New Dessert Paintings

Food Artists - Bompas & Parr

Check out this cool molded Jello (or Jelly in England) by British food artists, Bompas & Parr.  

Best Bite Bought: Cocoa Powder

This is a new weekly blog feature that I'll be writing to point out some of the most delicious and unique foods, snacks, candies and ingredients that are available to buy in almost any city or online.  All of these entries will be based on my humble opinion so don't freak out if you buy something and don't like it.  If you have some kind of food fave that you'd like me to include, just email me or comment me with ideas.

 The first thing I have to post about is the most amazing Cocoa Powder I have ever tried.  First let me tell you that I am a Cocoa Powder fiend.  I put it in yogurt, cottage cheese, coffee as well as sprinkling it on special desserts. I even add it to Nestle Hot Cocoa packets to make them more potent.  My favorite cocoa powder concoction involves 1 container of Fage Greek Yogurt, 1 or 2 tbsp of cocoa powder & 1 tbsp of agave syrup.  This treat is so thick, sweet and it's also low in calories!

So the BEST Cocoa Powder that I bought recently is E. Guittard Cocoa Rouge Cocoa Powder.  I was very pleasantly surprised that this brand doesn't have the typical bitter cocoa powder taste - it almost tastes like regular chocolate.  It's ultra fine, almost airy and it has a deep, red color that looks so pretty on desserts.

It is a little bit more expensive than regular cocoa powder but it's so worth it!  I got mine at Sur La Table, which has a location near my home as well as an online store.  If you are a cocoa powder lover like me, please try this brand of cocoa powder - you'll be a convert, I promise!   

 

Food Photo Shoot: European Desserts

Hope you are having a great weekend!  I have been baking and taking pictures of desserts to help me illustrate Tiramisu, Caramel Panna Cotta and Profiteroles.  Here are some shots from my work today:

Tiramisu with whipped peaks lightly dusted with cocoa powder

 Caramel Panna Cotta or Creme Caramel

A cool shot of the Caramel Panna Cotta on my porch

Oreo Tiramisu!

This last shot is Tiramisu for two - made especially for my husband and I to enjoy tomorrow on our 1 year wedding anniversary!!

Pretty Package Designs

Currently I have package design & illustration on the brain since I was recently hired to paint some desserts for the New Zealand food brand, Pams.  I am so thrilled to be working on this project and have become more interested in ogling food package designs on the web.  Here are some neat designs that caught my eye:

  Elizabeth Vereker's rebranding of a wine I tried in high-school (only once or twice!) - Boone's Farm.  I found this on a cool package design blog, TheDieLine.


Check out these Swedish gummi candy bags designed by Amore.  The expression on the mouse's face denotes either sweet or sour candy.  Those scrunched up eyes on the sour mouse are so cute!

Here's a pretty package for one of my favorite condiments: ketchup.  Ketchup gets a lot of action in my house and since it often sits on the table, I should probably upgrade to something more stylish, like this gourmet version I found on Lovely Package:

                                  

  

Bagel Paintings Completed...pretty much

Two bagel paintings are done!  I have to consult with the client to see if she wants a third painting and if she wants text on the bottom but so far these two are pretty much done...

Bagel Bird's Eye View, 8x8 on canvas

Bagel and Cream Cheese, 8x8 on canvas

Bagels on The Brain

While I've been painting bagels all day my mind has been jogging down bagel memory lane.  I have a long history with bagels as serving them was my first job ever.  I was gainfully employed at age 16 at the DeWitt Bagelry in my hometown of DeWitt, NY.  The bagels we sold there were FOR REAL, east coast, water boiled bagels with a crisp crust and a soft, chewy inside.  Not bread-y or cake-y at all!  I probably ate 1 or 2 a day back in HS.  Unfortunately the DeWitt Bagelry closed about 10 years ago due to the low carb craze and our enormous and amazing home town grocery store, Wegmans.  Wegmans bagels are not FOR REAL but you can't help but love everything that comes from Wegs if you are from Central New York.

  Wegmans - the place to BE in DeWitt, NY

My second encounter with amazing bagels were the steamed bagel sandwiches at CBA (Chicago Bagel Authority) in Lincoln Park, Chicago.  I frequented this place in college and after college when I lived just north of downtown Chicago.  Nothing cured a hanover like a soft bagel oozing with cream cheese AND regular cheese all melted together.  Yum.  Hmmm, how did I ever stay trim back in the day?  

