For those of you that waited patiently for me while I was lazy and sulking, I have what I hope you will consider to be a delectable treat. A tiny nugget of 'thank you' wrapped in a crunchy outer layer of 'you're awesome'. Just before my sulking period began I alluded to a styling project that was keeping me busy, and I'm happy to say that it's ready for public consumption. The project was a story that brought together the winter recipes of 11 great celebrity chefs that also happen to have an affinity for green cooking (seasonal, local, organic, etc...). I was able to work once again with my best friend Gloria (who you may remember from our Montreal road trip and her own great blog), a renaissance woman for the digital age, but first and foremost an outstanding photo editor and my first choice to art direct any photo shoot.
Other than working with people I love, the great part about the shoot was getting to work in real time. Having worked for years in the print world, I'm used to months of lead time and testing Thanksgiving food in June. In this case, I was actually buying ingredients and prepping recipes in their season, which was all the better for the photos. Not to mention it's a lot easier to cook and style winter fare with gusto when there's actually snow on the ground. The recipes are wonderful, even the few that I didn't prepare and style, and they run the gamut from appetizer to soup, salad, side and main course. There's wonderful color and flavor in each dish, so they're definitely worth making (we actually ate most of them for lunch during the shoot, so I can attest first hand). And as you can see, some of the shots don't really pertain to a particular recipe, but are actually really interesting and beautiful, and even ended up running on another site.
So, go ahead and check out the recipes here. I worked hard to make sure everyone would think they looked delicious, but my real hope is that they encourage everyone to get out there and cook seasonally and locally during this less than bountiful season. Spring is just around the corner and we'll all be snacking on asparagus and fava beans soon enough, but in the meantime I can say with all certainty that the Beet and Beef Stew is delicious and warming, the Spicy Cauliflower Soup is to die for on a cold day (especially with a dollop of sour cream), and the Lemongrass Poached Salmon is healthful and elegant. So make a pit-stop at the grocery store or farmers market and get cooking. I'll be back with some more winter recipes later this week in hopes of keeping everyone inspired!
-Laura
