tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91989359242533989732024-03-14T01:06:16.645-07:00 NammetMahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-87975348693534607322016-12-06T09:50:00.001-08:002016-12-06T09:50:40.114-08:00 Passage to India on Main St.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cVLRGVK49wM/WEbum3J2VUI/AAAAAAAAASQ/eZxasLZ0K4M2FQdcwODufxo4UT04VqLoQCLcB/s1600/paul.colonial.eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cVLRGVK49wM/WEbum3J2VUI/AAAAAAAAASQ/eZxasLZ0K4M2FQdcwODufxo4UT04VqLoQCLcB/s640/paul.colonial.eggs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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IF...I owned the little 12 seat breakfast dinner that sits under utilized on our busy little main street, I would have these on the menu. I call them Paul's Eggs of Empire and they really hit all my needs for a full-on breakfast, both in making it and the flavors involved.<br />
First off, anything I can cook-up in a cast iron skillet is a plus, second it can be done in 5 min if you have everything on hand. <br />
I did not style this but just made it and shot it, a food stylist would make this more appetizing, visually, but it would have taken another 15 minutes if I had a stylist on hand. Visual mess aside, the varied strong flavors at play here are amazing. Being a good ole Missouri boy, I like my egg breakfast, but one taste of this and I'm transported to colonial Northern India with all the flavor that comes with it. I think a cup of strong black tea and a spot of milk served in bone china would top it off perfectly. I settled for an espresso and that worked fine. Now I would want 13 bucks to put that in front of you at my counter, but it would be worth every penny...unlike the average mass-market ingredients used in the Huevos Rancheros I paid 13 for last Sunday at an unmentioned busy restaurant.<br />
So sitting there in my little hole in the wall diner you too could taste nirvana.<br />
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2 organic eggs, fried in tsp. butter - over easy<br />
cover eggs with thinly sliced mature Irish cheddar - one minute under broiler<br />
1 heaping tbs of Tamarind Plum chutney<br />
1 tsp Mint Cilantro chutney<br />
ground pepper and ground sea salt<br />
garnish with a bit of thyme<br />
slide out of pan onto toasted, split English muffin or warm naan with butter and Marmite (critical ingredient )<br />
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<br />Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-35192506542296523682015-06-11T09:49:00.001-07:002015-06-11T09:49:57.509-07:00Mechanical Scoop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tZxmtLU02JA/VXm2hNh_TeI/AAAAAAAAARI/r41ojvnadxI/s1600/scooper.drk-0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tZxmtLU02JA/VXm2hNh_TeI/AAAAAAAAARI/r41ojvnadxI/s640/scooper.drk-0010.jpg" width="444" /></a></div>
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Ice Cream Scooper</div>
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I like hand tools, woodworking, garden and yes kitchen tools too. Looking into my kitchen utensil drawer I looked for the most neglected and found it at the very back of the drawer, my old ice cream scooper from the 50's or 60's. I don't stock ice cream and when I do it seems the boys of the house attack with anything that gets it to their mouths. As a kid I worked as a scooper in a ice cream shop and learned the fast and easy way to scoop, it was not with one of these so I don't reach for it when in need. I do however like the mechanics and form, the American industrial design and build quality of pre-WW2. So when I brought it into the light of day I had an inspired moment, a found object worthy of a photograph; a Marcel Duchamp object in a Louise Nevelson set. </div>
Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-29434318223195744582015-06-09T10:07:00.003-07:002015-06-09T10:07:42.505-07:00Things gone perfect<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--1b_ocH7wtA/VXcXvlqgy2I/AAAAAAAAAQ0/04950s6BBLE/s1600/bosch.pear.crp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--1b_ocH7wtA/VXcXvlqgy2I/AAAAAAAAAQ0/04950s6BBLE/s640/bosch.pear.crp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Bosc Pear</div>
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Sometimes a simple thing can trigger complexities which seem out of reach of my words. </div>
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The pear does this for me. Perfect in form, its ergonomics seem made for the human hand to hold yet mimic the whole body. Perfect skin, just enough to protect its moist delicate flesh but easily pierced with a bite and without a strong bitter taste. I would have thought this fruit the undoing of Eve and wonder if biblical scholars got the translation wrong. I do have a hard time with the negative saying "things gone pear shaped", it seems perfect to me.</div>
Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-18240289639585404872015-04-28T07:12:00.000-07:002015-04-29T07:10:37.025-07:00Ode to Marmite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WgdzEf_5Pv8/VT-SBLJhxBI/AAAAAAAAAP4/F6J4dKSLVFg/s1600/marmite.jar.oil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WgdzEf_5Pv8/VT-SBLJhxBI/AAAAAAAAAP4/F6J4dKSLVFg/s1600/marmite.jar.oil.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Marmite!</div>
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Oh I can't paint in oil but the odd, never used filter in photoshop allows me to smear.. just as I smear the viscous yeasty substance known as Marmite on my toast. <br />
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This mornings gooey spread found its way into a Revelation, a stroke of epicurean genius. 1 egg..fried over-med, 1/2 teaspoon Marmite, 1 teaspoon Mango Chutney, 1 teaspoon butter, then slice of mature cheddar cheese..melted over egg and 2 slices of dense country white bread..toasted with butter and marmite on one, chutney on other. What a beautiful small egg sandwich. Marmite, a little dab will do ya. <br />
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Revelation #3264<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yQEQaxuILYQ/VUDmOf0CK6I/AAAAAAAAAQY/qco9cv0QR8g/s1600/egg.sand.3264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yQEQaxuILYQ/VUDmOf0CK6I/AAAAAAAAAQY/qco9cv0QR8g/s1600/egg.sand.3264.jpg" height="640" width="489" /></a></div>
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<br />Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-57563284062269835732015-04-24T05:56:00.001-07:002015-04-24T05:56:10.174-07:00Ying Yang Chicken Wing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd61Xrx-KLc/VToxzQJqeTI/AAAAAAAAAPk/xnW4It7lVJc/s1600/popeye.wing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd61Xrx-KLc/VToxzQJqeTI/AAAAAAAAAPk/xnW4It7lVJc/s1600/popeye.wing.jpg" height="598" width="640" /></a></div>
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Popeye's Chicken Wing Remains</div>
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In this day and age, fast food and whole slow foods exist on opposite ends of the spectrum, as a habit I go out of my way not to partake in fast food. There is good slow food readily available so supporting the fast food industry is not high on my to do list. However, I also take pleasure in being a contrarian, even to my own self imposed dogma, life is the balance of opposite values, one day I may be having only juiced organic greens and the next…Popeye's Louisiana Chicken! </div>
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It has been years since ordering from a fast food chicken operation, in fact I think the last time was at the Mill Valley KFC back in 2005…10 years! Well a brand new Popeye's opened in the neighborhood so last week while my tire was being replaced a few doors down, (seems that tire shops and fast-food joints always sit adjacent to each other) I walked over to try a sample, I have heard of Popeye's but never have tried it. I ordered the spicy version and was instantly impressed and came back that weekend for a take home family order. 12 pieces of spicy chicken, a pint of mashed potatoes with Cajun gravy and 4 very basic looking biscuits ( those deserve their own post ), all for 21 bucks. Of course there was chicken left over which included both wings, I never could be bothered with wings, too much work for those few little bits of meat but this was all going to change. A day or 2 later I was in need of a snack and reheated one of the wings and went for it almost as voraciously as my black lab would have and enjoyed it far more. Systematically eating every bit of chicken meat on those tiny bones, I did not even know that a wing is made of 4 separate bones, I also learned: </div>
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1. Popeye's makes a great tasting spicy fried chicken. 2. Don't neglect the wings. 3. Eating off the bone in a thorough manner puts you in touch with primal instincts and is very satisfying. 4. Be open all food groups and price points, value is part of my good food equation, embrace the Ying and Yang. </div>
Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-812673651796536332015-03-10T09:52:00.002-07:002015-03-10T13:34:45.787-07:00The Hip Overhead Shot <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IOaPSHExIZ4/VP8aK7rKa0I/AAAAAAAAAPI/CZo6jI4pc7c/s1600/salad.down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IOaPSHExIZ4/VP8aK7rKa0I/AAAAAAAAAPI/CZo6jI4pc7c/s1600/salad.down.jpg" height="508" width="640" /></a></div>
