This summer, I had the most awesome chicken salad recipe ever. That says a lot coming from a person who hates chicken salad. I’ll give you the recipe, but first I’m going to share with you photos from that fateful day where I *gasp* might have been converted to a chicken salad lover.

A few weeks ago, the meat CSA that I belong to, Clark Summit Farm, held a farm tour where we met and mingled with other members (and future entrées). I invited my good friend Kirstin Jackson to come along, and we spent a gorgeous sunny day up in Tomales, breathing in the fresh air and photographing farm animals.

CSA maven Bonnie Azab Powell planned a huge lunch spread that included goodies from CSA members and sandwiches made with a Clark Farm-raised ham. There were cookies, salads, cheese, wine – everything you could possibly think of to make the day absolutely perfect.

Here are a few photos I snapped. And, keep scrolling down for the most fabulous chicken salad recipe you’ll ever make. ... Read the rest of Clark Summit Meat Club Farm Tour + Bonnie Powell’s Chicken Salad Recipe on The Culinary Life.

Permalink | Posted in American, Food Photography, Gluten Free, Travel on Aug/Thu/2010
Post tags: best chicken salad recipe, bonnie azab powell, chicken salad, chicken salad recipe, chicken salad recipes, chicken salad sandwich, chickens, clark, clarks summit, cobb salad, csa, cuisine, european cuisine, food and drink, kirstin jackson, mayonnaise, meat, potato salad, salad recipes, salads, summit, tour
© Stephanie Stiavetti for Wasabimon!, 2010.

For this week’s on Food Blogger Spotlight, I’ve got a special, end-of-year treat for you! The lovely Matt Armendariz of MattBites is here to share some food and photography love with you, my fabulous Wasabimon readers. An accomplished food photographer, Matt has produced images for Time Magazine, Bon Apetit, MarthaStewart.com and more. And then there’s his blog, which quickly became a favorite among the culinary bloggerati. You’ll see some of his work sprinkled throughout this post, and if you’re hungry for more, his portfolio is ready and waiting for your perusal.

There are many reasons why I love this guy, but probably the first and foremost is his infectious enthusiasm for life. He’s a sparkly ball of fun, and I challenge you to spend five minutes talking to him and not walk away with a smile. Go ahead. I dare you. If you can pull this off, you have a stinky gym sock where your heart should be.

Here’s Matt – please give him a warm welcome!

Permalink | Posted in Food Photography, People on Dec/Tue/2009
Post tags:
© Stephanie Stiavetti for Wasabimon!, 2009.

Next on Food Blogger Spotlight we’ve got Arnold Gatilao from Inuyaki. Inuyaki covers an amazing breath of topics, from sous vide to chicharrones to Filipino fare. He’s a Yountville regular, and I’m convinced that one day he’s going to know Thomas Keller on a first-name basis.

Besides the good eats, Arnold’s also a great photographer – and he does it all with a magically delicious point and shoot. You’ll see some of his photos throughout this post and there are lots more on his site. I’ve also got to say that Inuyaki.com is a shining example of how minimal design can be really, really well done. I love his layout.

So, what does Inuyaki mean? Here’s a snippet from Arnold’s about page:

“If you’re curious, inuyaki means “grilled dog” in Japanese. I’m Filipino, but I thought it was funny name since my people do have a history of dog eating. I’ve never actually eaten dog, but the name popped into my head one day, and I thought it would be a funny name for a food blog.”

There you have it. Let’s welcome Arnold, and don’t be shy – say hi in the comments!

... Read the rest of Food Blogger Spotlight: Arnold Gatilao on The Culinary Life.

Permalink | Posted in Food Photography, People on Dec/Tue/2009
Post tags:
© Stephanie Stiavetti for Wasabimon!, 2009.

For the next installment of our Food Blogger Spotlight, I’m interviewing Seattle’s upcoming food photography superstar: Charity Burggraaf. I highly recommend you check out her amazing portfolio at CharityLynne.com, and you can keep up with her daily adventures on her food photography blog.

I’ve been trying to come up with an adjective to describe Charity’s work, and all I can say is that it sings. Her sense of color and light is absolutely captivating. I mean, just look at the photos peppering this post! It’s no wonder she’s racked up an impressive resume in a relatively short period of time, with her photos appearing in Culture, Seattle Magazine and others. She really adheres to her mission statement: “I strive for beauty, integrity, and quality in every image I create and in everything I do.”

Ok, I’m done gushing. Please welcome Charity, as she share a glimpse of her blogging (and photographing!) life.

Permalink | Posted in Food Photography, People on Dec/Tue/2009
Post tags:
© Stephanie Stiavetti for Wasabimon!, 2009.

For the next installment of our Food Blogger Spotlight, we’ve got a very talented food photographer whose work has appeared in various books, magazines and websites, including Gourmet.com, Epicurious.com and Seattle Magazine. I’m talking about Lara Ferroni, and if you’re at all interested in food, you’ve seen her work.

Lara actually has several blogs (more than me, even!), though you’re probably most familiar with her site Still Life With…. She also has a gorgeous cooking blog at Cook and Eat as well as her photography portfolio at Plates and Packs. I highly recommend checking out her various homes on the web – it seems that everything she touches is visually gorgeous.

The reason I love Lara’s work is that she has a certain quality of light in her photos, and it gives them a certain quality of life. It’s certainly something I have a tough time doing in my own photography, so it’s especially impressive to learn that she’s completely self-taught as a photographer. See for yourself – the light in her work really speaks for itself:

Permalink | Posted in Food Photography, People on Oct/Tue/2009
Post tags:
© Stephanie Stiavetti for Wasabimon!, 2009.

So many people loved my Star Wars food photography post that I decided to upload a few more photos. Turns out it’s a lot of fun playing with toys as a grown up.

And, this post also marks the beginning of a contest! Come up with captions for the series below and then leave them in a comment. Whoever comes up with the best storyline will win a free copy of The Clone Wars on DVD, compliment of yours truly. Contest ends Monday, September 21st.

Be sure to include your freaking email address so that I can actually get a hold of you if you win!

Permalink | Posted in Blog Giveaways, Food Photography on Sep/Tue/2009
Post tags:
© Stephanie Stiavetti for Wasabimon!, 2009.