Most recently I've been sans bagels since I quit the rat race to become an artist.  Back at my old radio sales job at KyXy 96.5, Friday was bagel day.  If you didn't mind germs and torn apart bagel remnants (I didn't) the bagel box was a life saver in the office!  

Evolution Of A Food Painting

Step One:  Photography
When I get a commission to paint something for someone's kitchen I first have to come up with a good photograph to work with.  Although I could paint from a still life, I wouldn't want to leave food out for days and have the composition change or stink up my house.  Today I am working on a painting of a bagel with cream cheese and these are some of my photos:

Dessert Girl

By focusing my artwork on food I've had the chance to meet (through the internet) some foodies, food artists and food bloggers.  I LOVE checking out their blogs, talking blog talk with them and helping to promote each others' blogs. 

A really cool blogger, Dessert Girl, recently contacted me and asked if I could provide an illustration of a recipe that I tried.  Luckily I had just painted the Flakey Apricot Scones that I wrote about in May.  She was nice enough to blog about me and now it's my turn to blog about her.

Dessert Girl. "Where Design Meets Dessert," is a blog about sugar inspired foods and creative people who do things with dessert, like cooks, artists and illustrators.  Her blog is playful, colorful and a chock full of interesting dessert things that she's found.  I think she's realized the true essence of dessert - the part of a  meal meant to be fun, lighthearted and cheerful.  You should definitely visit her blog...and then get in the kitchen because you'll be inspired to make something sweet!

**The above cake is Dessert Girl's Heaven and Hell Cake with peanut butter mousse inside!!

Interview Series: Handmade Business Owners

Interview 2:  Sweet Cheeks Baking Co.
It's been way too long since I did an interview post and I've been meaning to do this one for a while because the owners of this amazing bakery helped make our wedding so spectacular.  I chose their bakery for our cake because they were so creative in person and their cake/icing flavors tasted amazing.  So many people at our wedding went back for seconds on the cake!   Elaine of Sweet Cheeks Baking Co. was nice enough to answer my interview questions below on how she and her partner started such a successful baking company.  

Name:  Elaine Palminteri Ardizzone & Donna Cellere
Business: Sweet Cheeks Baking Co.
Year business launched: 2007
Website: www.sweetcheeksbaking.com
Short description of what your business is: Specialty Cake Design and Wholesale Desserts

1.  What was the most important thing you did in the first year to establish yourself and gain enough momentum to persist?  We did NOT take out a loan but started with very limited capital and worked with what we had.  So we never had huge overhead.  We spent minimal money but lots of facetime so that people learned who we were.  We literally talked a lot (or I did, The Mouth) and talked our way into situations that would help us.  We sought help from people with similar experience and took their advice when it seemed appropriate and deviated when it seemed better for us.  In other words, we used our gut and ate PB&J a lot...

2.   Of the following things, which has been the most important to your business and why? ALL OF THEM:

a.  networking - Possibly the #1 thing here, absolutely, especially for the wedding industry.  There are so many vendors out there, people will buy from whomever they LIKE more than  whose product they like.  You can find a decent product anywhere.

b.  putting in many, many hours - Key to success is not being afraid to work long hours when necessary, but sometimes taking time away is just as important.

c.  coming up with innovative ideas - This is very important when getting attention from the public eye, or else you sit stagnant with other established businesses. We offer our cake tastings in a unique way that separates us and cake ingredients and health that no other top quality cake designers offer.

d.  something else please describe:  Customer Service!!!

3.   What were you doing before you launched your business and why did you want to leave?  Working for someone else...never again if we can help it.  It's either in your blood or it's not to work for yourself.   You must be willing to take a pay cut or a complete lop-off of income for a while if you intend to open your own business.  Income is not happiness, but it is critical to survival too...it's a balance. 

4.  What has been the most unexpected challenge that you’ve faced so far?  Being asked to be on FOOD Network out of the blue...for something that we did not already do (sell online for shipping).  We had to fabricate packaging, a new website, online shopping cart, and speed of production for an item - all within 3 weeks!  It was totally NUTS.  But do you say "no" to the FOOD Network?  Uh, duh...

