What do you get when you combine 1400 cupcakes, delicious recipes, a team of talented folks, a week of photography, 50 lbs of butter and sugar and plenty of code and technology?

Food Network’s Cupcakes! App, and folks let me tell you how incredible the entire experience was. This app for the iPad contains more than 100 cupcake and frosting recipes, and if I was a glutton I’d tell you I actually tasted most of them. But I’m not (wink wink) and I only tried 99 or so, give or take one or two.

Now that the app is out it’s such a delight to sit back and scroll through the recipes and watch the videos, but there was quite a bit of work that goes into making an application of this magnitude. Lots of meetings, plenty of discussions, and that’s just before we even set foot into the studio to begin the main photography. Once we were in our groove it became a wonderful yet serious endeavor, with dozens of cupcakes baked, frosted and decorated, sets constructed, frames animated, images approved, and so on. This doesn’t even count the amazing design work that happened after photography, and trust me when I say this as I’m sure I could be biased: it’s one fantastic  application.

And the recipes? Solid and thorough, tested like crazy from the Food Network kitchens in New York. One day I’ll even share with you my favorite cupcake from the entire app (hint: it’s savory, not sweet!). But first you’ll need to buy the app from itunes. You’ll love it.

Until then how about some behind the scenes images?

A messy studio is a productive studio. Well, that’s what I kept saying as we began to be overrun with these sweet treats. And props. And surfaces. Since shooting this we’ve expanded the studio, thank goodness. But there is something fun about being up to your eyeballs in cupcakes, even if the powers-that-be kept their eyes on you so that you wouldn’t eat them.

Here we are working on one of the animations from the application. Have you seen it? I still chuckle every time, it’s adorable. And the cupcakes are delicious. I keep saying there’s a skinny elf in this image over on the computer but really, that’s just Armando who came in from NYC to assist and save the day on numerous occasions. I love you, Mando!

Look, it’s the elf again. The application not only contains recipes but tips and tricks about frosting as well as having the right gear on hand to create many of the cupcakes. Here’s an extreme overhead shot.

Adam works on another animation, this time featuring candy bees and a hive made out of cupcakes. Quite possibly my favorite bit of the application.

For a week the studio became a fine-tuned cupcake factory (we even installed a 3rd oven!), and batches of cupcake cooled throughout the studio. It was quite a sight to see.

Here’s Alexis, Adam’s assistant extraordinaire. I asked her to perform double duty and hand model for one of these scenes. You couldn’t ask for a better person to work with, we love her so much. She doesn’t even slap me when I print out photos of her from facebook and stick them to the kitchen ceiling. Not yet, at least.

More cupcakes awaiting their close up!

You know you’re fancy when you’re building custom-made props and boxes for cupcakes, right? Of course, them gems deserved nothing less. And when you can’t find exactly what you need you make it yourself, no?

And lastly, here are a few more screen shots from the app. You can buy yours from the iTunes store here. Thanks so much to Deb and Mory and everyone at Food Network. A very special thanks to the design team for making such a beautiful and intuitive application, it’s an honor to be involved! Now go eat a cupcake!

Last week I gave a studio tour to 40+ photograph students from Long Beach City College. For the past few years I’ve been a proud member of the advisory committee for the photography department, and it tickles me to no end to meet with the students. This year’s group was particularly bright and full of insight, asking tons of valuable questions that ran the gamut from studio management and self-promotion to the logistics of photographing food. I made sure to have the books we’ve shot on the table for the students to see, and later someone asked me about The Encyclopedia Of Sandwiches. It was at this point that I admitted, like I always do when people ask, that I actually took one or more bites of every single sandwich from this book.

Yes, you read that right. I tasted every single sandwich.

Because this was actually work, I’ve prepared a highly scientific flow chart to show you the studio’s exact process.

Now, if you’re a sandwich lover it’s probably a dream job you’re thinking, and you’re correct. Susan Russo, my friend and the book’s author, covers every base when it comes to sandwiches, from the traditional to more off-the-way types of concoctions. While I would gladly repeat the entire process, I’m pretty happy enjoying one particular sandwich from the book. And I’ve been meaning to tell you about it for quite some time.

