Jar With A Twist

This is by far the best invention I've ever seen. I eat peanut butter on a regular basis and I've been waiting for something like this is come out. These four guys got it!

Watch It Here: http://youtu.be/k9y_gGRhpKg

1. Jar with a twist; was it a “a-ha” moment that came true?

After thoroughly examining our lives, we determined the single greatest
pain that we suffered on a daily basis-- Peanut Butter Knuckles (rough
life, I know). After multiple different solutions, we settled on what we
know call Jar~with~a~Twist. We realized that the kitchen is already full
of over-priced, under-utilized utensils, so we wanted to make this as easy
for the consumer as possible-- by removing the need to buy more specialty
utensils.


 2. How did the four of you come together for this? Were you previous
 friends growing up?

We came together through our Senior Design course at North Carolina State
University. We have become incredibly close-knit, and are in constant
contact with one another throughout the day.

 3. Are there a lot of interests in food companies wanting this design?

Yes! We've had incredible amounts of interest, and are in the process of
meeting with several companies.

 4. How many trial and errors were there before you got it right?

We have close to 20 separate, and quantifiable different prototypes. We
have striven to continually improve our product through the development
process to make it easily manufactured, material use low, and retain the
utmost in functionality.

 5. Beside food items has there been discussion other non-food items to be
 incorporated into this design?

Certainly. One of the major areas of non-food interest has been in
cosmetics-- makeup, lotions, etc.

 6. Have you done demos at supermarkets of food events with the product?

Our patent was only recently filed, so we were unable to demo
Jar~with~a~Twist up until then. Once things slow down a bit, we plan on
extensively demonstrating our product.

 7. What is your end goal with this product?

There are two possible scenarios. Manufacture and sell Jar~with~a~Twist
ourselves, or license the ability to do so to another entity. We are
currently keeping both options open.

Foundfolios New + Hot for July 2013

It was a honor to be one of the 12 picked for Foundfolio's July Hot + New Picks!

They featured my smores photo from my Playing With Food Series

Sweet Neighbors

It's only been a few months since they moved in but Sweetbox cupcakes are my new best friend. Gretchen the owner is so nice and really loves what she does. You might recognize her pretty cupcake food truck around University City or Love Park.

She just opened her first retail storefront in my neighborhood! Super pumped and I had the opportunity to come by her opening day and take some photos.

If you haven't already I recommend trying her Yard's Brawler Toffee Crunch, Maple Bacon Pancake!

https://www.facebook.com/Iheartsweetphilly

Photo By: Perretti Photography LLC

Behind The Scene- Meatball Photo Shoot

I got a call just a week ago from a local marketing company that had a client that needed a meatball packaging shot done this week. I could not turn down the opportunity and just in that one day of shooting I met the entire family! There was a true passion for their product and you could taste the home made quality in it as well.

Screen capture from the day shoot

Tearsheet: Fitness Magazine

It was a fun opportunity to shoot a small piece for Fitness Magazine. They needed a beer photo with a foaming top and bubbles rising. We were going back and forth with a couple shots until we got the right one. They were able to stretch it along the bottom of the page and make for a neat graphic. Below is the original shot

Tearsheet: Triathlete Magazine...

 

It was so fun to with with Kevin Couch the executive chef of Cuba Libre at the Old City location. He put together his Fuel dish which consisted of whole wheat quinoa pancakes and blueberries. 

Recipe To Live By: Roasted Garlic

I love garlic and cook with it every chance I get. The smell of it in my home, the taste of it on bread is perfect in every way. Here's a recipe I use for roasted garlic that so simple and a great way to use garlic alternatively. 

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact.
Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.

3 Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

4 Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.

Eat as is (I love straight roasted garlic) or mash with a fork and use for cooking. Can be spread over warm French bread, mixed with sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes, or mixed in with Parmesan and pasta.

#Playingwithfood

This past month my personal project series #Playingwithfood was released. Other than promoting it via social media a select group of photo editors and art directors in the Philadelphia and New York area received my direct mailer. I got a strong response and expect to continue working on this project.