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A Salad, by food stylist Amy Nathan</div>
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If you look at what is being shot these days in the food world this would look typical…well the angle of view is typical, Everything!…yes everything is being shot from above. It is oh so hip and cool and only the young know the secret of the overhead view and man is it easy with an iPhone!</div>
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Hey, I have a news flash, there is very little new and this is not one of them, so maybe it is more a history lesson. I was into this view made really popular by the beautifully styled and photographed <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Salad-Amy-Nathan/dp/0877013489" target="_blank">"Salad" by Amy Nathan and shot by Kathyrn Kleinman</a>. When I started shooting with Amy she was ready to move on from the overhead shot, not just stylistically but physically. Overhead shots the way we use to shoot was a real chore. A 45 lb view camera floating above a set is not magic, it required building the set low to the floor, lots of heavy equipment, ladders, leaning way out there to see around the camera, flags, lights, cards, etc. Amy is a wonderful stylist that collaborates with the photographer and gets the whole shot, she wants to see the angle of the pepper grinder and how that plays into the total composition so she is up and down the ladder with the photographer, leaning out over the set, no live view on a big monitor like we have today. Hour after hour of this is not easy on you. I liked the overhead for a look that played with the flatness of the set and composition, but then it was time to move on. It will be the same when this fad once again evolves to the next one, photographers and stylists having run the course of overhead shots will bring the camera down..after the last overhead fad the camera went tilted, then went really low, so the view was from the height of a salt shaker instead of the overhead fan. Let them think they have reinvented the wheel, after all many on today's cutting edge where not even born when Amy and I where above the set. With the proliferation of food photography on the web there needs to be more diversity and not a locked in style, there is room for some overheads and some low shots, the view should fit the food and feel of the set, that is why the overhead and backlight was so perfect for the Salad book,"form follows function". </div>
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Mix it up, don't get locked into a "look" that can go stale. For true food styling inspiration please spend some time on <a href="http://www.amynathanstylist.com/index.php#s=0&mi=1&pt=0&pi=1&p=-1&a=0&at=0" target="_blank">Amy Nathan's website, really beautiful.</a></div>
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<br />Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-31860718368073589282015-02-25T10:42:00.002-08:002015-03-04T18:20:09.051-08:00White Seamless Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vukTpIXskv8/VO4Jcd4pK2I/AAAAAAAAAO0/fx_3dHLv0VY/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-02-25%2Bat%2B12.41.04%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vukTpIXskv8/VO4Jcd4pK2I/AAAAAAAAAO0/fx_3dHLv0VY/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-02-25%2Bat%2B12.41.04%2BPM.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here is the food shot I have sold more often than any other as it appears on Getty's site; a pepperoni pizza in a take out box.</div>
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On one hand this is not surprising but on the other it does give me some irritation. I have spent a lot of time to hone my food photography, hone my appreciation for sets, prop styling, food styling of my collaborators, pushing the envelope with lighting, composition and color choices… and yet here it is, a cardboard box on white with a drop shadow, oh, its a fine looking pizza and a killer drop shadow which is harder to produce than one would think, but still, it is what it is.</div>
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I take solace though, this was not a food shoot, but shot for a Dell Computer ad and I was paid very well that day for creating this now "popular" shot. So when and if I see another 25 dollar stock sale, I will try to think of it as just a tiny sprinkle of parmesan on my large pepperoni & cheese. </div>
Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-26207746279640513972015-02-20T07:20:00.001-08:002015-02-20T07:20:33.619-08:00Using the full potential of Digital in still life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ySEanjhZy-8/VOdIdLQ-6bI/AAAAAAAAAOU/8Sbn1-vmlkc/s1600/sq.plums.yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ySEanjhZy-8/VOdIdLQ-6bI/AAAAAAAAAOU/8Sbn1-vmlkc/s1600/sq.plums.yellow.jpg" height="400" width="397" /></a></div>
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Plums </div>
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There is something to be said of old school, not vintage, or nostalgia, but true appreciation of what was once and is no more. Out of progress comes side effects and with the death of silver based photography in the commercial market we now have a digital commercial world. The workflow of the professional photographer pre-digital was set and consistent, years of looking at polaroids and knowing how it would translate once you committed the exposure to a particular film was integral and crucial. There was not "fix-it-later" unless you wanted to reshoot it. Your craft was tied to your experience and your experience ranked you among your peers and your clients. Your vision was also tied to your methods, to fully express what you saw you had to know your materials and how to manipulate light to achieve the desired effects. There is something also to be said of new school, the freedom to shoot in almost any light, the plastic quality of a raw image is fantastic. Digital allows a fast flow of captures, fluid and changing yet maintaining image quality…that is if done well. I see many images that seem to be done too quickly, too quick to capture and move on before the light was tweaked and refined. Compositions just a tad hurried. Still life is not a race. Still life is still. Allow the composition to speak, do not assert first impressions when deeper waters are to be explored. It is a subtle thing, maybe not really important in this fast paced world but those that have refined seeing, see it. I think those photographers with the old school discipline use digital to its full potential. They know what can be done latter and what needs to be addressed prior to capture. Years of experience makes composing and lighting naturally faster, they use this to lay the ground for a beautiful image. Photoshop just enhances what was captured originally. Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-31594661220753419032014-11-05T10:13:00.001-08:002014-11-05T10:32:29.690-08:00post modern, post halloween, pop culture post <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9c5Ts295dHc/VFpiiZTO-EI/AAAAAAAAANw/ec2XTg4OcKk/s1600/m%26m.sqrd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9c5Ts295dHc/VFpiiZTO-EI/AAAAAAAAANw/ec2XTg4OcKk/s1600/m%26m.sqrd.jpg" height="320" width="312" /></a></div>
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5 shades of m</div>
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are m&m's food? Well I think they are, I have been living off them for 4 days now. I shot the neon little chocolate pills today and now see them for what they are... artificial hits of Damian Hirst colour that should be taken sparingly, not ripping open 3 little packs at a time and inhaling, which I have been doing. Only five colours but strangely all with the same taste. I think I have had my fill, which is good because I also think this was the last pack. Another thing I discovered on this visual escapade is employing the iPhone and an LED headlamp really compliment the candy. Cheap and easy, garish colour, does not hold up to scrutiny and over-sharpened. I apologise for taking you down this gastro back alley but I'm gleefully satiated with the cheesy result and my awakening to the harm or all of the above. <br />
Will I pop more m&m's and shoot with the iPhone and LED lights?...sadly, most likely I will. But, and this is a big but, I know their place and value, cheap imitations of the real thing.<br />
Yes I'm aware I have been using the English version of "colour", a bi-product of channeling Mr. Hirst and like the subject matter, I am just a cheap imitation.Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-25618818582044886592014-08-27T10:46:00.002-07:002014-08-27T10:46:53.388-07:003 little truffles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JNhdhgBjZ8Y/U_4UFM6GFkI/AAAAAAAAANc/DbFTSnDG6cE/s1600/3-truffs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JNhdhgBjZ8Y/U_4UFM6GFkI/AAAAAAAAANc/DbFTSnDG6cE/s1600/3-truffs.jpg" height="294" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Tuber Melanosporum, aka Perigord Truffle, or just plain ole Black Truffle, yes please!</span></h1>
Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-79948238130155279692014-07-24T07:03:00.001-07:002014-07-24T07:03:56.084-07:00Black and White and red almost all over<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T_Fztid1MYY/U9EPNFPUAvI/AAAAAAAAANM/DBlj7Viw4t4/s1600/cherry.tom.financial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T_Fztid1MYY/U9EPNFPUAvI/AAAAAAAAANM/DBlj7Viw4t4/s1600/cherry.tom.financial.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Cherry tomatoes on todays nyt business section - I had to do something to offset reading the front section with the woes of the world saturating every column. It may be viewed as escape-ism but I prefer to think of it as finding center in the midst of chaos, this morning's visual mediation.</div>
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Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-19995266826095910962014-06-11T09:15:00.003-07:002014-06-11T10:17:25.462-07:00Don't let facts get in the way of preconceived notions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-93OW107bKBM/U5iKMEwD5xI/AAAAAAAAAM8/TYE2fwR04fY/s1600/cin.toast-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-93OW107bKBM/U5iKMEwD5xI/AAAAAAAAAM8/TYE2fwR04fY/s1600/cin.toast-.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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broiled gluten free organic cinnamon toast</div>
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I do these often and like making the espresso I have with it, they require tweaking to your mood and palate. I went a little crazy with the cinnamon/sugar mix on the right slice, but visually it made the shot.<br />
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I am on a new bread, Udi's, Gluten free and now available at my local Costco, this is my first loaf and it is great bread. Gluten-free use to mean cardboard slices, but not this stuff. I just can't handle much gluten anymore and I don't want to give up bread completely, how could I? I want my cinnamon toast, french toast and my beloved leftover filled sandwiches. I'm using organic cane sugar for my cinnamon toast mix and pure butter so I feel totally convinced that I am eating healthy! Well that is my perceived reality. Please don't try to say otherwise, I won't hear it, at least not when it comes to my palate.Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-16930775093268837412014-06-06T09:27:00.000-07:002014-06-10T12:25:05.201-07:00Co-existence of Reds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dd2Dlfz1B64/U5HnlFk10tI/AAAAAAAAAMA/b_7t4N1Y6cs/s1600/pinot.glass.bot-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dd2Dlfz1B64/U5HnlFk10tI/AAAAAAAAAMA/b_7t4N1Y6cs/s1600/pinot.glass.bot-.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CBCsJJ8LSjQ/U5Hnpz6Y0wI/AAAAAAAAAMI/PCI1izZmui8/s1600/half.lob.tray-(1-of-1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CBCsJJ8LSjQ/U5Hnpz6Y0wI/AAAAAAAAAMI/PCI1izZmui8/s1600/half.lob.tray-(1-of-1).jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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I learned many things at the Spy Valley Memorial Day Lobster & Lamb feast..here are the first 2 that come to mind.<br />
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1. Their Pinot Noir goes down great with grilled half Lobsters marinated with garlic and olive oil.<br />
2. Lobsters are an orange shade of red, even when cooked and Pinot Noir is a purple shade of red.<br />
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I suppose I already knew No.2 but I have not had the occasion to put them side by side to really see the difference and appreciate the range what we call "red" has. I have tended to avoid orange-red and purple-red together visually but taste wise, it works for me…just another boundary broken.<br />
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Now the question.. Why aren't these profound thoughts.. let alone the pictures, not in Food&Wine?<br />
I will work on that puzzle over the weekend.Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-28170489251475719822014-05-22T07:51:00.000-07:002014-05-22T07:51:08.155-07:00Earthy Beets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G8yXRGwkNsQ/U34MjduJ1SI/AAAAAAAAALs/JzH2OUYGg0U/s1600/raw.beets.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G8yXRGwkNsQ/U34MjduJ1SI/AAAAAAAAALs/JzH2OUYGg0U/s1600/raw.beets.sm.jpg" height="322" width="640" /></a></div>
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Beets</div>
I am a fan of root veggies, I love them with a traditional sunday roast meal.. but the beet I save for summer lite meals, in salads or blended in a green drink. The colors are amazing and there is no food that communicates the fact they are of the earth as beets do. Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-78699122355533918372014-04-24T17:07:00.000-07:002014-04-25T10:05:19.732-07:00Grazing in the Midwest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ARb0fXjGm9c/U1mh_9xIGXI/AAAAAAAAALU/uREOlBacpgQ/s1600/graze.lemonade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ARb0fXjGm9c/U1mh_9xIGXI/AAAAAAAAALU/uREOlBacpgQ/s1600/graze.lemonade.jpg" height="320" width="245" /></a></div>