This recipe for Artisanal Grilled Cheese comes from Chef Mark Peel at Campanile, a place that’s been a favorite of mine (as well as a client!) for years. It’s not the easiest sandwich in terms of labor and ingredients, but trust me, it’s one of the most delicious. Then again, find a grilled cheese sandwich that’s NOT delicious and I’ll show you, well, I’m not sure what I’ll show you. I’m too busy eating sandwiches.

 Artisanal Grilled Cheese Sandwich
3 to 4 garlic cloves, sliced, plus 2 whole garlic cloves for rubbing bread
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
8 ounces cherry tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 slices sourdough bread
1 pound burrata cheese, cut into ¼-inch slices
4 ounces chickpeas
Salsa Verde (see recipe below)
4 slices prosciutto

• Preheat over to 500˚F. In a skillet, add garlic and 1 cup cold water, cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Drain garlic and return to pan; 1 cup cold water, cover, and bring to a boil again; remove from heat. Drain water and pat garlic dry. In the same pan, heat oil over medium heat and fry 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to burn it.
• Spread cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Toss with chickpeas and salsa verde.
• Grill or toast bread slices. Transfer to a serving plate and rub with garlic. Place 2 to 2 cheese slices on each bread slice. Top each with one-quarter of the tomato-chickpea mixture and 1 slice prosciutto. Sprinkle with fried garlic chips. Makes 4 open-faced sandwiches.

Salsa Verde
3 or 4 salt-packed anchovies, rinsed well, backbone removes, and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon capers, rinsed and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh marjoram leaves
1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice, to taste

• Using a mortar and pestle, pulverize anchovies, capers, garlic, and salt to a smooth paste. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, thinly chop ingredients and smash with the flat of a knife; you can also use a small food processor to puree them.
• Add parsley, marjoram, and mint and continue pulverizing to break down herbs. Slowly add olive oil, stirring well to combine. Just before serving, season to taste with salt and lemon juice. Makes about 1 cup.

You might remember we were on a slight squash kick recently. It coincided with a visit to one of my favorite restaurants here in Long Beach, Michael’s Pizzeria. I’ve said a million times that I don’t really “do” restaurant coverage because a) it’s overdone and b) it’s not my thing. I think the irony is that I get to eat in some of the most amazing places all over the damn globe and could probably have a blog over just restaurants alone, but again, it’s best left for others. Having said that, when I do write about a restaurant it’s because I find it pretty special and/or I’ve graciously stolen a recipe to inspire me at home. This is one of those cases on both accounts.

A few things you will not engage me on unless we are best friends and in the comfort of my own home: religion, women’s reproductive rights, politics, and who makes the best pizza. I’m no dummy. Each topic is loaded with sensitivity, opinion, and weighs a million tons. I’m better off just smiling and talking about pretty plates and napkins and puppies.

When it comes to pizza, I will not argue with you about what you like or who makes the better pie. Why waste my time? I will, however, tell you that I prefer a thinner crust, only a few high quality toppings, and fired quickly at a high temperature. See? How evasive was that? Truth be told, meet my few easy requirements and chances are I’ll enjoy it. Which is why I prefer pizza napoletana. Keep your deep dish, pal.

Wait. Why on earth am I talking about pizzas and birth control when I meant to discuss acorn squash? Oh yes, Michael’s.

This little pizzeria in Long Beach makes a really delicious Neapolitan pizza just the way I like it. A very nice dough that walks the line between chewy and crunchy, a perfect tomato sauce made in-house and wonderful mozzarella on top. We visit weekly, take friends, parents, and just anyone else we can drag along. It’s casual and right up my alley. And in an effort to break my MPOP Rule (that’s Margherita Pizza Only, Please), I decided to try a few new little appetizers on the menu, one which included this baked acorn squash.

One half of an acorn squash is baked in a small cast iron skillet and then topped with honey, ricotta, and nutmeg. It’s marvelous in its sweet simplicity. I mean, it’s damn near perfect. So perfect that I had to steal it and make it at home while we’re in the middle of winter and hard squash season.  We made one with ricotta, and another with burrata. We both fell in love with the burrata version but you really can’t go wrong with either. This makes a wonderful side dish, I’d pair it with something smokey or salty as it’s definitely on the sweet side.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Ricotta (or Burrata!) and Honey adapted from Michael’s Pizzeria

2 acorn squash,  seeds removed and cut into quarters (leave the skin on!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

10 oz fresh ricotta or 8 oz burrata.
2-4 tablespoons honey
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400˚ F.

2. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, cut each piece in ½  for a total of 8 wedges.

3. Place squash on baking sheet and coat with olive oil salt and pepper.

4. Roast in oven for 45-50 minutes until soft and toasty.

5. Let cool slightly, spoon on a dollop of ricotta or chunk of buratta, drizzle with honey and grate fresh nutmeg on top. Serve immediately.

Michael’s Pizzeria is located at 5616 East 2nd Street in Long Beach, California, 90803. Their website is here.

I’m not going to do that apology thing that us bloggers usually do. You know what I mean (because I’ve done it a million times before):

 “So sorry I haven’t written/blogged/posted! I’ve been so inundated with work/family/my book/intergalactic atomic particle transportation/etc.” No, I’m not going to say that. I am going to own up to the fact that I haven’t been blogging much and I’m pretty sure this will explain why.

Yea, I’ve been on the road. And there aren’t enough hashtags in the world to explain why. I’m looking forward to being in Los Angeles, happy enough to celebrate the holidays at home. Just as long as my Australian jet lag wears off.

Much more on that later!

Australia, I mean. Not my jetlag.

I came home to Adam testing recipes for one of his favorite clients. When recipes are tested at home, Matt Armendariz gets happy. I get to eat all the things Adam makes and honestly they’re always delicious. Sometimes a bit mixmatchy if he’s testing different things altogether but who’s complaining? Not me. As it turns out, he had leftover butternut squash, a bowl of jalapeños and a few onions. Things got chopped up, tossed with some Spice Islands Curry Powder (the folks at SI are my friends so I’m going to plug them as much as possible!) and salt, then roasted.

And it was such a delightful simple side that I forced asked him to write a recipe for me so we could share it. Because honestly, it’s a very easy simple side that I can imagine will be wonderful with roasted chicken, roasted meat, pork chops, some sausages, just about anything full-flavored enough to pair with the curry sweetness. I think the secret ingredient is roasted jalapeños; they become soft and sweet until the heat kicks in. And it’s delightful.

This is now one of my new favorite things to eat!

 Spicy Curry Butternut Squash with Roasted Jalapeños

2 lbs butternut squash cut into 1-inch cubes
4 jalapeños cut in half and seeded
1 large sweet onion cut into 1/8ths
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Spice Islands Spicy Curry Powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 425˚.  Place butternut squash, jalapeños and onion in a large mixing bowl and drizzle them with olive oil,  tossing to coat. Sprinkle curry powder and salt and pepper and toss to coat.

2. Place on baking sheet and roast in oven for 30-45 minutes, until soft and caramelized. stirring halfway through.  Remove from oven and serve hot.

P.S. I posted this on Facebook but wanted to share it here. The perils of photographing at home and not the studio! (by the way, Bindi is our 3 lb dog)

You certainly don’t need me to tell you that the Big Food Holiday is next week. Everywhere you turn you see tips, tricks and ideas for Thanksgiving so you’ll understand me when I say that I’m going to join the chorus! No, I will not be offering a turkey tip exactly, but I want to direct you to Cooking Channel where you’ll find a variety of recipes that I think you’ll like. And why would I do this? Because I photographed these recipes for Cooking Channel a few months ago and may just end up using one of the recipes next week for the big day.

What are your plans? I’m giddy just thinking about our week: my parents fly in Monday, my sister joins us Tuesday, and we’ll all be celebrating a giant Thanksgiving meal here at our home. Adam will do the bird, I’ll be in charge of music, decor and the hosting duties, while we’ll be joined with our friends, neighbors and extended family. We will toast a guest’s birthday, share what we’re thankful for, and wish my parents a 50th wedding anniversary all at the same time! While the exact anniversary isn’t until the end of December, I’d be a fool to not take the time to wish my loving folks the best of celebrations a bit early. When you make it to 50 Years you almost deserve to have those around you toast you many times over!

After the holiday I’ll be packing a small suitcase and heading to Australia to visit Hamilton Island for a few days, stopping off in Sydney before hightailing it back home to shoot a few assignments and work on my 2nd book. It’s a crazy time for all of us, remember to take a few moments for yourself but — MOST IMPORTANTLY — give thanks and lots of love to those in your lives. Tell them what they mean to you, even if they look at you crazy and tell you to stop. Trust me on this one: we all need to know how important we are to each other, it’s what makes this crazy life worth living. So do it. For me at least. And remember this: I am thankful for you and I love you. Each of you. I do. I really do.

Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage, Smoked Bacon, and Cornbread Stuffing

This recipe is from Tyler Florence and hits all the right spots. C’mon, maple AND bacon ON a turkey? Yes please. The recipe is here.

Bay and Lemon Brined Turkey

I get rather obsessed with a lemon+poultry combo. Then again I get rather excited about lemon+anything combo. You cannot go wrong. This recipe from Dave Lieberman can be found here.

Jamie’s Christmas Turkey

Ok, so it needn’t be December to enjoy Jamie Oliver’s Christmas turkey.  We all know Jamie knows what he’s doing. Recipe is here.

Turkey Roulade with Apple-Cider Gravy

A lighter, smaller holiday meal can come from something as simple as a turkey breast. In fact, 2 years ago we decided to forgo the entire bird and just use the breast. This recipe was delicious and you’ll find it here.

Thank you to Adam C. Pearson for the gorgeous food styling and Dani Fisher for prop styling. Dani is ammaaaaaaazing.

All images © Matt Armendariz for Cooking Channel. Thanks to my friends at Cooking Channel for letting me share!

This is the first time in my life that I won’t be kicking and screaming for summer to stay just a bit longer. Not that I want it to go, mind you, I’m just happy to see the seasons do their thang, the earth to change notches such a tiny bit. The days are already significantly shorter, but when you’re from Southern California you’re generally immune to massive temperature changes anyway.

Besides, this past month I’ve been living in Thanksgiving because of my work, and Christmas is next week. I’m mentally already there.

While my brain may be on all things holiday, my tastebuds will most likely be the last thing to get on the bandwagon. A trip to the market explains why: there are still beautiful tomatoes and other summer fruit waiting to be scooped up and enjoyed one last time before we move on to slower, richer things. Which reminds me of this recipe, something I’ve made 5 or 6 times since it hit the newstands this past July. I’ve been meaning to share it with you but keep forgetting. Now I better do it as one last goodbye to summer, don’t you think?

The flavors in this raw dish, featured in the July/August issue of Whole Living Magazine, is exactly what I crave when I want flavor and lightness. Seriously, it’s one of the best things I’ve enjoyed lately, packed with flavor without being heavy and without turning on the oven or stove. It’s almost hard to believe. As I twirl my fork around this dish one last time and say goodbye to summer, I hope you had a great one and I can’t wait to see what Autumn has in store for all of us.

Zucchini “Pasta” from Whole Living, July/August 2011

Every single ingredient in this dish is raw. It’s also vegan but I have been known to sprinkle the tiniest amount of Pecorino on top before serving as well as 3 or 4 drops of lemon juice. Not a lot, just a teeeensy bit for brightness.

8 ounces of sliced cherry tomatoes
1 clove of garlic, thinly slices (the thinner the better, trust me!)
¼ cup chopped raw walnuts
2 tablespoons torn fresh basil, plus leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus a bit more for drizzling
sea salt (I like a light chunky salt crystal for texture)
1 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise, slices cut into ¼-inch long strips

In a bowl, combine the sliced tomatoes, the garlic, walnuts basil and olive oil, Season with salt. Let stand 20 minutes. Toss with the zucchini ribbons and garnish with basil. This is where I add a tiny bit of cheese and a sprinkle of lemon juice but it’s totally not necessary.

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To Richard: While I never had the chance to meet you, the laughter and light you brought to those around you had an impact, enough to radiate and shine on from wherever you are. I hope your journey was peaceful. I can tell you’re already missed.

Hi folks! Just back from a super quick trip to New York City where we ate way too much food and slept way too little. As always it was a jam-packed few days as we said goodbye to this guy who just recently moved to California. Their loss is our gain! It was fantastic to see Lisa Fain of Homesick Texan and chat about her new book, give Deb of Smitten Kitchen a giant hug, laugh until I cried with Maggy and Pam of Three Many Cooks, enjoy some quality time with Justin Schwartz of Wiley and Just Cook NYC,  get in face time with the woman-I-love-named-Deb-Puchalla and meet new friends (Hi Sara!). Whew! Did I leave anyone out?  We also had a wonderful meeting with someone very very very special over breakfast (more on that later!) and suffice it to say a dream is coming true.

