

Speaking of love, you all know one of my best friends Gaby of what’s gaby cooking, right? Not only is she my blogging buddy but my dear friend and I really think someone upstairs is watching out for me by allowing me to have such a special person in my life. She radiates love. And she’s the only person on the planet who can match my love of avocados and guacamole, spoonful by spoonful.

Gaby, Marla of Family Fresh Cooking and Carrie of Deliciously Organic. Powerhouses, all of ‘em. And Carrie just celebrated the release of her first book. Congrats, Carrie!

And there I am with my Adam, the man with those famous knuckles. We also taught a workshop on food styling and photography that was part presentation and part hands-on at Azul, one of the Grand Velas restaurants that overlooks the beach. For a wonderful summary of our session check out Jason and Shawnda’s post at Foodie Bride called The Greatest Job In The World.  Hey, I think I agree!

There were so many great moments from Food Blog Camp and it’s hard to cover them all. I think one of the best moments was captured on my iphone one afternoon as we swam and laughed by the pool. Thanks to everyone for indulging me with the Film Strip Hand Wave. Here’s a little movie I’ve put together.

A special thanks to Kate, Grand Velas and Kerrygold. We’re really looking forward to next year!

For more round-ups from Food Blogger Camp 2011 please sure to visit these peeps!

• Food Blogger Camp (David Lebovitz)
• http://steamykitchen.com/13020-food-blog-camp-2011.html (Jaden of Steamy Kitchen)
• Food Blog Camp and Dancing Video – A MUST SEE! (White On Rice Couple)
• Food Blog Camp Re-Cap (Deliciously Organic)
• Food Blogger Camp 2011 (Kitchen Corners)
• Margaritas & Food Blog Camp (Sally Cameron)
• Food Blogger Camp Photos (Flickr)
• Food Blog Camp: Seeing the Light (Confections of a Foodie Bride)
• The Greatest Job in the World (Confections of a Foodie Bride)
• http://bakecupcakes.blogspot.com/2011/01/oh-mexico-food-blogger-camp-and-recipe.html
• Food Blog Camp-Cancun (What’s Gaby Cooking?)
• Food Blog Camp! ¡Hola! México! Part Uno (Kitchen Conundrum)
• Food Blog Camp 2011 (Mommy Cooks!)
• Food Blog Camp: Hello from Mexico! (Daily Nibbles)
• What I learned…Food Blogger Camp 2011 (A Communal Table)
• Playa del Carmen, Mexico: Food Blog Camp 2010 (Adventures of an Amateur Foodie)
• Hola from Riviera Maya (Savuryandsweet)
• If You’re Happy and You Know it, Eat Foie Gras (FRANtastic Food)
• Food Blogger Camp: Molecular Gastronomy Demonstration (The Recipe Renovator)
• Food Blogger Camp Riviera Maya (Family Fresh Cooking)
• 10 Lessons Learned from Food Blog Camp 2011 (Food Woolf)
• Community Across the Globe: Food Blog Camp 2011 (The Urban Baker)
• Food Blogger Camp Overview ( Recipe Renovator)
• http://www.ladlesandjellyspoons.com/2011/01/food-blog-camp-2011/ (Lucy Lean)

Last week while visiting with our banker (yes, there are some things you just have to actually go inside a bank branch, apparently) we got on the topic of food. Naturally. We were trading names of favorite restaurants, talking about the holidays, when our banker mentioned how he couldn’t wait to enjoy his family’s Christmas coquito.

As a Puerto Rican in Los Angeles I could only imagine the lengths he must go through in order to enjoy his food. Because unlike Chicago or New York or even Miami, we fall short when it comes to Puerto Rican food. Miserably short. I’m glad I spent years in Chicago, eating lechón and mofongo regularly and ever since my first trip to Puerto Rico last year I’ve realized how sad it makes me that it’s a bit harder to find here. But enough of the sad story. Back to that coquito!

I’ve never made coquito myself, the creamy sweet coconut concoction that’s a cousin to traditional egg nog.  Egg yolks, cream of coconut, spices, condensed milk and rum are blended then chilled and POW – it’s sweet and powerful! I must confess that I like it a bit more than standard egg nog and have decided that I’ll make it an annual tradition during Christmas starting this year. And I promise to toast my banker each time I make it!

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!

Coquito adapted from allrecipes.com

3 egg yolks
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
1 can cream of coconut (14 oz)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
½ cup white rum
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a double boiler, combine the egg yolks and evaporated milk. Stir to mix well and keep stirring. Cook until the mixture reaches 160˚F. Kitchen thermometers sure come in handy!

Transfer the egg and milk mixture to a blender and add all of the remaining ingredients. Blend for 30-45 seconds and then pour into a container. Chill for 4 hours to overnight. When ready to serve, pour into small glasses, shot glasses work just perfectly. This stuff is SWEET. Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg if you’d like.