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Graze in Madison, Wiconsin. As the name implies they are part of the farm-to-table movement and wow I did some serious grazing here. First time to Madison, first time having a house lemonade that blew me away, a seasonal mix of lemon, ginger and rhubarb. First time to try deep fried pickles..yeah I know, I have been in a cave. They do their own pickles there..that is so hard-core. <br />
I was impressed with the college town / state capital combo in Madison..a toned down and accessible version of the vibrant but sometimes too edgy Brooklyn, or maybe that is just my midwestern roots showing. I also ordered and enjoyed their brisket sliders spiked with kim chee. The interior dining space has a great open feel, 18ft floor to ceiling wall of windows with the capital building towering out front. I was there for a mid day lunch and as you can see there was lots-o-light. I don't do reviews…but I guess I just did.. I liked it and wish I could go back to land-o-lakes and try all they offer.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OxOZEKZE1t0/U1mh_82JWAI/AAAAAAAAALY/amn1z0qWObU/s1600/graze.pickles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OxOZEKZE1t0/U1mh_82JWAI/AAAAAAAAALY/amn1z0qWObU/s1600/graze.pickles.jpg" height="640" width="464" /></a></div>
Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-36982906429096438352014-04-23T10:32:00.003-07:002014-04-23T10:41:52.354-07:00Embracing Ripe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sa2yAspE1SA/U1f2fZY-WHI/AAAAAAAAALE/xZeyUo6MC20/s1600/blueberries.4.14.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sa2yAspE1SA/U1f2fZY-WHI/AAAAAAAAALE/xZeyUo6MC20/s1600/blueberries.4.14.2.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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Ripe Blueberries </div>
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Maybe it is because I feel each year now, maybe my taste buds have fully matured, maybe I just forget to eat the food I buy.. most likely it is a combination of all of these and more…but these days I tend to appreciate fruit more when fully ripe. Unlike my youth, I don't mind so much the signs of aging; wrinkles, loss of firmness..all these things I take now in stride and as a badge of honor, a badge of ripeness, a true indicator of maturity and full flavor. </div>
<br />Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-654191802909205652014-03-06T08:54:00.001-08:002014-03-06T08:54:41.725-08:00The Spiritual Kitchen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NKHEpgH3xH0/UxifxYBjzhI/AAAAAAAAAKo/EcmeDrPkqi0/s1600/silverspoon4165web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NKHEpgH3xH0/UxifxYBjzhI/AAAAAAAAAKo/EcmeDrPkqi0/s1600/silverspoon4165web.jpg" height="310" width="400" /></a></div>
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Two of my favorite kitchen items, the silver spoon and the cast iron skillet. I am drawn to their beauty even more than I adore their function…but there is more.<br />
There is something very zen about a container, emptiness yet fullness. The emptiness of this pure silver spoon defines its own full, unlimited potential of what it may contain. Malleable and soft, how appropriate that its surface reflects all, it is like Spirit. The black of the iron skillet, seasoned and hardened contrasts with the silver, light is only perceived as light when set against darkness. Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-47011263370296913962014-02-26T08:56:00.002-08:002014-02-26T09:01:51.338-08:00Return to Basics - Yogurt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2B8T1ydUrlA/Uw4ZbhDHr_I/AAAAAAAAAKY/pBzd9p2xGnU/s1600/chobani.652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2B8T1ydUrlA/Uw4ZbhDHr_I/AAAAAAAAAKY/pBzd9p2xGnU/s1600/chobani.652.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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We all go through food phases and fads, the palate is not a fixed thing and has a tendency to get bored and evolve. I have been trying a few different yogurts lately and am really enjoying the Chobani Greek Yogurts. They seem to have the right balance of creamy-yet-tart quality that I like. I went years without having one yogurt yet now see it as a staple in the fridge. When in college I would buy plain yogurt by the quart, a few ounces into a bowl and just start adding fruits,nuts, seeds etc... and that would be my dinner.. or breakfast. My first spoonful of this Chobani brand and it triggered some taste buds linked to my memory, I was right back in my first kitchen diving into a bowl of yogurt from Real Foods on Polk St. in SF. Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-59594483304932383152014-02-25T13:45:00.000-08:002014-02-25T14:41:01.888-08:00Mystery Pot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xymh9emp9z8/Uw0HNcg2ArI/AAAAAAAAAKI/AAAfqLWlToA/s1600/emeril.pot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xymh9emp9z8/Uw0HNcg2ArI/AAAAAAAAAKI/AAAfqLWlToA/s1600/emeril.pot.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