After all this time we finally met Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan of Apartment Therapy: The Kitchn. and I am horrified that I initially forgot to include this in this here blog post. This is what happens when I sit on the other side of the table away from her shoving pork buns in my face. It’s a mistake I will never make again. Will you forgive me, Sara Kate?

We also finally – finally! – met Andrew and Carrie Purcell of Pictures and Pancakes. A husband and wife team that consists of a food photographer and food stylist (hey, sounding familiar?), I could have sat at their table for another 6 ½ hours with them. Truly special people and Andrew’s work blows my mind. Carrie’s too. We love them.

And the cherry on top? Linda and Jurek. Linda, thank you so much. You are amazing.

So much of our visit revolved around the discussion of books. I can’t wait to see yours! Have you finished yours yet? When does yours hit the street? What’s your next idea? When are you going to write one? It turns out that so many of our friends are in the book-writing process and that makes me happy. As an author and photographer I must say that working on book projects make me the happiest. There is a special satisfaction that comes from working on books, a pace that is still fast and quick but a bit more loose and playful. It’s a group effort, equally distributed between the photographer, the food stylist, the prop stylist, the writer, the editor and the coffeemaker. And I love every minute of it.

We recently finished shooting two projects back-to-back, one for Jenny Flake of Picky Palate and another for Jess Goldman of Sodium Girl. Next month we’re heading to Belize to photograph another cookbook and I absolutely cannot wait. And the ink is still drying on the contract I signed for my next book, it’s nothing like my first so you can knock it off with the stick jokes. (I’m kidding! I love the stick jokes, it’s just that this next book is technical and is certainly not On-A-Stick Part 2!) There are a few additional book photography projects floating around as well and I do hope to get them on the calendar. It’s some of the most rewarding work!

Working on Jenny's book and the prop room in action!

This past year a few books I shot came out but none gets more use than Susan Russo’s Encyclopedia Of Sandwiches. It’s one thing to photograph a book, it’s another thing to actually keep it handy because you cook from it. And I’m not sure where this quote that appears on Amazon came from, but it makes me laugh:

“Let the record show that Matt is a true sandwich champion for trying every single sandwich in this book at least once—and some more times than he’d care to admit.”

Did I write that? Somebody did and it makes me look like a glutton! But it’s true. And because I actually tried every sandwich it’s why I keep coming back to Susan’s book. Which is what I wanted to write about today but I was too busy talking about NYC and myself. Go figure.

I’ve got a list of my top 5 sandwiches from the book, somewhere in that list is Campanile’s Fresh Burrata Grilled Cheese. It’s not the easiest sandwich to make but it’s one of the tastiest. The salsa verde is what rocks this sandwich. Or maybe it’s the burrata. Or the chick peas? Ok, whatever it is it will be dinner tonight. Again. Because I love this sandwich so much. Thank you, Susan!

Campanile’s Fresh Burrata Grilled Cheese

3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
8 ounces cherry tomatoes
olive oil for drizzling
salt and freshly ground black pepper
salsa verde (see below)
1 pound burrata cheese
4 ounces chick peas
4 slices prosciutto
4 slices white sourdough bread

Salsa Verde:
3 or 4 (3-inch-long) salt-packed anchovies, rinsed well, backbone removed, and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon capers, rinsed and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh marjoram leaves
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

2. For the salsa verde: Using a mortal and pestle, pulverize the anchovies, capers, garlic, and salt to a smooth paste. (If you don’t have one, thinly chop the ingredients and smash with a knife to puree or chop in a small food processor.) Add the parsley, marjoram, and mint and continue pulverizing to break down the herbs. Slowly add the olive oil stirring well to combine. Season with salt and lemon juice, to taste, just before serving.

3. Boil garlic slices in cold water and cover over medium heat. Drain the garlic and return to the pan; add cold water and cover again. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Drain water and pat garlic dry. In same pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Fry garlic slices 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn them.

4. Spread cherry tomatoes on a small baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

5. Cut the burrata into 1/4-inch thick slices. Grill or toast bread slices. Run one side of each bread slice with garlic and place it garlic side up on a serving palate.