  

6.  How long did it take before you felt like your business was successful in terms of having a strong, recognized brand, and in feeling financially comfortable?  About 2 years into business, when we had already hired 2 employees and felt we actually had some flexibility with our own time, we felt a bit more "settled."  The biggest deal to me was hearing fellow industry leaders saying, "Wow, Sweet Cheeks Baking is all the rage!  Everyone says such great things about you girls!"  That means a lot. 

What helped you mentally persevere to get to that point?  Our husbands.  Thank goodness for the "team" mentality of a very strong relationship.  They have helped us financially as well as emotionally and mentally, it's a gift.

7.  Name 3 things that you think a creative business must have to be successful.  

*Positive working relationship between owners (and staff, if you have employees).
*Fun and open flow of ideas

   *Finances to offer the tools to your employees to do their jobs properly.

Thanks to Elaine and Donna for some great insight into their business!

Scones And Chocolate Ice Cream Anyone??

Scones and Chocolate Ice Cream don't exactly sound like a match made in taste bud heaven but they made a great pair of painting projects this week.  I am happy to be done painting baby faces (I recently caved and did two baby portraits against my best judgement) and back to painting food!

  

July 4th Food

One of my favorite food memories from July 4th is Blueberry Buckle.  Growing up, my best friend Emily's mom was a great cook and I loved being at their lake house in the summer for many reasons but partially because of the yummy homemade food.  I remember coming back from a swim in the lake excited to sneak into the kitchen to see what Mrs. Taylor had been cooking.  Sometimes there were homemade chocolate chip cookies and usually around the 4th there was Blueberry Buckle.  Being from a primarily frozen-food household, I had never heard of Blueberry Buckle and loved the name almost as much as the taste.  I have fond memories of the dessert and this year I'm going to try my hand at it.   Mrs. Taylor was nice enough to email me her recipe:

Blueberry Buckle

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. Crisco (or oil)

1 egg

Combine sugar, crisco and egg; beat until smooth.  

Combine dry ingredients as follows:

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

Then, after mixing the dry ingredients thoroughly (so baking powder blends well),  

add these to the creamed sugar mixture. 

Then stir in 1/2 cup milk and

fold gently in 2 c. blueberries (washed & drained).

Spoon into a 9" square pan -- Sprinkle with topping.

Topping:  

1/2 c. sugar

1/3 c. flour

1/4 c. soft butter (cut butter in with pastry blender until topping looks somewhat like cornmeal.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!!!      

Make Art Then Eat It...

I saw these crayons at Lost At E Minor and noticed their bright colors.  Then I read on to find that they are edible!  They're made by Luxirare and their ingredients sound yummy:  fruits, nuts, vegetables, chocolate covered sesame seeds and a marshmallow core.  You can even draw with them!  I wish I had these when I was a kid.

Amazing Red Velvet Cupcakes That Are Good For You (kind of)

This past Saturday Brad and I had a barbecue dinner party for a bunch of our friends to kick off the summer.  I made a ton of food including homemade pesto flatbread, bbq pulled chicken, sweet potato fries and of course, dessert!  I have always wanted to try Red Velvet Cupcakes so I grabbed an old recipe from my files.  The cupcakes turned out wonderfully!  I didn't know it at the time of baking and eating that this recipe was from Cooking Light.  I would NEVER have known this was a "light" cupcake recipe.  Actually, the lightness probably added to why I liked them:  they were fluffy and didn't feel like lead in your tummy after eating.  Knowing that these were light, I am bummed that I banished the cupcakes away to my husband's office.  Please let me know if you've had success with other light versions of desserts since now my home is cupcake free!  

Here is the recipe and the Light Red Velvet Cupcake

Food Art: Marzipan Teddy Bears and More

This Sunday I went to my friend Paula's baby shower and was treated to some of the most precious marzipan candies I've ever seen.  They were almost too cute to eat...almost.

These Marzipan treats came all the way from Medellin, Columbia, courtesy of Paula's mom.  The candies were in the shapes of little bears, diaper pins, even pacifiers.  The shortbread cookies all had a little marzipan teddy bear attached.  Since I've only seen such intricate Marzipan in Europe and South America, I decided to do some Wiki research on the origins.