I am always on the lookout for a good pot.. and I find one every now and then at a garage sale or thrift shop. Finding a good quality pot or pan that has been properly used just adds to the experience of cooking so when out and about my eyes are open for a find. This sauce pan and lid is a bit different… and each time I grab it I LOL at how it arrived in my kitchen. <br />
Each day I take Scout the lab out for her exercise at a soccer field close to my house. On this particular occasion besides discarded plastic water bottles that did not quite make the bin there was this Emeril All-clad sitting next to the garbage can. How odd…that is the best description..and still is.<br />
No food in it..no signs that it may have been left behind from some picnic.. no reason for it to be there as there is no picnic area or tables..just a seemingly discarded 4.5 qt pan and lid. While I ran the dog I had an internal debate as to whether I would be taking this find home..because it was, well, odd.<br />
I decided that it was meant to be so took it home and gave it a good wash and sanitizing. It is an odd size for a sauce pan as well, it is really a small stock pot with a sauce pan handle and that is how I mostly use it, which I have to admit is seldom. It cooks well but I am not into non-stick at the moment and use it to boil water mostly for pasta. The domed stainless steel lid is the coolest thing about it. I need a good griddle so I hope one shows itself to me on another outing.Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-214029327283171522014-02-21T20:10:00.000-08:002014-02-21T20:10:40.391-08:00O is for Olive..and Oil.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi02_vK84Rs/UwgcTRStGnI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/aEoZHXz4xgE/s1600/oil.pour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi02_vK84Rs/UwgcTRStGnI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/aEoZHXz4xgE/s1600/oil.pour.jpg" height="402" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-61mtz9kSw3c/Uwgbif3n5dI/AAAAAAAAAJo/K89opP1Bq3A/s1600/O.bottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-61mtz9kSw3c/Uwgbif3n5dI/AAAAAAAAAJo/K89opP1Bq3A/s1600/O.bottle.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></div>
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One of my food staples…olive oil. Oh how I miss a slice of San Francisco sour dough bread dipped into a pool of extra virgin olive oil. Yes, I can get the oil here and yes there are artisan bakers in NY that do a pretty good loaf…but,... But, there is something special about the the bay area climate that makes great bread and combine that with a great Californian olive oil and it is manna from heaven.</div>
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The beauty about olive oil is that it is the most versatile oil in the kitchen, eat it raw or use it to sauté. </div>
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The <a href="http://www.ooliveoil.com/product_citrus.php?n=O%20tahitian%20lime%20olive%20oil" target="_blank">O olive oils</a> are out of Northern California and have a great line of citrus infused oils like their Tahitian Lime I shot for an e-commerce site. </div>
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<br />Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-57131098308421799422014-02-07T14:17:00.002-08:002014-02-07T14:17:40.909-08:00Afternoon sugar hit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-atHbpuMOOXg/UvVZgVL3zOI/AAAAAAAAAJU/thOrgxJj9RU/s1600/dans.cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-atHbpuMOOXg/UvVZgVL3zOI/AAAAAAAAAJU/thOrgxJj9RU/s1600/dans.cookies.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dan's Coffee Ginger Cookies</div>
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When I have a sweet tooth I find a simple cookie will do wonders for my craving…no chocolate, fruit or nuts.. just flour, egg, butter and sugar.. well maybe some flavoring like ginger, coffee and vanilla won't overcomplicate the beauty of this late afternoon treat. I needed that.</div>