6. To assemble sandwiches: Place 2-3 pieces of cheese on each bread slice. Toss cherry tomatoes and chickpeas in the salsa verde and place 1/4 of the mixture on top of the cheese. Top with one slice of prosciutto and a sprinkle of the fried garlic chips.

Encyclopedia of Sandwiches by Susan Russo, Quirk Publishing. Photo by me.

I met Sara a few years ago in the Bahamas and quickly discovered she is the kind of person everyone knows. As the owner of Foster’s Market in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Sara is the author of several cookbooks and has numerous appearances on Martha’s show as well as the Today show. I have yet to make it to her market but in the meantime I’m so happy to have this book. Her latest, Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen: Soulful, Traditional, Seasonal, is filled with traditional Southern favorites as seen through Sara’s kitchen. It’s a book that you can’t help but get hungry from just looking at it as it’s packed with Southern favorites that I want to eat this very second. All the classics are there with contemporary twists like Shrimp Jabalaya, fried chicken, brisket and spare ribs. Now can you see why I’m all about this book?

Because I’m anticipating summer mode I wanted to try a few things so I could hit the ground running once it warms up a tiny bit. I’m in love with Sara’s skillet-fried corn and can only imagine how fantastic it will be when I make it with summer’s best corn. Still, even using the corn I used it was still delicious and remarkably simple. Corn, butter, basil, salt, and pepper (plus a few pieces of summer squash and zucchini just like the photo in the book) are so delicious that I really can’t wait to serve this outside with some ribs, a few burgers, I can bet it’s fantastic with just about anything. And the combination of basil and corn is completely new to me and it’s fantastic. Make sure to check out the recipe at the end of this post.

Sara’s familiar tone in writing really makes you feel as if you’re there and have known her for years, which I love. I also love her glossary of Southern pantry essentials, should you need a brush up. But the thing about Sara’s Southern Kitchen that really makes me hungry is the food photography from Peter Frank Edwards. The food is gorgeous, real, and captured in such a way that it truly feels as if you’re just sitting down to enjoy a meal with Sara and the family.

Luckily for us Sara’s husband Peter created this video as they were working on the book. I knew I had to share it!

Skillet Fried Corn from Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen: Soulful, Traditional, Seasonal
Shuck 6 ears fresh corn and cut the kernels directly into a bowl. After removing the kernels, hold each stripped cob over the bowl and scrape with the back of the knife to release the juices. Cut 4 fresh basil leaves into thin strips and set aside.

Heat 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until foamy. Add the kernels and their juices, rinse the bowl with ¼ cup water, and add the rinsing liquid to the skillet. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and cook and stir until the kernels are tender and the liquid thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the basil and serve warm.

Matt says: You can add sliced of summer squash and zucchini to this dish for color. It’s heavenly. Photo by me.

I would like to tell you how much I love my job.

I love it thissssssssssssssssssssssssssssss much. Why? Because not only do I get to work with food almost every day and with people I love, but because once in a while there are projects like Susan Russo’s The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches that just make life so deliciously fun.

Susan, of the lovely blog Foodblogga, asked me at the beginning of last year if I would photograph her upcoming book on sandwiches. I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t appreciate a sandwich, including myself, so I immediately said yes.  I was really looking forward to working with her and Quirk and I was also really interested in the challenge of photographing over 125 sandwiches for one single project.

It is an encyclopedia, after all!

Here are the 10 things I learned while photographing this book:

10.  When Food Stylist Extraordinaire Adam Pearson Uses Real Ingredients, The Photographer Can Eat Every Sandwich.

I take what I do seriously and felt it was my duty to taste every single sandwich after photographing it. What did I learn? That I love almost every sandwich. Some more than others.

9. Putting Butter On Bread And Layering French Fries Across It Is God’s Way Of Telling You The World Is Just Right.

Ladies and gentleman, I give you the Chip Butty. I don’t really need to tell you any more, just look at it. Love it.

8. You Can Never Appreciate Fantastic Teammates Enough. You Just Can’t.

An ambitious shooting schedule takes work but with experts in the kitchen it’s nothing but smooth sailing. I’ll sound like a broken record yet again when I say working with Adam and Jenny is a dream come true. Thank you both!

7. It’s Ok To Eat The Same Sandwich All Day Long.

There was a late addition to the sandwich book in the form of Campanile’s Fresh Burrata Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Chickpeas, burrata and prosciutto on one sandwich? YES PLEASE. Not only did I gobble down the photo sandwich but we went home and made it for dinner. I suggest you try it.