Below are a couple images from the series. You can see more at my website.
 www.perrettiphotography.com

Interview with Beatrice Peltre

www.latartinegourmande.com

http://www.beatricepeltre.com/

Photo/Recipe by: Beatrice Peltre

How did you get into food styling?
I didn't intend to do food styling. But I realized how passionate I was about it when I started my food blog. That said, I was always into visual arts, design, and I loved to make beautiful plates of food at home, for every day and special occasions--and being French for that matter definitely helped me. I've always been a believer that we eat with our eyes first.

What was your first draw, the photography, writing, or styling?
Styling and Photography. And then writing.

When did your blog, La Tartine Gourmande start? Have you gotten work through that?
I started my blog in November 2005. And yes, I have received a lot of work with it. It's thanks to it that people have been able to notice my work when I started.


Congrats on your first cookbook! Where did the inspiration for the recipes come from?  

Were they handed down or original creations of your own?
Thank you. Yes, all original recipes. Inspired by my French roots, my travels, and all of the foods I love to cook and eat. The book is really a reflection of my style of cooking and the foods I cook for my family and friends. I've cooked them over and over. And always love them the same way.


Do you travel a lot for work on the East Coast? Have you gone out of the country for work too?
I've traveled within the US and outside the US for work. Especially when I teach food styling and photography workshops. Finding interesting locations for the attendees is key--I am always looking for a cultural interest.

What are your inspirations for food styling? Your photography? Are they similar?
Various sources, not one that is always the same. I read and follow magazines, of course, but mainly I draw inspirations from the foods and ingredients I cook with. They have a natural beauty that I love to enhance.

Any dream clients you want to work for?
Not necessarily.  Anyone whose products and foods talk to me. it helps when I believe in the objects I photograph and style.

What is your favorite thing to cook?
Vegetables. And I love to bake and prepare pretty scrumptious desserts! ;-)

 

 

Food Stylist: Sabina Pensek

http://tolstanutrija.com/
http://sabinapensek.tumblr.com/

How did you get into food styling?

Well I got into food and cooking during my college years and from than on it became my passion. It is a place I go to when I need to relax or when I need to steam off some creativity. But I didn't want to become a chef. Photography has been my hobby from my high school years. I guess that the combination of those two is the perfect fit to become a food stylist. At first I was doing all sorts of jobs on commercials, but everyone knew about my passion for food. When foreign productions came to Slovenia to film food commercials, they brought food stylists with them and those needed someone who they could rely on during the preparations days; someone who knows about seasonal ingredients, this and that about cooking, and most importantly, they were looking for someone who they can rely on during the strenuous shooting days. So I gave it a go. At first I was overwhelmed but the moment I got a taste of it I fell in love with the job.


You seem to have more video styling than still, do you like that more? Did you start in film?

Right away I started working on film, but I had a pretty good idea about the work flow on the shoots, but for someone who didn't have an opportunity to experience that, it can be quite overwhelming. It is very, very demanding, because there are more variables, more uncontrollable factors and things that can surprise you and consequentially, go wrong... So you have to be prepared, think ahead and foresee things. Unpredictability is always in the air. You have to be quick and efficient, but always in control.


Where do you look for your inspiration?

I browse food blogs every day. I study the photos featured on those blogs and try to understand why some are more appealing to the eye and why food looks better on some. How the food is lighted and the textures add to this appeal. Also my inspiration are people I work or worked with. Food stylists with 10, 20 or 30 years of work experiences...


How long have you been in the business? Who are some notable clients you have worked for?

It's been only a few years since I started doing this professionally and getting paid for that, but fortunately I had a very quick and efficient "go" during this time and gathered quite a lot of experiences and built my references, as an assistant or solo food stylist. You can see my show reel on www.sabinapensek.tumblr.com


Any dream clients you want to work for?

I haven't thought about that yet. Maybe it is not so much about the clients, maybe it is more about creative behind the commercial or a shoot. I would love to do a big medieval feast of sorts.  That would be fun!


Can you tell me about your photo shoot with Delamaris? (Quick walk through how you approached this styling job)
That was a shoot for a photo on a package, and it is not out yet, so i better not talk about it just yet.


Can you tell me a little about your TV shoot with Gea?
Meggle cheese commercial is more recent and a bit more interesting than Gea.

