My friend John V. makes an Amaaaaaaazing Quiche! He just throws it together like he is making it up on the spot, but it tastes the same every time and simply makes my mouth water! That with a mimosa is the perfect start to any Sunday morning!

Peas were my arch nemesis as a child. I hated them. I remember evenings sitting alone at the dinner table,  the rest of my family off in the other room watching T.V. or some other activity, while I had a stare-down with the little evil spheres. I was to sit there until they were gone. No amount of seasoning or sour cream could mask their vile taste. On occasion the family dog would take pity on me and assist in their disappearance. But alas I have endured and risen above the conflict that plagued me. As an adult.. I will eat the pea… I just won’t enjoy it.

This is Italian Flat Leaf Parsley. (Whats with all this “Italian” stuff anyway?) The main difference between this and “Curly Parsley” is that Flat Leaf tends to have more flavor and is used more often when cooking, whereas Curly Parsley is more widely used for decoration.

Whether in a martini, or as tapenade, in a nice Puttanesca, or just on their own…Olives are gooood! Plus they are Good For You! But mostly they are just tasty! May personal favorites are Lucques, and Salt or Oil Cured Olives!

My Favorite are Pecans.. for Pecan Pie! And one of my favorite recipes for Pecan Pie can be found in one of my favorite cookbooks! The Silver Palate Cookbook. There are a ton of delicious recipes in this book and I encourage everyone to make this book a staple in your kitchen. But if you simply must have the recipe before you can find your way to buying the book… you might find it here…

I love a good Risotto con Porcini! But I am not a fan of the texture of mushrooms, so when I make mine I just dice the mushrooms up super fine so they just melt into the Risotto. (Hmmm.. I might have to make that for dinner tonight!)

The kind you put in a soup with potatoes, not the informational ones that come from governmental agencies.

It’s a Fruit, It’s a Bird, It’s a Shoe Polish, It’s a New Zealander…

If you are ever in Pasadena California,  grab a cocktail over at Le Grande Orange (or LGO). They serve a spectacular martini called the “Screaming Monkey” … Grey Goose Orange Vodka, a little OJ, Cran, Lemon, and a couple of slices of Jalapeño in a sugar rimmed glass. Super Tasty!!

I am Italian (well half Italian) and I LOVE Italian Bread. Croccante sull’esterno e lanuginoso sull’interno! Perfect with a little Checca! ( fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper – like Italian Salsa) Yum!

These guys can be pretty spicy! Check out their ranking on the Scoville Scale (Ranking the heat indexes of the various peppers worldwide), and see where your favorite pepper ranks!

Always a classic, Julia Childs recommends preparing them thusly:

Granola is not just a food, it’s a state of mind.

I prefer a nice Halibut or Branzino myself but I know a few people could work wonders with these little guys!

See!!! Or is it for Egg Rolls?, Or EGGS! Moving on…..

Okay… I couldn’t help myself… It looked so tasty… AND IT WAS!

AND for Dumplings! (You see where I am going with this….)

I never thought of these two items simultaneously… but I did find this recipe for Dill & Pork Dumplings!

Cheddar Cheese!..mmmmmmm
Mom used to make elbow macaroni with cheddar cheese and stewed tomatoes… okay, now my mouth is watering and it’s only 9:40am!

Some Presidents don’t like broccoli, but most of them do…..

Which is really good, grilled, broiled, or sautéed, with olive oil and garlic salt!
But this is simply fresh asparagus…

Another one of the recent shoots that we did for Nikita Restaurant was focusing on their “hot spot”cache and ability to host all types of events. And as awards season comes to a close, who doesn’t want to remember all of those Red Carpet After Parties – for which we didn’t receive a single invitation… what’s up with that? Ahh… that’s okay… we made our own!

We have been doing some shooting for Nikita Restaurant located in Malibu California recently and it has been a great place to spend our days and evenings! The layout, decor, and atmosphere are so amazing. And add in the crashing surf and you simply don’t want to leave! Initially we were shooting their menu, but more recently we have also been photographing the wonderful environment where you get to savor all that food, should you be so lucky as to dine there. Here are a few of the images, with more to come.

Coming off the Academy Awards this last Sunday was a reminder of a project we did just a couple month’s ago. The job specs were to produce four images that would be used on credit / debit cards that would reflect various aspects of the entertainment industry. Not just the celebrity factor but also those that work behind the scenes as well. The visuals needed to be simple and iconic in order to read well on the small real estate, that also had other graphics going on,. But otherwise the content and interpretation was left to us. So we were sent on our way with very little direction and what resulted was this:

While all of the dishes we shot at Nikita were gorgeous AND delicious, there is nothing like capping it off right with a decadent dessert. And if one is good, three are AMAZING! So to that end we’ll share several dessert item from the menu. We’ll check back with you in a week or so to share some shots of the beautiful environment you can dine in, should you pamper yourself with a trip to this lovely destination! (Make sure to check out the website! – It is really nicely done!)

Picking up on our last post from our shoots for Nikita Restaurant in Malibu, California… It’s time to move on to the Main Course. During our production we shot over 20 different dishes. (We also tasted about the same number!) One of our favorites was this seafood pasta combo that was plated so beautifully!

Over the last few months we have been working on a variety of projects. One of the most tasty ones has been for Nikita, the new Malibu hot spot. Sharing the same oceanfront stretch of beach as Nobu on Pacific Coast Highway, the new restaurant opened by Larry Ellison last summer has launched a new website and all of the accompanying social network pages. Over a series of shoots we produced some event imagery, facility shots, and of course….. FOOD! Here is an appetizer, both literally and visually. We’ll share more in upcoming posts!

It’s Awards Season!  But hey… it’s not just the celebrities who get all the awards… Sometimes a delicious cup of yogurt needs recognition too! Check out this latest campaign we shot for Yogurtland & The Yogurtland Awards!

As we sit in our office on this Rainy Los Angeles Afternoon, we look back on a year that has blasted by and try to ponder on what has transpired (while also trying to stay on top of the year-end flurry of work that has come through the door…). 2013 has brought a lot of new projects and we’ve had the privilege and pleasure of working with some of our faithful long-term clients. Thank You to all of you!! We are hoping to see even more of you in 2014 and are looking forward to a fantastic year ahead!

In the meantime we want to wish EVERYONE and Joyous and Peaceful Season! Hug your friends and loved ones and let them know how much they mean to you! Happy Holidays!