Exposing what dwells within.
I am currently working on a fun project with Matt Thomas for Mona Lisa Pasta in Charlottesville. For a few weeks I will be documenting back-of-house activities as the staff makes fresh pasta, pizzas, and sauce. Matt has rebranded the company (you can see his fabulous new logo and label designs on his site) and will be launching a new website for Mona Lisa in the coming months.
Here are a few shots from behind-the-scenes on ravioli day!
my favorite way to eat spring's carrots and beets? roasted, with olive oil and sea salt.
I picked all of these strawberries from our backyard garden this afternoon. I can't believe how our little patch has grown from just three little plants four years ago!
If you're looking for a strawberry dessert this Memorial Day weekend, may I suggest these rhubarb strawberry tarts from the bella eats archive?
looking for something sweet? bella eats has just the recipe for you...dulce de leche cupcakes!
as promised, more details from the concept shoot on which I collaborated with soiree. and rock paper scissors! i have to say, i am really, very excited about these images. this team of people worked so hard to create a beautiful mock-event inspired by the tones and textures of mid-century modern design.
enjoy!
event planner: soiree.
styling: soiree. & andrea hubbell
paper: rock paper scissors
flowers: floral images
table settings: festive fare
house, furniture, accessories: jeff & bob, dave & anna, john & dani, amy
photography: andrea hubbell
new recipe on bella eats today!
new post on bella eats!
last friday brian came home with a dozen oysters, 4 pounds of live crawfish, and 6 live blue crabs from anderson carriage food house. thank goodness we have friends who like to eat as much as we do!
this time of year always leaves me nostalgic for new orleans...we were married there 5 years ago on april 28th! this meal with friends was the next best thing to being in our favorite city.
xoxo.
new recipe on bella eats today!
the perfect, quick and simple cake that each of you should have in your repertoire! recipe over at bella eats.
if you know me, or have read bella eats, you know that I am a big fan of food. especially, local food. i am passionate about cooking and eating seasonally and believe that each one of us can do a little something to support small farmers, chefs, businesses, and individuals making sustainable choices. Two years ago i chronicled brian's and my home garden on bella eats, sharing stories and images and recipes inspired by the food we were growing right in our backyard. this year, i've been lucky to have the opportunity to share a bit of space in the green house at maple hill farm, home of the Local Food Hub. If you're not familiar, the Local Food Hub is a community supported nonprofit working to strengthen and secure our local food supply by supporting small, family farms, increasing the amount of fresh food available to our community, and inspiring our next generation of farmers. I am proud to be part of a community that supports such an organization, and thrilled to have the opportunity to share images of their beautiful land and facilities with you here.
this spring, summer, and fall I will be sharing images from my time at the farm with two girlfriends, emily (local food hub) and stephanie (flavor magazine) as we grow food for our home kitchens. It will be a joint ahphoto and bella eats project, with the bulk of the place and detail photography happening over here, and the final dishes and recipes happening over there. I hope it won't be confusing, and will try to keep it simple. Let's just see how it goes.
below are images from 4 weeks ago, when Emily, Stephanie, and I ventured out to the farm on a rainy and cold March weekend to plant our seeds. We filled twelve flats...twelve! On Saturday we went back out to thin the seedlings, which had all grown to between 1 and 4 inches tall. Happy little seedlings...
week 1
week 4
below shots created with TS-E 90mm f2.8 lens.
Here is a recap of our 2009 garden, which has links to most of the 2009 Bella Terra posts. Bella Terra : 2009
Commonwealth Restaurant + Skybar is set to open on the downtown mall this June and I, for one, cannot wait to enjoy people-watching from atop the corner roof deck. This is the newest restaurant project of Alex George, former owner of the much-missed Just Curry, who is opening Commonwealth with four investors. The cuisine is "new american with a south american influence" and from what I sampled at a small dinner Alex orchestrated last weekend, it promises to be delicious.
Congratulations, Alex, on this new endeavor!
diver scallops with chorizo, rocket, and dill
crab, coconut, and coriander soup
golden beet tinted chilean sea bass with roasted beets and wilted baby greens
local grilled lamb chops with lavender-honey gravy and minted mushy peas
crispy polyface farms chicken breast with violet mustard sauce, peas, and black bean puree
cinnamon + golden raisin bread pudding
Happy Valentine's Day, Friends! I hope you're spending this day, and each one after, with those you love. And, if you feel like making someone cupcakes, I've got the perfect recipe over at Bella Eats. Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Yum!
...time for all of you chefs, restaurants, bakeries, groceries, caterers, and all other foodies to start thinking about your Spring marketing materials! Lucky for you, AHPhoto is running a special for the month of February. Book a culinary session before 02.28 for 10% off of your session fee! The session can be scheduled for any time this year, but requires a 50% deposit to reserve the date.
I look forward to hearing from you!
are you in need of something other than stew or casserole these days? me too. there's a new recipe for lentil, olive, + mushroom veggie burgers at bella eats, sure to satisfy your craving for a light, summer-ish meal.
There's a new recipe for Butternut Squash + Sweet Potato Soup on Bella Eats!
I meant to share this recipe with you all yesterday, for those of you feeling the urge to bake something sweet this weekend. Perhaps there is still time...
Recipe for Lemon-Drenched Lemon Cake on Bella Eats.
hello friends!
after a very long hiatus, my food and photography blog bella eats is back, and with a beautiful new logo from the ladies at rock paper scissors! many thanks to brian for the labor of love that has been the site redesign...I adore it.
please let us know what you think!