The client wanted to tell the story of a typical family breakfast. Not too tidy and classic, but rustic, with story and with a hint of nostalgia - like a grandma would prepare. So the props on the table - the utensils and plates were selected in that manner and I styled the food on the table that way. Fresh and healthy ingredients that go along with the tasty cheese spread and cottage cheese. To get that perfect knife and the cheese spreading action we had to have quit e few go’s, always with a a new package. It had to be warmed to just the right temperature to get that nice glossy flow look and feel.



One tool you can’t show up without.

Tweezers!

Alouette Cheese Packaging

Just wanted to share a final rendering of a new product and packaging my client just released.

Pagano's Market New Website

Working with Matt Pagano and Paul the head chef of Pagano’s Market was a lot of fun! Both being strong Italians and having that passion for good food made for a great photo shoot with the help of all the creative assistants there!

Their new site has finally launched, just working on some photos of Paul to accompany them.

Here’s a couple screen captures of the splash page, some might recognize these images from my website.

ReCap: Second Saturday Show with Hawk Krall...

It was a amazing opening at HOME on Passyunk Avenue for Second Saturday. Hawk Krall and myself collaborated on a art show comparing different food and landmarks along Passyunk Ave. We featured food inspired imagery from POPE, Stateside, Stogie Joe's and more...

Here is a link to the press page from the show

http://www.passyunkpost.com/2013/04/hawk-krall-collaboration-at-home-for-second-saturday.html

Sary, the owner at HOME had a great spread of food and drink. Alcohol was donated by Art In The Age (Philly Local Fav)

Screen Shot From Passyunk Post via Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/PassyunkPost


The show hangs for the month so make sure and go check it out!! :)

Recipe: Kale Chips

Making Kale Chips are super easy and good for you. Great alternative to actual chips!

What you will need:

1 bunch of fresh Kale
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Sea Salt for taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Wash the kale and dry completely.
Once dried cut down to just the leafy part of the kale.
Toss the kale in a bowl with olive oil so it is coated.
Lay the kale leaves out evenly on a sheet tray, do not overlap.
Sprinkle with sea salt
Put in the oven for 10-15 mins or until crispy.

            

Food Stylist: Anne Marie Tobin

It's great to have Anne Marie on my blog! What sold me other than her amazing talent was the really unique opening video that I've never seen a food stylist do before...

http://www.annemarietobin.com/
stylishfood@yahoo.ie
Anne Marie Tobin

 

How did you get into styling?
First I studied at art college and then I trained to be a chef in London. There I assisted some great food stylists.


Are you originally from Ireland?
I was born in Ireland but learned to be a food stylist in London, I work out of Dublin.


Do you see different trends in Ireland than the U.S.?
The two countries have different food cultures so the food styling from each country reflects their own food culture.


Have you traveled for your work? If so where’s the farthest you have been?
While my daughters were young I focused working out of Ireland,often I work with overseas celebrity chefs who work in Ireland now they are teenagers so would welcome the chance to work further afield.


Any clients you aspire to work for?
It would be great to work for Marks and Spencer.


Who are some notable photographers you have worked with?
Simon Wheeler, Michael Michaels, Mike O Toole(my husband).


For your ice cream/milkshake shots did you use actual product or is it a mixture of other things?
For the milkshake I used real product from McDonalds but I froze it a little extra to add more texture, we also shot them as opposed to three at a time.


For your simple cheese shots for Irish Farmhouse Cheese how much cheese did you have to choose from to find the best for the shot? How long did it take to get those shots?
These shots were done over one day, the product was good quality, the better the quality the less I need to do with it. I think I had a wheel of each variety of cheese.


For your opening video on your website how did you come up with the idea? Was it a big collaboration?
Dear designer friends of mine who I had worked with many times suggested making a video where I form the word food. From there I decided to depict various different food stuff, I also wanted to choose colours that work well together. I am really pleased with the end result. There were four of us, a designer,photographer,videographer and me.


For aspiring food stylists what’s one thing you would tell them about getting into the business?
Be prepared to be flexible and willing to look at food from a different way.

Recipe: Irish Potatoes

This is perfect time to post my Irish Potato recipe. With St. Patrick’s Day just a couple days away, this is great treat to bring to parties, also a conversation piece because a lot of people don’t know what’s in a Irish Potato.

