Asian Crab Slaw

Asian Crab Slaw (recipe by Cynthia Creighton-Jones)

2 lbs. Special Crab

2 Leaves Bok Choy, chiffonade

2 Leaves Chinese Cabbage, chiffonade

1 English Cucumber,seeded and julienned using a mandolin

1 medium carrot, julienned using a mandolin

1 medium zucchini, julienned using a mandolin

2 medium yellow squash, julienned using a mandolin

1 medium red pepper, julienned by hand

1/4 C Cilantro, chopped

1 T Vegetable oil

4 T Sesame oil

1/4 C Sesame Seeds, toasted

3 T Rice Wine Vinegar

In a large bowl, toss all the ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper. Chill for at least two hours.

Serves 8

Savannah Magazine Food Issue

Michelle Karner is the Art Director of Savannah Magazine…I’ve worked with her once before and thoroughly enjoyed it. She contacted me a few weeks ago about doing the food styling for the cover and some interior shots of the upcomming Food Issue. Erin Adams www.erinadamsphoto.com was the photographer. Erin and I have shared a coffee at the Sentient Bean here in town as well as a couple of jobs. I really like working with her. Like most food photographers, she is easy going with a good sense of humor and great patience…It’s a must when dealing with what can sometimes be tedious shoots. We only had to get three images, but it took the better part of the day. Again, my home was the location (I think I need to be charging for this) Michelle chose the Asian Crab Slaw as the Cover Shot. It’s a simple and delicious recipe by local caterer Cynthia Creighton-Jones. I chose to put it in bright green chinese take out containers sitting on tan linen with a bright pink napkin behind (very Lilly). I made large home made fortune cookies for added fun and interest to the image. Here is how it went…start to finish.

Candle Label Shoot

This is the first photo shoot I have had at my own house, and I LOVED it. Everything I needed was right there! This was a shoot for the labels for a new line of candles by Paula Deen. The scents will be based on some of her favorite and most delicious smelling recipes…like Creme Brule, Bob’s Peppermint Pie and Cherry Cheescake Pie. Since they are for labels where tons of text will be, the parameters of the image was very small. No real props aside from the dish. Room for plenty of text while still making you want to eat the image…easy, but tough. Chia Chong was the photographer. She brought her assistant, Jaime. Michelle White from PDE was the art director…then just me and my dog Emilie. (husband out of town on business…son on his way to Lake Tahoe) Here are a couple of images from the shoot. I cooked and prepped most of the stuff the day before. We started at 9 and got the last image off around 5. Chia just sent me the finals…You’ll have to wait to smell them when they hit the shelves. Coming Soon!

Website Karma

One of the many reasons I love Savannah is the ability to live in a city and be able to make a difference. I’m not only talking about the philanthropic opportunities that are available in every town and every city…everywhere. I’m talking about the differences people make in our lives. Jody Schiesser is one great example. Two months ago I went on an interview with a producer looking for a food and prop stylist for an upcoming commercial shoot. Well, the client bailed on the shoot, as they sometimes do when they see the numbers. More importantly, I had met in the producer someone who could make a difference in my life. He was also a website designer! I love bringing people together. Not in the Millionaire Matchmaker kind of way…okay, sometimes in that way….more in the how can people help each other out kind of way. Luckily, I was on the receiving end on this union. Jody is just coming off the great success of his short film The Street Cleaner www.thestreetcleanermovie.com and had a little down time to help me out on this project. I don’t know if he knew what he was getting himself into. I had very specific ideas of what I wanted my site to look like…Business with a sense of style. Through many meetings and milling over a ton of photographs, I think Jody hit the jackpot. I love the site and it was a true pleasure working with him. He listened and got it. This is what makes him a great photographer, producer and I’m happy to call my new friend. He made a difference. On a final note tonight. What the hell is Elizabeth Berkley doing back on tv? The only thing worse than her hair in the Showgirls movie was her ability to dance. Step it Up and Dance is her new charge… strangely I loved the first episode…. it’s so second grade.