Online Photography Class

Hey everyone ! Check this out, the white on rice couple are giving-away a free online photography class, it's a random draw, just comment on their blog and you instantly apply . Nothing to lose !http://whiteonricecouple.com/blog/2008/12/giveaway-online-art-food-photography-class

Old Cutlery ?

Every time we take a trip to Alexandria, my favorite city on the Mediterranean, I can't resist the temptation to visit " Sook El Attareen", the Antiques' market. It's said that this market has been around since the times of the "Mamlouks" , somehow I get magnetically drawn into it's small alleys and dark little shops with all it's mysteries, memories and long lost stories. Some of the antiques date back to the time of the 19th Century, from the European invasion of the Ottomans, some left behind by foreigners who left the country after the 23rd of July revolution and some their sources will remain to this day,unknown .

As I walk around this time, I know exactly what I'm looking
for....I've been dreaming of some old rusty cutlery to use as props for my food pictures for quite some time now. I'm not sure if it's the combination of old cutlery with the new shiny china I just bought, or the mystery that I think the pieces will add to the picture, or just
simply following the recent trend of adding an old looking prop into a simple modern looking set; I just knew I had to find some and I knew exactly where to look.

It took me about an hour, and finally I had my mind set, I had found what I was looking for. On top of the cutlery, I had also found a couple of beautiful tiny vases and an ornamental colorful rusty tray, perfect !

As we drove back to the busy loud polluted city we call home; Cairo, the serenity and beauty of Alexandria gradually fading away, I couldn't stop myself from drawing sketches of sets in my head of how I was going to use my latest finds.
So expect to see some old but gorgeous worn out little pieces in my next group of food shots, and think " oh, I know the story behind
that knife !"
See you very soon ,

My Kitchen

Yes, I know ...finally! My food blog !!

I dedicate this....to everyone out there who had asked me for a culinary advice, a presentation technique or a simple recipe. To my friends who inspire me & never fail to give enthusiastic comments on the food they see....& eat at my house. To my international friends, who put up with my constant need to try a new traditional dish when I visit, or discover a new food market and walk out with tons of weird looking ingredients that I can never carry back home...Most of all to my husband for being there for the everyday trial and error workshop that takes place in our kitchen, and last but not least to my family....for believing in me ... every step of the road.

And talking about roads, and where they start, I'd like to start in my kitchen, because all roads... do lead back to my kitchen! Have you ever thought about using a certain kitchen utensil first, and then thought of what you were gonna cook in it ? Like when you see your cupcake pan sitting at the end of your kitchen cabinet and think "oh I'd love to use that today !" Then, you look through your recipe book for that perfect cupcake recipe, & two hours later......you're enjoying mouth watering cinnamon & walnut cupcakes and ginger tea, and everyone looks at you and says, "thank you , that was a great idea.".......You pause and think, hmmm... shouldn't they be thanking the cupcake pan ? Well maybe they should, so let's stop & say thank you, to our kitchen utensils, they really do inspire us sometimes !