What you will need:
1/4 cup softened butter
4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 ounces of confectioner’s sugar
7 ounces coconut flakes
Cinnamon

Blend together the butter and cream cheese for about 2-3min.
Than add the vanilla and confectioner’s sugar and blend until completely combined and starts to form a ball.
Stir in with a spoon the coconut flakes.
Messy Part:
Take small amounts of mixture and roll into small balls and roll in cinnamon until covered.
Place the cinnamon balls on a covered sheet pan.
After your done doing that with all the mixture place in fridge for about an hour or until firm.
Yields approx 5 dozen.

 

 


YUUUM!

Food Stylist: Dan Macey

Dan Macey
http://www.dantasticfood.com/


1. What made you decide to change career paths?
Eventually I got tired of writing about other people. Can’t decide what to write about, so I started writing about food. I sent stuff to cooks illustrated. Started writing about business for food. QVC changed dynamics of selling. They watch sales second by second. Food stylist point of view, learned what made for better t.v. great training ground.

2. Was your prior career related to food?
I was a journalist writing about business to business. I covered Enron. There was no real food relation.

3. Who was your first big T.V. client? Did it take off from there?
 Publisher Harper Collins, and Emeril. I was under contract for QVC. You can get pigeoned hole into just getting hired for cookbook work. They don’t always know what else you can do. Let the client know your other skill sets. You may get hired for publisher not the art director. Don’t let a opportunity pass you by without following up.

4. Do you style for photographers doing still images? If so who have you worked with?
Todd Trice i’ve worked with. Dan Witts in Baltimore. I’ve worked with a guy in Arkansas. Different photographers in Philadelphia and N.Y.

5. After you got into food styling how did recipe development along with your other services start?
As a food stylists you get a recipe that doesn’t work or has never been tested. Chefs are notorious for recipes that won’t work for home. I do develop recipes for companies. You work with a lot a recipes that don’t work. Create recipes that are visually attractive. It’s a natural offshoot of being a stylist.

6. Do you work with anyone else at Dantasticfood or do you solely run and own the business?  
Generally it’s me. I usually have one assistant that goes with me. Don’t put your eggs into one basket because you can’t rely on one client or photographer. You must stay versified.

7. Do you see a lot of young people trying to break into the food styling business? What can you tell them is the most important to be successful?
It’s not a hard business to get into if you have stamina, and work hard. I can tell in one day if someone can make it or not. You have to be committed to your job. You must be flexible, family and kids you would have to choose. It’s a networking thing. Being available is most important thing. Go the extra mile. Everyone wants a good assistant. Interest is key too.

8. What is the hardest thing you have had to style?
Every job is its challenge. Pizzas are tough. Sandwiches can be too. If it’s a client with a chain restaurant you have to use their product. You sort of fight with the client to make it look good but use their product. An example: Are we allowed to use other broccoli? If you use their product you might have to go through 100 boxes to get the product to look right. Being ethical about it. We are consumers too, don’t want to be lied to. The hardest thing I had to find though was for T.V. commercial for diet food and had to find a microberry. 

9. Where do you find your inspirations to create such a wide range of styled food?
Good part of being a stylist is keeping up with trends. Knowing the inside and outside of food. I always think about plating food differently. The trend now is glass cylinders. Restaurants are really trying to keep up with current trends. I like to eat out a lot to see what other places are doing. I watch commercials. Do some test shooting. Not as much as would like because of my busy schedule. Whatever the client wants you might not have the shot, but you can do it.

10.  What has been your best resource to find props for shoots? 
A lot of food stylist don’t deal with props. I have a 20x10 shed full of props. I cook a lot of food. Marshalls and Home Goods. They can be small and different. Antique stores, vintage store, thrift stores. Might buy something without preconceived. Props are important. Always talk to prop stylist, and have a prop rental fee.   

Food Stylist: Carrie Purcell

 http://carrieannpurcell.com/

1. How did you get into styling?
I have a bachelors degree in English and always wanted to write for a travel, music or food magazine. I  worked for a magazine for a bit and when it folded I went back to school. I'd always been interested in food so I went to culinary school and wanted to be a pastry chef. After a few years in professional kitchens I realized it wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life either and I found a stylist to assist. Thought it was a perfect combination between all of the fields I was interested and drawn to!