6. I Wish I Didn’t Love This So Much.

It’s ham and swiss with jelly (and/or mustard) on a doughnut.  That’s right, that’s what I said. And I freaking love it. No shame in my game, y’all. For the record I made myself mighty uncomfortable by eating 3 of these in a row and I don’t suggest you do the same.

5. I Laugh Like A 3^rd Grader Every Time I Say “Hot Brown”.

I’m gonna leave it at that. **UPDATE** I totally don’t mean to malign a delicious sandwich, please don’t take it that way! I’m just juvenile, that’s all.

4. Working With Quirk Books Is A Dream.

This was my first project with Quirk, the book publisher from Philadelphia. It was a dream. Gracious editors, fun designers, and a working relationship that I valued tremendously. In fact, I even did another project with Quirk Books after The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches. Maybe I’ll tell ya about it sometime

3. I Greatly Improved My Sandwich Shooting Skills.

You’d think shooting a single-subject book with very specific design parameters would be limiting. It’s quite the opposite and I enjoy the challenge of trying to see the same things in new ways. It really keeps me on my toes!

2. Bacon Does Make Everything Better. On A Sandwich It Makes It Exponentially Better.

I know, let me tell you something you don’t already know.

1. See Number Two.

Thanks to Susan, Margaret, and Jenny for allowing me to work on such a fun book! And with love and respect for Adam and Jenny, my team for their talent, dedication and culinary chops. Working with you two helps me to be a better photographer and person. I mean that. And I’m not just saying that because I’m married to the stylist!

Photo by Yours Truly. And yes, feel free to add extra sauce!

I would love to take a moment to review The Sriracha Cookbook that arrived last January. I would also like to take a moment to tell you how much I love the book. But I can’t. I won’t. Why? Because I’m too busy stuffing my face with this recipe.

Let’s say this will be the shortest book review in Mattbites’ history. I’m going to be lazy and point you to what others have said about Randy Clemons’ book appropriately titled The Sriracha Cookbook from Ten Speed Press.

(It’s a fantastic cookbook, and if you’re crazy for the flavors of that certain chili sauce then you really need the book. Really. It’s wonderful.)

But about this pork. Oh damn, this pork. Forget calling this  “slow-cooked”: you’ll need an overnight brine plus an additional 12 hours of cooking time. Let’s try “half-a-day-cooked-but-well-worth-the-time-invested”, ok?  But Randy lets us know there are no shortcuts to these types of flavors and he’s right–it’s worth it.

You’ll need pork shoulder, spices, Sriracha and plenty of time. Then you’ll need an appetite, your mouth, some sauce and that’s about it. Marvel at how quickly the pork disappears, drizzle more Sriracha on top if you need it. And that’s it folks. Because there’s really not much more to say about this perfect recipe for Piquant Pulled Pork.

Piquant Pulled Pork from The Sriracha Cookbook by Randy Clemons

Spice Rub
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Brine
¼ cup kosher salt
4 cups cold water
¼ cup freshly packed light brown sugar
1 medium red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves

6- to 8-pound bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt) roast
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/3 cup Sriracha
½ cup cold water

To make the spice rub, in a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika. Reserve.

To make the brine, in a small bowl, dissolve the salt in the cold water. Add 2 tablespoons of the spice rub, the brown sugar, onion, garlic, and bay leaves, stirring to combine. Put the meat in a large bowl or ziplock bag and pour the brine over, making sure that the meat is completely submerged in liquid. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The following morning, drain the brine, reserving the pork and onion. Pat the roast dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix together the mustard and Sriracha. Using your hands, rub an even coating of the mustard mixture all over the pork. Sprinkle the remaining spice rub evenly over the entire roast, pressing it into the meat, making sure it adheres.

Put the reserved onion in a crock pot. Pour in the cold water. Place the pork on top of the bed of onions, with the fattier side of the roast facing up. Cover and cook on low for 12 hours. At  this point, the meat should simply flake away with the slightest touch. Remove the roast from the crock pot, and let rest for 45 to 60 minutes. This will allow the meat to cool slightly, which will in turn make it easier to shred. Pull the meat apart using two forks, discarding extra fat and other less-than-palatable bites. Serve hot.