<br />Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-43857103654092488322013-10-24T16:17:00.001-07:002013-10-24T16:17:30.790-07:00Krusteaz Crew Pancakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ETgXJ_ifJmE/UmmkhzN7QeI/AAAAAAAAAI8/ZQo3GykL0e8/s1600/pancakes.crew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ETgXJ_ifJmE/UmmkhzN7QeI/AAAAAAAAAI8/ZQo3GykL0e8/s640/pancakes.crew.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you have to make pancakes for 70 high school rowers I give a big thumbs up to Krusteaz Pancake Mix.. easy and fast to mix, just add water until its like runny milkshake and ladle, spoon, pour from bowl, however you want to do it.. these were done really quickly with the same mixing spoon and not very pretty or consistent but at 730 am with many mouths to feed and other stuff to cook up I was not too worried about what the mom's thought. So if you don't mind the loose technique and the grill is at the right temperature, you can do 70-80 in 20 min. and the right temp is had by using a camp chef stove and griddle, huge BTU output in both heat and surface area of flame, very important when working a griddle. I will be manning my griddle next Sunday on the banks of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia for yet another early morning cookout for our crew, rain or shine.Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-34280557722534788722013-10-17T15:32:00.002-07:002013-10-17T16:55:02.438-07:00Homage to Oreo - you know you want one<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QrNTdfPOGVo/UmBkJGUBd5I/AAAAAAAAAIs/FzXhRiOMcEw/s1600/oreo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QrNTdfPOGVo/UmBkJGUBd5I/AAAAAAAAAIs/FzXhRiOMcEw/s640/oreo.jpg" width="521" /></a></div>
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2013 Oreo</div>
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Maybe I am just a contrarian but ever since I heard the press play up the mice/cocaine/oreo tests it just increased my desire to go buy a pack. There will come a day when Bloomberg is just a faded memory and we may not be able to get our Oreo fix...but not today. I bought a pack at Fairway in Stamford, CT just to protest the silliness of it all. If you missed it then a big never mind, it is not worth your time.</div>
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Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-22103491053596339982013-10-16T15:33:00.002-07:002013-10-16T15:34:58.994-07:00Craft beers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V-Np8wT2z6Y/Ul8QeEFRkxI/AAAAAAAAAIc/g_obxYLNqfQ/s1600/pale.ale.pour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V-Np8wT2z6Y/Ul8QeEFRkxI/AAAAAAAAAIc/g_obxYLNqfQ/s400/pale.ale.pour.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>
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Sierra Nevada Pale Ale</div>
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American beer is in full renaissance, ale, lager, stout, wheat, etc..<br />
The first wave was the microbrewery movement of the 90's and California was ground zero giving me first hand knowledge of many of the small start-up brews... some of which have grown to be not-so-micro. Now we are into the Craft beer era and I say bring it on. The movement has been toward the meatier brews..pale ales to heavy full stouts, with bitters and rye in the mix. Brooklyn, Hudson Valley, are all perking with new brews... I just learned today of a couple more breweries that have started in the last year or so north of Manhattan, both in the Bronx. I intend to track them down and giv'em a go. There is something very autumnal about a good full ale..so I say bring them on. Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198935924253398973.post-29697869135316252732013-10-07T16:03:00.000-07:002013-10-07T16:03:31.313-07:00Farm to Table <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9_QUGssjwFE/UlM6szJHk9I/AAAAAAAAAIM/3yH8Dh5DuB8/s1600/ri.hen804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9_QUGssjwFE/UlM6szJHk9I/AAAAAAAAAIM/3yH8Dh5DuB8/s640/ri.hen804.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Rhode Island Red hen @ Stone Barns Center</div>
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The Hens at <a href="http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/farm/index.html" target="_blank">Stone Barns Center </a>are free range...they have a large area to roam that is bordered by movable fences so they lead a nomadic life feeding off whatever feed they get and the natural indigenous plants growing in their temporary fields as seen here. I have just been through 2 dozen of the eggs and they were wonderful. If you don't know Stone Barns then check out their website. They are leaders in the "farm to table" concept which I witnessed last week first hand. </div>
Mahascout / Paul Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720299883913023999noreply@blogger.com1