2. What do you enjoy styling more sweets or savory dishes?
I really enjoy both equally and love that I'm able to cook something different every day! It keeps things fresh and exciting. I do have a huge sweet tooth though and a pastry background so I lean a bit towards sweets.

3. Where do you look for your inspirations?
Magazines, other stylists, photographers and blogs for visual inspiration and just a trip to the farmers market or my favorite restaraunts for new food inspiration!

4. How long have you been represented by Big Leo? How has that helped your career?
I've been represented by Big Leo since I moved to NYC 3 years ago. I started my career in Los Angeles so when I moved to NYC I didn't really have many contacts and felt an agency could really help get my name out there. I also had a rep in CA as well and for me personally it works well. Self promotion is not my strong point or favorite thing to do and an agent is a huge help. As I get busier they do lots of little things, juggle my calendar, etc that help me be able to simply focus on being on set and making pretty food.

5. Who are your dream clients you want to work for?
Gourmet was a dream client so I was so to see them go.

6. Do you have a culinary background or is it something you picked up yourself?
Answered above a bit. I do have a culinary degree and worked in restaurants for a few years. I believe it's important to have some sort of formal training before assisting and getting into styling because your basic culinary knowledge is constantly being tested and pulled from with the random things I'm styling and cooking.

7.What do you enjoy more your editorial work or commercial work?
They are both fun for different reasons - advertising clients are beginning to want a looser more editorial feel so there's less difference between the actual styling of the two.

8. What made you start your blog Pictures and Pancakes?
The blog was a way for my husband and I to shoot together and create the images we wanted to create, no agenda or art directors telling us what to do, simply a creative outlet for us when we were inspired.  We only wish we had more time to do that!
** Here's the link: http://picturesandpancakes.blogspot.com/

9. Must have tool on set
Sharp knife, tweezers and a spray bottle!

NY Times: Granola

I love granola. I have it every morning for breakfast, so when I got the call to go shoot The Granola Factory in Bethlehem, PA I was super excited.

So I spent the morning at The Granola Factory watching them hand turn the roasting oats in honey. They were weighing and packaging everything themselves. It was a real personal experience and is a family owned business. I met the generations and saw the real dedication to making the product perfect.

Here's a link to their site to learn more about the history and where it started:
http://www.thegranolafactory.com/

Also Aimee over at Talula's Garden have their own granola dishes and was also featured in the story.
http://www.talulasgarden.com/main/main.shtml

 

How to Make: Pappardelle Pasta by Hand

For Valentine’s Day I surprised Joe with a homemade pasta dinner (he thought we were getting Chinese)

What I always enjoy doing is making homemade pasta. The recipe I saw in Bon Appetit's magazine that I made called for Pappardelle pasta. It’s a wider than normal pasta that’s good for creamy and thick meat sauces. Joe really enjoys Fettuccine Alfredo but that was too boring to make.

The recipe I made was a Creamy Leek and Bacon sauce over the Pappardelle pasta.
You can find the recipe in the magazine or here: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2013/02/creamy-pappardelle-with-leeks-and-bacon

Today I’ll show you it’s not hard to hand roll and cut pasta if you don’t have a pasta maker.

Basic ingredients for homemade pasta:
2 cups flour (extra for covering surface while rolling out)
2 tps of salt(kosher)
3 eggs

You can make your roll of dough right on the counter grandma style or in a bowl. You will take the 2 cups flour and salt and mix. Once that’s done you create a well or wall of flour with an opening big enough for the 3 eggs. Once you crack and mix the three eggs in the middle you can use your hands or a fork to mix in with the flour. Eventually it will become a dough and you will kneed it until all is well combined. If need be add flour as you go. Let the dough rest by covering it for 3 hours or even over night.

Once it has set, cut in half and roll out flat on a well floured surface. If it doesn’t roll out straight that’s OK. You can fold in sides until your satisfied. Once that’s done you then loosely roll dough all the way up. Cut with a sharp knife 1in or so cuts through dough. Each piece you will unroll and lay flat. That’s your pasta! 

*Using more flour during the last process is better because it won’t stick.
*To cook the pasta put in a rolling boil pot of water and cook 5-8 min