How about some images of Christmas trees at our house? This year’s theme was pink and then some! Thanks to Teri Lyn Fisher for the use of her Rollei!

I was back home for only 3 days when I had to repack and head back to France. While the thought of jumping back and forth between Los Angeles and Paris might normally make me frown just a tiny bit, legs cramped and eyes bloodshot, I willingly jumped at this chance. Why? Because I wasn’t just heading back to Paris to see the sights or eat more butter (though I did plenty of both) but to join Veuve Clicquot for the harvest in Reims, the Champagne capital of the world.

While I’ve raised my glass many times for a toast, my knowledge of Clicquot was only half-full. Like many others it only takes a glimpse of that tell-tale swatch of yellow and anchor logo to recognize the brand, but how much did I really know about Clicquot itself? Not much. I was destined to change all that.

I’m not a wine writer so I’ll give you the very special Mattbites summary of Veuve Clicquot. Founded in 1772 by Philippe Clicquot-Muiron, the business was passed on to his son François Clicquot who married a woman named Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin. François died in 1805, leaving the company to his wife. It was Madame Clicquot who made great strides with the business, in fact standardizing many processes when making champagne. It’s a fascinating bit of history and quite impressive setting foot where all this happened.

Every year in September, weather permitting, the grapes are picked, crushed, and stored, beginning a process that changes depending on whether the house is creating their Brut Regular Label or some of their other varieties like Rosé, the Vintages, or La Grande Dame.

Since the champagne grapes are harvested only once a year in a very short window of time I was warned I’d need every bit of energy for Reims. I figured an excellent way to fortify myself was by joining the marketing team of Veuve Clicquot for dinner at Hotel Le Meurice in Paris the night before. The ample slab of foie gras and a glass of the 1995 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Reserve was just the thing I needed, although after a long flight from Los Angeles I did find myself wanting to lay on the couch and fall asleep for a bit. Sorry! Clearly the presence of Jacques Chirac and his wife across the room wasn’t enough to keep the jet lag at bay.

The next morning we hopped on the highspeed TGV train to Reims. I wasn’t thrilled about the 7:15am roundup in the lobby but the promise of hearing the TGV train announcement jingle all but made up for it. Look, don’t laugh but I’m rather addicted to it, much to the disappointment of my travel companions of last week. But don’t take my word for it, you can listen to it here.

And to think there’s even a dance remix of it.

We arrived to the chateau, joining a group of journalists, photographers and food bloggers for coffee and pastry before receiving an introduction from the winemakers themselves. We also got a crash course on picking grapes, what to look for, what to reject and what not to do. I felt a little bit nervous at this point. Are they really going to make us pick grapes? Won’t I just be donning a hat, clippers in hand, posing for a photo opp before being whisked away to a 4-hour lunch? Nope. We were there to work.

How to pick champagne grapes for Veuve Clicquot: Grab a basket and snips. Lift grape leaves to reveal beautiful clusters of perfectly round green grapes, cut at the top and gently remove the rejects if they are present in the cluster. Sneak a taste. Heaven. Repeat, making sure to stagger your position with the person across from you as to not snip their fingers. Those vines can be dense.

Repeat, moving down the row until your basket has been filled. Empty your basket into a wheelbarrow and return to the row. Sneak more grapes when needed and soak up the bright French sun while admiring the view. Acknowledge the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of picking champagne grapes for an esteemed champagne house and that those grapes will eventually make their way into a bottle. Heck, they might even make their way into a Reserve, only to be aged and enjoyed years after you’ve gone back to the real world.

Done!

Of course I’m simplifying the entire process and there’s a whole world beyond just plucking grapes off a vine. The magic happens after the pressing and the real science and art happens during blending. More on that in a bit.

We all worked up quite an appetite so we headed into the garden for aperitifs and champagne, of course. This was quite possibly the best post-work break I think I’ve ever experienced. Scratch that, this was the best post-work break I think I’ve ever experienced. After the sips we went inside for lunch where we were joined by winemaker Cyril Brun and given an opportunity to ask anything and everything we’ve ever wanted to know about champagne and Veuve Clicquot.  This is France so lunch was followed by cheese, naturally, something that excites me to the point of tears. I would move to a country that eats wedges of cheese with nothing. Ok, maybe a few pieces of bread but that’s it. I no longer feel so alone in my naked cheese consumption.

Ok, so all those grapes we worked so hard to pick? They were loaded onto trucks and taken to the presses located very close to the vineyards. This is important because the fragile grapes must be pressed as quickly as possible, with minimal transportation as to not bruise or jostle the grapes. And because the champagne is made from both black and white grapes, getting the harvest to press quickly is imperative for color reasons as well.

