Conference Food? Good Eats!

I just finished volunteering at an intellectual property symposium hosted locally. The days were long, but in exchange for my work, I got to sit in on many of the sessions. The organization that I was volunteering for also made sure I was fed at no extra cost to me. I essentially was participating in the same breakfasts and lunches provided to the participants, a perk which was a pleasant surprise (It also didn’t hurt that the venue hosting the symposium was run by Marriott; I ate pretty well ).

Doing The Charleston

Funnily enough, I happened to take shots of almost everything but the food while visiting my brother in Charleston over the weekend.

When I lived there, it was just Market Street Munchies (who are now in West Ashley of all places) that made pralines on-site. Nowadays, Charleston’s Market Street boasts two (maybe even three) shops that make the confection fresh throughout the day.

I’m generally an unrepentant chocoholic, but I never fail to grab a few of these when I’m in town…

Adobong Manok (Chicken Adobo)

Conisdered in many respects to be the national dish of the Philippines, Adobo is the quintessential Filipino comfort food. It’s a simple dish consisting of something (often meat, but sometimes vegetables — sometimes both) cooked with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. It differs from its counterpart in Latin American/Southwestern cooking in a few ways: Tomatoes and chilles are often not found in the Filipino version, and Filipino Adobo is more akin to a stew than a meat rub.

The recipe I most often use is Corrine Domingo’s found on the Food Network:

4-5 lbs. chicken thighs
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. black peppercorns
3 bay leaves

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Cover and marinate chicken for 1-3 hours. Bring to boil, then lower heat. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer until sauce is reduced and thickened, and chicken is tender, about 20 more minutes. Serve with steamed rice.

*Do* Try This at Home!

The gals at Food Play (who happen to be classmates of mine) provide some wonderful tips for getting the most out of your food shots. If you happen to be hankering for more advice, they also provide links to other sites willing to give you advice on food photography.

Personally, I’m guilty of shooting primarily with artificial light, especially since I often cook at night.

If you do choose to try this at home, have fun!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I often cook or bake when I’m stressed, so when I needed a major-league study break last week, I baked a few batches of oatmeal raisin cookies using this recipe.

Talk about comfort food… these guys kept on giving! They stayed chewy and soft the entire week (even when enclosed in a Ziploc bag)!

Welcome!

…Shot the Food is a photoblog focusing primarily on food, but now and then, posts about my life will make their appearance.

Whatever you do… don’t read the blog on an empty stomach.

Whether you’re here to give yourself a feast for the eyes or here to keep up with me, welcome and enjoy!