Marzipan, a confection made of Almond Paste and Sugar, is originally believed to be from Persia and was introduced to Europe through trade.  Germany, Italy and Spain all specialize in famous Marzipan desserts.  There is even an EU law under which Marzipan must have a certain percentage of almond oil.  (Serious business!)  Marzipan is also a popular Christmas tradition in South America and other countries.

These treats were a big hit at Paula's party and I can't help thinking that a business specializing in these types of cookies would do really well in California!  If you've seen any bakeries in the US that specialize in Marzipan, let me know!

Baking Scones and Other Flour Heavy Recipes

What do you do when you have excess flour from all the flour bags you've been buying for art projects? Go baking crazy!!   On Friday I googled "recipes that use a lot of flour," and I chose 4 flour-heavy recipes to try.  Here's what I made:

1.  From the blog, www.101cookbooks.com, I tried the Best Pizza Dough Ever Recipe.  I definitely messed up this recipe because I used Active Dry Yeast instead of Instant Yeast.  I realized after the dough didn't rise that it makes a big difference.  Anyone want 6 hockey pucks?  I'll have to try this recipe again sometime.

2.  The second recipe I tried was more of a success.  From the blog, www.foodgal.com, the recipe was Apricot Flakey Scones.  I think these turned out nicely as you can see from the picture above.  They were a little dry and not as flakey as I would have liked.  Any suggestions for next time?

3.  The third recipe I tried was Honey Oatmeal Bread from the back of my King Arthur's Bread Flour bag.  You can also find great King Arthur Recipes on the King Arthur's Blog.  This recipe was very easy to follow!  I like how they told you exactly what kind of yeast to use and even how to mix it.  It was also the fastest bread I've ever made.  No overnight nonsense.  It came out great and made my kitchen smell soooo wonderful!  I'll definitely make this again.

4.  The final and most fabulous recipe I tried on Friday was a simple cookie recipe found on www.allrecipes.com, for White Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies.  I rate these cookies a 10 out of 10!  No joke!  I brought them to a party on Sunday and people were gobbling them up.  Try the recipe and you'll see how easy and delicious they are.  Mmmmmm.

Let me know if you have any more ideas for recipes that use a lot of flour.  I still have more to burn!!

Custom Paintings Make Me and Others Happy

One of the most gratifying things in my new art career is getting to paint custom pieces for people who are really excited about what they're getting.  Just recently I painted this custom Pancakes painting for a customer.  The blue background, subject, and size were chosen by the customer to compliment her kitchen.  I sent her a photo before I mailed it and she seemed really excited.  I love that.  I hope I can find many more people who really enjoy what I do because it makes me happy when they're happy!

Dear Weekend

Dear Weekend,
I am ready for you to begin!  Here are some things I love about the weekends:

1.  Sleeping in with my hubby

2.   Starting new books like Cutting For Stone, by Abraham Verghese 

3.  Long runs near the ocean with my Garmin Forerunner GPS watch so I can check my pace.  Love this thing!

4.  Going to movies.  Last weekend was La Mission and this weekend is The Back Up Plan

5.  Eating lunch with Brad at a cute cafe near our house like Claire's on Cedros.  I love their Sweet Potato Fries!  

Photo Sources:  1.  Flickr.com, Gui o Gato,  5.  Sdcitybeat.com

Sweet Tooth Alert: Schwartz's Chocolate Covered Marshmallows

As you can probably tell from my paintings, I have a wicked sweet tooth!  I was feeling under the weather yesterday so I took a time out to watch The Food Network's, Unwrapped, with Marc Summers (of Double Dare fame -woo hoo) and learned about a chocolate covered marshmallow company that looks old school and fantastic! 

Schwartz's "Out of This World Chocolates" specializes in chocolate covered marshmallows.  Schwartz's has been a family business for 70 years and has a secret recipe that has been passed down to achieve their special marshmallow treats.  Here is one that I would LOVE to try:

The Schmore! 

Burger and Fries Paintings

The paintings for Fatbelly Burgers are almost done.  I still have some color corrections, lettering and finishing touches to do, especially on the fries. Remind me not to work on food paintings around 3 in the afternoon - my mouth was watering!