The grapes are dumped into a giant vat and the press is lowered, a very efficient and non-technical process that squeezes the juice into reservoirs down below. It takes a few minutes and tons of pressure to press, with random grape escapees lost during the process. Samples are taken, readings are made, the overwhelming heady aroma of grapes and juice fills the air.

From here the grape juice is taken and allowed to do its thing. I’ll fast forward over the entire champagne process but just know there is a level of control and quality at every stage. You can’t get anything past these guys.

Because champagne is a wine there is an art of blending involved. This was a fascinating step to see when we headed to the Veuve Clicquot tasting lab and met with Francois Hautekeur, one of Veuve Clicquot’s winemakers. After a crash course in geography and blending, we tasted the various single components that go into a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Brut, noticing the individual characteristics of each grape along the way. I loved this part. Fleshy flavors meet fruit meet chalky notes, all which will age together and become a beautifully nuanced champagne.

Once blended the champagne must go through its second fermentation process. This happens in Clicquot’s caves, located deep underneath the earth in Reims. Hundreds of thousands of bottles are stored here, a cool constant temperature maintained throughout the vast expanses of tunnels and small rooms. It was a beautiful space and not like any cave I’ve ever seen.

As I was flying back home to Los Angeles I kept thinking about the biggest revelation I had during my time in Reims: champagne is wine. It’s not just some special, esoteric drink (although it certainly can be) meant only for weddings and toasts, but something that can be enjoyed in the same manner as wine. Granted, it can sometimes be a bit expensive and certainly nothing I could afford to drink every day of the week but I might just be celebrating a bit more often with champagne from now on.

Thanks to the entire team at Veuve Clicquot and a special thanks to Nima Abbasi. As per the FTC Blogging Regulations this trip was hosted by Veuve Clicquot and no payment was received.

Last week I was invited by the Cherry Marketing Institute to join them and a few others at the Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan. I haven’t visited in over 10 years and have always heard how beautiful Michigan is in the summer but the real reason I wanted to go was because I’ve never once had a Tart Cherry. That’s right, I said it.  Sure, I know Bings and Raniers and all our other delicious sweet cherry varietals but a true sour Michigan Cherry had always escaped me. And after spending a few days with cherry experts, researchers, growers and enthusiasts I know why: they’re just too fragile and don’t ship well. At least not in their fresh state. But more about that later.

Without a doubt these are the cherries I will forever dream of. I’m not knocking my West Coast fruit but these tart cherries have a complexity, depth and certain zing that I’ve never tasted. Picking Montmorency and Balaton cherries from the tree knocked my socks off, and if you can imagine tasting spicy notes with the softest, most tender flesh then you’re close to understanding just how good they are. The colors vary from deep crimson to yellow to a bright atomic red that appears to glow in the dark, enabling you to spot the tiny fruit on the tree from quite a distance. They’re not sour like citrus but mildly tart and perfect for pie making. And more on that later, too.

After we arrived we headed to the Boat House Restaurant, nestled on the peninsula overlooking the bay. Dinner was late in the evening (according to my old man standards!) but you’d never know it as the beautiful bright sun sets so much later up north. In fact, these photos were taken at 8:40 at night! It was a wonderful meal that included Michigan cherries in every course—naturally–and it ended with Cherries Jubilee over ice cream. I always hear people talk about Northern Michigan being so beautiful but until you’re sitting smack dab in the middle of it in July it’s just hard to comprehend. This was a beautiful place with bucolic views and groves of deep lush green trees. Farmhouses dot the roads and rest across docks that go on forever into the lake. I’ll tell you this: let me win the lottery and I could easily spend my summers here. I’m not kidding. But a town is only as wonderful as its people. And the folks of Traverse City made me feel so at home. Gracious, polite and engaging, I almost forgot what it was like to have strangers make you feel so welcome and treat you like family. Add their jovial spirit with my chatty ways and you can see why I didn’t want to leave.

Our guide for the trip was Phil Korson, President of the Cherry Marketing Institute, the national cherry organization that helps promote all things tart cherries. It is an organization comprised of growers and processors across the US. Phil was a wonderful resource, answering our questions about cherries and explaining how the factors of sun, wind, heat and cold winters all determine what kind of crop the cherry trees will yield. He took us to meet Don and Ann Gregory, farmers who have been growing tart cherries for many years. We toured the cherry orchards, stopping for photo moments that included beautiful scenic views and quick sneaks of fresh hanging cherries right off the tree.

Don Gregory

Now you’ll have to excuse me for my lack of harvesting know-how but apparently shaking a cherry tree isn’t actually a euphemism for something else! Who knew? After a quick lesson we all took turns shaking the tree and harvesting the fruit. It was a remarkably old-fashioned way of removing cherries from a tree. You simply shake. Of course there are machines that do this but you realize how gentle one has to be when working with cherries. These little babies are remarkably fragile!

Cherries land on a conveyor belt after shaking and splash into very cold water. in fact, they stay in fresh cold water at every step. Nevermind the guy sitting down, I heard he got fired shortly after this photo was taken.

We also visited the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station, a multidisciplinary horticultural facility that focuses on fruit production and specializes in tart and sweet cherry research. You name it and these folks do it: horticulture, botany, plant pathology, entomology, agricultural engineering and economics, the list goes on. We met with Dr. Nikki Rothwell who told us all about what happens in Cherrylandia (I made up a name for this cute facility because it rests on top of a hill overlooking acres and acres of fruit trees and I want to live there so naturally I had to give it name).  If you’re looking for cutting edge research regarding tart cherries then look no further than Nikki and this facility. She was so sweet and gave us more cherry information than my brain could absorb. However, I did retain the fact that she travels to Eastern Europe to study trees which I thought was remarkably sexy and then the conversation veered into Ukrainian and Polish desserts made with cherries and I just about lost it.

Dr. Nikki Rothwell of the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station and an area dedicated to the study of insects that just happen to love cherries. Sharpen your pencils, insects, there WILL be a test.

After our agricultural lesson we headed back to the main building where there was a festival. Local cherry vendors and events for kids were happening inside while outside I tried my best at a cherry pit spitting competition. I must tell you I didn’t do too bad but no where near as close as my new friend Chef Nathan who — get this — spit a cherry pit 42.7 feet across the parking lot. Seriously!

The sweetest gals sampling cherry juice from inside a Giant Cherry and "Cherry Underwood" as drawn by Georgia, age 9. I normally detest anthropomorphism in general but this is like the cutest thing ever. Work those heels, girl!

One of our visits included Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor. This gorgeously-manicured cherry compound houses a cafe, a tasting room, a shop and outdoor seating where we indulged in all things cherry. I’m not quite sure how I feel about cherry wine though and I’ll leave it at that. But the food and treats were delightful. It was a beautiful space and we had a great lunch and a chat with Cherry Republic’s owner Bob Sutherland. I actually didn’t want to leave.

A few images from Cherry Republic. I could easily obsess over that Cherry Cream Soda.

Ok, so back to Cherry Pie. I’ve gone my whole life declining the offers of cherry pie. It just was never my thing, you know? Canned gumminess nestled in a mediocre crust has never been my favorite but being in Michigan certainly changed all that. It was a pie epiphany, a moment that will forever change my life. Real tart cherries, the perfect balance of tart and sweet, and I owe it all to this man, Bob Sutherland.

Bob Sutherland, owner of Cherry Republic

Bob said it took years to perfect his Cherry Pie. There’s not only the flavor to contend with but also the texture and mouthfeel which is important in a pie. And this right here folks, this is the real deal. This is the pie I will not be eating in California, no matter how hard I try. Michigan cherries do not travel well as their flesh is too delicate and the pits move too much during shipping, causing them to bust through the flesh itself. I’ve heard Washington state grows some tart cherries and if that’s the case I’ll fly up for pie. Or fly back to Michigan next summer because folks, it’s that good. I now understand the charm and appeal of tart cherry pie and it’s something I will never forget. In the meantime I’ll have to satisfy myself with dried cherries, juice and candies but folks, it’s just not the same. Crying, I am.

The Real Deal: this is what all cherry pies want to be when they grow up.

Thank you to the Cherry Marketing Institute and Phil Korson, Weber Shandwick and the ever-so-amazing Caitlin Solway, Bob Sutherland, Don and Ann Gregory (I miss those cookies and cherry tea!) as well as all my fellow cherry travelers. A very special thanks to the folks of Traverse City, Michigan for being one of these sweetest places on the planet.  You all have a place to stay in Los Angeles if you visit. Not all at the same time, I mean. That’d be crazy.

And it’s not all about flavor! And all kidding aside, cherries are packed with some amazing health properties. Read about them at Choose Cherries.

With the holidays in full swing I just wanted to remind you that you have a little bit of time left if you’re entering the Chocolate Adventure Contest from Scharffen Berger! The grand prize includes $10,000 for the winning recipe in both the Sweet and Savory categories and some swell second place prizes. We’ll be judging on creativity, taste, ease of preparation and whether the recipe reflects a spirit of adventure and yes, I’m one of the judges!

You’ll find more information at Chocolate Adventure Contest along with the complete rules of the contest and how to submit your recipe. You have until January 3, 2010. You can read my previous post about the contest here.

I can’t wait to taste all the amazing entries.